24 hours in Trieste: what to eat and see

The capital of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Trieste is a port city with a great gastronomic tradition linked to the sea. At every step, and at every meal, all its three influences are felt: the Italian, the Austro-Hungarian and the Slovenian.

Trieste is a small plot of land between the Adriatic and the Slovenian border, perhaps a lifetime would not be enough to discover all its details, but certainly, in one day you can get a taste of its best bits. Here is a mini guide that will help you see Trieste in 24 hours, including what to eat and see. You’ll soon be booking your return.

Trieste in 24 hours: what to eat and see

Breakfast in Trieste between Piazza Unità d'Italia and Molo Audace

Two hours by train from beautiful Venice and only four hours from Milan, Trieste is a city of extreme elegance. Vulgar opulence does not belong here, rather, natural, objective beauty that does not need too many frills to get noticed. Arriving at Trieste station, the advice is to walk to Piazza Unità d'Italia, it will only take 15 minutes and you will walk in the company of its wonderful Art Nouveau buildings. The attentive eye will rest on the imposing architecture in neoclassical and eclectic styles and these contrasts, typical of the borderlands, will speak different languages to you which you will inexplicably understand.

Once in Piazza Unità d'Italia, if the infamous wind, the Bora allows it, sit outside at the tables of the famous Caffè degli Specchi. Founded in 1839 inside the white Palazzo Stratti, it bears this name because from its opening it was customary to engrave important historical facts and events on mirrors or glass plates. Sip a coffee, enjoy a croissant and take the time to gaze at the eclectic-style Town Hall facing the sea.

A few steps from the historic Caffè degli Specchi you will find the Molo Audace, where the people of Trieste love to walk and sit to enjoy the view of the sea.

Café degli Specchi, Piazza Unità d'Italia, 7
Price: average

La Bottega dell'Antiquario: Lunch in Trieste between vintage and contemporary cuisine

_{Gnocchi with goulash}

All this beauty and the sea air make one hungry, so it is time for lunch. Crossing Piazza Unità d'Italia on the side opposite the sea you will enter the Trieste of the ghetto, where you can shelter from the wind in its narrow alleys and vintage bookshops. The Bottega dell'Antiquario defines itself as a contemporary trattoria where the traditional cuisine of Trieste, and its ingredients from land and sea, meet the modern gastronomic world. You will be warmly welcomed and accompanied to the upper room, and you will notice that the restaurant is located in a neighbourhood that was once populated by antique dealers. The vintage mirrors and the staircase, the floors and the lamps are all antiques that sit in a modern and refined environment. The seasonal menu is irresistible and if you don't know what to choose, let yourself be seduced by the ever-present off-menu options. Here pasta and sauces are prepared fresh every morning. We suggest you try the traditional gnocchi with goulash, the fried prawns accompanied by a very light wasabi mayonnaise, the handmade torchietti alla carbonara with the addition of Istrian black truffle and the tagliatelle with grandmother's ragù.

Bottega dell'Antiquario, Via delle Beccherie, 11/A

Average price: 40 euros (excluding drinks)

An afternoon ice cream at Miramare Castle

The afternoon is still long and there are still many things to see and eat in Trieste. Take the bus or call a taxi, direction Castello di Miramare. Surrounded by the beaches of Trieste and the park of the same name, the Miramare Castle is constructed in an eclectic style with an abundance of white Istrian stone and overlooks the sea. You will feel like you are in an episode of the TV series Bridgerton and your clothes, whatever they are, will seem inappropriate to witness all this beauty. The park has countless species of plants, flowers and trees, and from every point, you will see the sea that opens onto this architectural masterpiece. There is nothing better than stopping at the castle bar to sip a good coffee or, in the summer, eat homemade ice cream while strolling through the gravel paths of the park.

Snack on ham at the Buffet da Pepi

Return to the centre and take the time to taste a sandwich with baked ham and mustard from Buffet da Pepi. Many trattorias in Trieste are called buffets, this is because at the entrance you will find display cases with side dishes and certain readymade dishes that only need to be warmed before serving. The historic Buffet da Pepi offers a rather small variety to choose from but emphasises quality. You can choose between different types of vegetables, but there is only one type of protein: pork. At Pepi's you can taste the best pork ‘bolitto’ in the city. Cooked for over two hours in special boilers, the different cuts of pork are hugely soft and accompanied with mustard and horseradish made to a secret recipe. For a snack, perhaps boiled meat is a gamble, but the classic sandwich with mustard and knife-cut crusted ham is nothing short of perfect. These little sandwiches, at a cost of four euros, will warm your body and soul.

Buffet da Pepi, Via della Cassa di Risparmio, 3

Sandwich price: four euros

Bolitto price: 10 euros per person (excluding drinks)

The Castle of San Giusto and a breathtaking view

It's time to return to the beauties of Trieste (and to work off the sandwich). On the homonymous hill of the city stands the Castle of San Giusto. Inside you can visit the museum of medieval weapons and the Tergestino Lapidary where sculptures, bas-reliefs and inscriptions dating back to Roman times are kept. But it is by climbing the walls of the castle that one of the most beautiful works of art ever seen will open up before your eyes: the entire Gulf of Trieste.

A fish dinner in Trieste

_{Spaghetti with telline}

At dinner time you will be spoiled for choice. Savouring the seafood of this beautiful port city is undoubtedly a good option. You can then book a table at the Chimera di Bacco. The right kind of elegant, this restaurant offers you a seafood menu inspired by local products. There is no shortage of raw fish and with a little luck, you will find amazing off-menu treats. An example is the spaghetti with telline and their appetiser with Rosa di Gorizia, a young, fleshy and pleasantly bitter radicchio, which is dressed with oil and apple vinegar and served with raw sea bass (depending on the availability of the fish and the season).

Chimera di Bacco, Via del Pane, 2

Average price: 40 euros (excluding drinks)

_{The raw fish selection at Trattoria Le Barettine}

If you are looking for a more intimate and traditional alternative, try booking your table at the Trattoria Le Barettine. The abundant presence of wood and the dark colours of the furnishings are the perfect contrast to what you find on your plate. Delicate fish-based dishes ranging from very Italian raw fish (no salmon to be clear, but sea cicadas, scallops, prawns and bone fish according to availability) and first courses with delicate and marine flavours at the same time. Leave space for the fried fish because it's really worth it.

Trattoria Le Barettine, Via del Bastione, 3

Average price: 40 Euros (excluding drinks)

Drinking in Trieste

_{Drink like a local and choose white spritz}

As evening falls and turns to night, you might want a drink. Go to via Torino following the road that takes you from Piazza Unità d'Italia to one of the city's ports. This is considered the youthful part of the city and on both sides of the pedestrian street, you will find clubs and cocktail bars ready to amaze you with pleasant after-dinner drinks. But if you want to respect the tradition of the city, order the white spritz as the locals do.

Must try at least once in Trieste

Our day in Trieste is coming to a close and although this city has filled your heart, belly and eyes with beauty, you will feel a strange sense of melancholy at the thought of leaving. If you decide to, and we hope you do, return to Trieste, try the jota in any buffet. It is a typical Istrian soup made from beans and pork which is a real panacea against the winter cold. Also, try the Istrian fusi with chicken sauce. It is a fresh pasta very similar to garganelli topped with a delicious chicken sauce. If you can't do without pizza, we recommend Al Civicosei. Here you will find different doughs ranging from the classic type 01 flour to wholemeal and multigrain ones. These are gourmet pizzas, with high-quality seasonal toppings. If you are passionate about theatre and music, don't miss the Carl Schmidl Theatre Museum which, where you can have access to an entire collection of musical instruments from all over the world and from all eras for just eight euros.