The charming port city of Trieste is the capital of Italy’s Friuli Venezia Giulia region, right in the northeast of the country. Almost entirely surrounded by Slovenia and lapped by the azure waters of the Adriatic Sea, the city holds its own special and unique border-town atmosphere, mirrored in the Triestini dialect which encompasses Italian, Austrian-German, Croatian and Greek.
Once the mighty seaport of the Habsburg Monarchy, Trieste is nothing if not grand, and this more than shows within its architecture. Its beautiful waterfront is lined with neoclassical architecture which rivals Paris or St Petersburg, and the medieval old quarter is rife for exploration. Take in the views from the Piazza Unità d'Italia with its landmark fountain, discover the mosaics and Roman ruins of the 14th-century Cattedrale di San Giusto Martire and explore the medieval Castello di San Giusto which now houses a museum.
To see Trieste at its best, it’s worth taking a stroll along the waterfront from where you can enjoy views of the deep blue Gulf of Trieste and the marina which is chock-a-block full of sleek white yachts. Another great view is from the summit of the Faro della Vittoria – at 71 metres it’s one of the world’s tallest lighthouses. For culture vultures, head to the Revoltella Museum – a modern art gallery founded in 1872 CE by Baron Pasquale Revoltella – and the Risiera di San Sabba – a former concentration camp used during World War Two that now operates as a civic museum.