Getting Out and About in Trieste 🌊

After a reasonable night’s sleep, I was up by 7 a.m. when the rustling of backpacks broke the early silence. With the morning free, I decided to explore Trieste on foot — one of the best ways to feel the pulse of this seaside city.

Before heading out, here’s a little travel tip for fellow wanderers: download the GPSmyCity app. It’s been my quiet companion through countless destinations, allowing me to create personalised walking tours. I’m not sponsored — I find it invaluable. For approximately US$12.99 per year, the basic version provides maps and tours for cities worldwide.

My hostel didn’t have a full kitchen — just a microwave and a kettle — so breakfast was destined to be found somewhere along the Grand Canal.

The Grand Canal

There’s something special about Trieste’s Canal Grande, bathed in early sunlight and lined with cafés, bridges, and pastel façades. I grabbed a slice of pepperoni pizza and a ham-and-salad sandwich from a nearby supermarket and sat by the canal under an umbrella, enjoying the calm before the day’s bustle.

The canal itself dates back to 1754–1756, designed by the Venetian architect Matteo Pirona. It was built so boats could sail right into the heart of the city to unload their goods. The canal once stretched farther inland — all the way to the Church of Sant’Antonio — but its final section was filled in during 1934 using rubble from demolished parts of the old city. There’s even a local tale that a small torpedo boat was buried under the new square, though photographs from the time show no sign of it.

The Bridges of Trieste

The canal’s crossings each have a story to tell.

The Red Bridge (Ponte Rosso) 🔴

Originally built in 1756 as a wooden drawbridge, it allowed ships to pass but left pedestrians precariously edging across. Its bright red paint served as a warning — and gave the surrounding area its enduring name, Ponterosso. Today, a bronze statue of James Joyce stands mid-stride across it, forever “crossing” Trieste’s literary waters.

The Green Bridge (Ponte Verde)

Constructed in 1858, it was joined in 1904 by the White Bridge, part of a small railway line connecting Trieste’s old and new ports. The bridges were once movable, opening to let tall-masted ships pass, but have since been replaced with fixed masonry structures — now only passable by small boats at low tide. Sitting there, I noticed how the tide lapped just below the stone arches and imagined the quiet traffic of boats long ago.

⛪ Saint Spyridon Church

Following the canal led me to the Serbian Orthodox Church of Saint Spyridon. From the outside, its domed silhouette and patterned stonework evoke an eastern mosque — but inside, it is richly Byzantine, filled with frescoes, icons, and gilded details that draw your gaze upward.

The first church on this site was built in the mid-18th century to serve both the Serbian and Greek Orthodox communities. Disagreements between the two eventually led to a separation, and the current church rose from the swampy canal-side ground to replace the unstable original. Today, it stands as a serene symbol of Trieste’s multicultural history — a city shaped by borders and blended faiths.

A Misguided Search for a SIM Card 📱

My next mission was practical — finding a local Italian SIM card. With only a week left in Europe, I didn’t need much data. The first shop offered 150 GB for €20 — far too much. Vodafone wanted €25 for 100 GB, again more than I could ever use. I finally gave up, deciding to rely on café WiFi instead.

Somewhere along the way, I deleted my walking route by accident and took a wrong turn. My “castle walk” became an accidental detour, complete with a closed church and plenty of uphill wandering before I found my bearings again. With a beer stop for morale, I finally followed the correct path toward Castello di San Giusto.

The Roman Theatre 🎭

At the base of San Giusto Hill, I passed the Roman Theatre of Trieste, tucked between modern streets yet echoing ancient voices. Built at the end of the 1st century BC, it once held between 3,500 and 6,000 spectators. In Roman times, this spot was on the seashore — hard to imagine now — and the theatre was ingeniously built into the natural slope of the hill.

Rediscovered only in 1814, it remained hidden beneath houses until excavations in 1938 revealed its graceful tiers. Many of its statues and inscriptions now rest in the nearby Castle of San Giusto and the Civic Museum.

Cathedral Basilica of San Giusto Martire ⛪

The cobbled climb up the hill brings you to Trieste’s Cathedral of San Giusto Martire, the city’s principal Catholic church. Its façade, austere yet striking, is adorned with a great rose window carved from Karst stone.

The cathedral’s history dates to the 14th century, when the bell tower of an earlier church was strengthened and absorbed into a new structure. In 1422, lightning struck the tower, reducing it to its present height. Ancient Roman fragments are embedded in its walls — a reminder of how Trieste has continually built upon its own past.

🏰 Castello di San Giusto

Just above the cathedral stands Castello di San Giusto, a fortress turned civic museum that commands sweeping views of Trieste and the Adriatic beyond. Entry with a senior discount was a modest €5 — a pleasant surprise in Italy.

I wandered through its bastions, courtyards, and ramparts for several hours. The Round Bastion, with its small restaurant below the armoury, offered the perfect spot for a glass of wine in the sunshine.

The castle itself dates from the 15th century, built atop the ruins of an older Venetian fort. Despite its imposing presence, it saw little real battle — only briefly used by Napoleon’s troops in 1813 and later by German forces during World War II. Restored in the 2000s, it now houses the Tergestino Lapidary, displaying Roman inscriptions and sculptures — a bridge between ancient and modern Trieste.

Arco di Riccardo

Descending from the castle, I stumbled upon the Arco di Riccardo — a Roman triumphal arch dating from 33–32 BC, and the last visible remnant of Trieste’s Roman walls.

Its name, “Richard’s Arch,” is often linked (incorrectly) to Richard the Lionheart, said to have passed nearby in the 1190s. More likely, the name is a corruption of Arco del Cardo (from cardo, the main Roman road). One side of the arch stands free, while the other remains embedded in a modern building — a perfect metaphor for Trieste itself: the old world intertwined with the new.

Piazza Unità d’Italia 🇮🇹

Eventually, my walk brought me out at Piazza Unità d’Italia, the grand seafront square of Trieste. Facing the Adriatic and backed by elegant municipal buildings and palaces, it’s said to be Europe’s largest square open to the sea.

Over the years, the piazza has hosted concerts by bands like Green Day (2013) and Iron Maiden (2016) — modern echoes reverberating through an ancient cityscape.

The Bathyscaphe Trieste

At the far end of the square stands a monument to scientific adventure — the Bathyscaphe Trieste, designed in Switzerland, built in Italy, and later operated by the U.S. Navy. On 23 January 1960, it carried two men to the deepest known point on Earth: the Mariana Trench, 10,902 metres below the surface.

The vessel’s design — a gasoline-filled chamber above a thick steel sphere — revolutionised deep-sea exploration. Seeing it here, in a city that also bears its name, felt like an appropriate symbol of Trieste’s spirit: curious, daring, and always reaching beyond known depths.

Evening Reflections 🌅

By late afternoon, I wandered back toward the hostel, picking up a ready-made lasagna on the way — it looked better than it tasted, but after a long day on my feet, it was enough.

Trieste had shown me its blend of history and modern life — Roman ruins beside art cafés, Orthodox domes beside Habsburg façades, the Adriatic whispering against the quay. Tomorrow, I’ll head toward Venice and San Donà di Piave, carrying Trieste’s layered charm with me — a city that feels both Central European and unmistakably Italian.

✈️ Travel Tips: Trieste at a Glance

Getting Around:

Trieste is best explored on foot. Most of the main attractions — the Grand Canal, Piazza Unità d’Italia, and San Giusto Hill — are within comfortable walking distance. The city’s hills can be steep in parts, so take it at your own pace.

Transport:

If you prefer not to walk uphill, the local bus system is efficient and connects the train station with San Giusto and the old town.

Entry Fees:

Castello di San Giusto: €5 (senior discount available)

Cathedral and Roman Theatre: free entry

Best Viewpoints:

The ramparts of San Giusto Castle offer panoramic views across the harbour and Adriatic Sea.

For a different angle, enjoy a coffee or glass of wine by the Grand Canal in late afternoon light.

Local Insights:

Trieste has a fascinating mix of Italian, Slavic, and Austro-Hungarian influences reflected in its food, language, and architecture. Don’t miss trying a local coffee — the city has its own espresso culture and even unique names for different coffee styles.

Useful App:

GPSmyCity (subscription about US $12.99/year) — ideal for creating your own walking tours offline.

Good to Know:

Free WiFi is available in many cafés and restaurants, though mobile SIM options can be limited or overly generous in data for short stays.