With Covid-19 precautions in place, Trieste is adapting to the “new normal” and the events calendar is filling up with traditional events that have become milestones year after year and interesting new events that promise to offer entertainment and distraction from the general mood of 2020.

With the last gasp of summer closing out August, Trieste turns a corner. Yes, it’s back to school and back to work for many but despite this return to the normal rhythm of life, Trieste still exudes a bubbly feeling of excitement. The days begin with a crispness in the air but soon enough, the sun warms up. The sea and sky compete for brilliant blues and the city is effervescent — We have entered the Fifth Season of Trieste.

The gulf of Trieste is dotted with sailboats large and small, some participating in small regattas sponsored by the various local yacht clubs, others are just practicing their skills, their crews and testing the mettle of their boats while others are simply soaking up the season. All of this activity is in anticipation of the Barcolana, the crowned jewel of international sailing events held each year in Trieste, it is the world’s largest regatta.

Trieste offers something for everybody, events aren’t just on the water, the city comes alive with a myriad of activities on land as well, from food markets, crafts fairs, cultural events, exhibits, festivals and sagre (celebrations of specific agricultural products ie, potatoes, cheeses, truffles, wines, cured meats, pumpkins, you name it!). 

A good place to find listings are Stasera a Trieste on Facebook and Trieste’s online newspaper TriestePrima. And there is no shortage of photographic & art exhibits which can be found on TriesteCultura‘s page online. 

The Fifth season kicked off with ESOF, where Trieste was named the European City of Science and although it saw a reduced in person attendance it nonetheless received impressive online presence of both scientiests, researches and spectators. September also sees the Symphonic season’s launch in full swing with Ballet performances gearing up at Trieste’s Teatro Verdi.

If you enjoy live music, there are still some concerts to be found in Trieste, from open air Jazz performances to live music events at local bars featuring local artists, cover bands and some headliners. The will also be a series of concerts at the almost new Hilton Doubletree organized by the Chamber Music group headed by Fedra Florit. Called Aperitivo Classico, they will run every Sunday 11am-12pm from the 13th of September to the 18th of October in the luxurious Caffè Berlam.

Going on despite the pandemic are also Cinema festivals, Science festivals and Journalism Festivals and while they will be mostly online this year they promise some local in person attendance as well.

Art Exhibits abound like the photographs of MARCELLO DUDOVICH (1878 – 1962) at the Scuderie of Miramare Castle, and IL SEGNO DI MODIANO the celebration of 150 years of the Muggia based Modiano company at the IRCI Museum in via Torino and the AI exhibit launched for ESOF at the Salone degli Incanti CYBORN.

The Fifth Season also coincides with the start of the harvest season and we see lots of Sagre and food related festivals. This month Trieste will host the International Street Food Festival on the 24th to the 27th of September 2020 –  while nearby in Udine there is FriuliDoc from the 10th to 13th September 2020, a celebration of local FVG regional foods and products.

Castelli Aperti, is a fun opportunity to visit historic castles and (some still in use) private dwellings of the local nobility from the 26th to the 27th of Sept 2020.

And abundant are opportunities to eat and drink well, with wineries opening their doors to showcase their products, Osmize laying out tables full of their homemade wares from cheeses, to “insaccati” (cured meats) and homemade wines and liqueurs. Fall is also a good time to cross the border to sample the crop of Istrian Gold aka truffles, served in every way imaginable; on toast, over scrambled eggs, in a creamy sauce over pasta, shaved over filet mignon…**swooning**

Trieste’s Fifth Season is a short but wonderful jam-packed season of fun, food, culture and excitement — The choices are seemingly endless and one runs the risk of suffering a seriouscase of FOMO (fear of missing out) even in these trying times. So get out there – with care – wear your mask, bring your hand sanitizer and be respectful of others and of the Covid precautions in place.