My awareness of the increasingly widespread problem of gluten intolerance has grown enormously since I moved to Italy. It seems ironic that a country that is synonymous with pasta and some of the most amazing bread in the world should have such a high incidence of sufferers. According to the Italian Health Commission on Celiac…
Just a little over an hour’s drive from Trieste, tucked away in the Julian Alps is the town of Tarvisio. This is a destination year-round for many locals looking to enjoy downhill and cross country skiing in the winter and hiking and biking through the natural beauty of mountains in the summer. Tarvisio offers you…
Many people don’t realize how sprawling Trieste is. It’s not just what you see when you are down on the waterfront – Trieste is a multicultural and multilingual metropolis and it offers a very diverse landscape – from the popular Rive on the seaside, to tiny towns nestled in the Carso, to the old city,…
I recently read an article by a fellow American and writer, Noah Charney, who lives in Slovenia, about his Ski and Swim Challenge. Basically, Slovenia, our lovely neighbor to the north and east, boasts “that the country is so compact, with such a diversity of terrain, that you can ski in the morning and swim…
Parco di San Giovanni originally housed the psychiatric hospital of Trieste which was established in 1908. The goal was to build a “modern and free” oasis in the center of the city where patients could live a life within the “open door system” in the serenity of the Park — creating an environment where many…
Springtime in the region brings with it the bounty of wild herbs and edible plants, among them, the much awaited ”Sclopit” or Silene Vulgaris, a wild green that grows almost everywhere. The name Sclopit is derived from a childhod game when children would pick the flowers and pop them between their palms making a little…
The Tram of Opicina, or as they call it here, el tram de Opčina (pron. Óp-seena), is a beloved icon of Trieste. Part tram and part funicular, these spunky bright blue and white tramcars used to provide regular service from Piazza Oberdan in downtown Trieste to the Altopiano Carsico. The line operated as a conventional, electrically…
Every year Trieste welcomes Spring with a calendar filled with outdoor events sure to help you thaw out from the seemingly endless and very gray winter. There are many to choose from; sporting events, art exhibits, concerts, plays and literary happenings. But the ones that really mark the thaw of the city from Winter’s grip…
The only reason I have ever traveled to the town of Ronchi dei Legionari is to get to Trieste’s airport. “Ronchi” means cultivated lands and the town was originally called Ronchi di Monfalcone. The name changed came after Gabriele D’Annunzio (famed Italian military man, poet, playwright, journalist, patriot) led 2,000 locals — not part of…
I often take friends just over the border for delicious meals at some of the classic Slovenian Gostilnas, but on a Tuesday nights, many are closed. Luckily my pals on a Triestine cooking page on Facebook suggested I try Trattoria Valeria 1904 in Opicina. A friend of mine who is a “buona forchetta” (a “good…
Carnevale is just around the corner. Store fronts are filled with glittery masks and brightly colored costumes and bakeries are showcasing the typical holiday fried fare consisting of crostoli, bugie ripiene, frittole, castagnole and other goodies! Everywhere you walk, you see the remnants of early celebrations; confetti and streamers scattered and balled up in street…
People often complain that Trieste is so remote — and Triestines joke that they like it that way! But in fact, this famous gateway to “MittleEurope” is undergoing a transformation to make it even more accessible. The biggest news is that starting March 19, 2018, there will be a new train connection between Trieste…
Trieste doesn’t disappoint on New Year’s Eve, (“la vigilia di Capodanno”). Celebrations abound at clubs, restaurants and bars throughout the city and this year, New Year’s eve celebrations also return to the beautiful medieval Castello San Giusto, offering a prime position from which to view the fireworks over the gulf of Trieste. The party in…
Originally posted on Best Of Trieste:
In Trieste, every season and holiday has its “must-haves”, whether it’s Titola for Easter, Gnocchi di Susine to mark the end of summer or Favette in the Fall. Christmastime is no different and holiday tables will be laden with a variety of baked goods. While Triestines are VERY SPECIFIC about what is a Triestine vs…
I was surprised when Universal Pictures released the horror/comedy film entitled Krampus in 2015. I had just moved to Trieste but until then, I had never heard of the Krampus lore which here coincides with the feast of Saint Nicholas. There are celebrations that last over several days and encompass several mountain villages in the…
