As you may well have noticed, the days are a little longer, the sun a little warmer and the hillsides are now dotted with flowering trees. On the Carst, there are violets, crocuses, buttercups and daisies dotting the fields and roadside. Pretty soon, the first of the lucertole (lizards a.k.a. sun-seekers) will creep over to the…
Trieste is inherently tied to Vienna. Having been under Austrian rule since as far back as 1382, when the main citizens of Trieste in petitioned Leopold III of Habsburg, Duke of Austria in order to become part of his domains. Subsequently Trieste gained wealth and importance as the port city of the consolidated Austrian Littoral. It became little Vienna on the…
Just north of Trieste, next door to Opicina, lies the town of Monrupino (Repentabor in Slovenian *). It is marked by the Sanctuary of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin which can be seen perched atop the hill overlooking the Karst. This is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike as, from here, you…
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…
My favorite thing about Easter in Trieste is the delicious Titola. A traditional Easter cake that makes its appearance for a brief time right around the holiday, it is wrapped in cellophane and colorful bows. It is as pretty as it is delicious with its colorful easter eggs nestled in the shiny, moist braided dough.…
I am by no means a wine connoisseur, but I hope to become at least an informed enthusiast while living here in Trieste. My only exposure to wines of this region had been a brief love affair with a wine by Livio Felluga which I only remember by the distinctive label with the map of…
The name, Illy is universally associated with high quality coffee. The company logo shares the colors of Trieste, red & white, where the company was born and where its headquarters still reside. I had the opportunity to tour the facility last week, and, I have to say it is a very impressive operation. Founded on…
Once the great port of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and located at the crossroads of Mittle-Europe, Trieste was and has always been a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural hub. Here it’s easy to find diverse places of worship that date back to when Maria Theresa and her son Emperor Joseph II, ruled over the city. In an attempt to…
For a city on the sea, Trieste surprisingly has very few places in town where to eat on the waterfront. City planners promise there will be more to come, but in the meantime, these are the ones I would recommend for enjoying the view, the food and sometimes both. Some are better than others but…
Udine is, as the locals say, “the Milan” of the FVG region, meaning it is industrious, full of hard working people and often finds itself a little out of step with its more leisurely and chill neighbors. Not often considered a tourist destination, it is in fact ideally situated in the Province of Udine which…
Where do Triestines go when they are looking for authentic home-cooked meals? Look no further than Mariabologna. I have often passed by this shop in Via Cesare Battisti and and immediately sensed that there was something special about this shop…that somehow time had stood still here, preserving all that was good. From the vintage whimsical…
Jutting out above the Rive from the Molo (pier) 23 is Trieste’s unofficial mascot, URSUS. A piece of industrial archeology dating back to 1913, it is one of the largest and oldest floating steel cranes in the world. Outfitted with an electrical system, motors and 2 rudders the crane is equipped with an arm able…
The Triestine people live for the sun and the sea. With the arrival of the first day of “good sun” (tanning sun) you begin to see the march towards the sea. Like ants to a food source, the procession of ladies and men begins… All to the seaside to work on their tans. They arrive in their down…
This year marks 300 years since the birth of Maria Teresa Walburga Amalia Christina of Austria, of the House of Habsburg. Born in Austria on May 13, 1717, she was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Transylvania, Mantua, Milan, Galicia & Lodomeria, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma. By marriage, she was Duchess of Lorraine,…
Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2011 (recognized as the capitol of the Lombard Duchy and first stop in the “The Lombards in Italy, the places of power (568-774 A.D.)” UNESCO Itinerary), Cividale del Friuli is an intriguing town. Situated high above the Natisone River which, like the Isonzo river, is an amazing shade of emerald green…
