1. The colossal central square, Piazza dell’Unitá d’Italia, lined with majestic Habsburg-era buildings – most beautiful bathed in evening lights
2. The charming path to the Miramare Castle
3. A pleasant stroll on the banks of the Canale Grande
4. Trieste embodies Central Europe
5. Nobody cares if you take a swim in the sea from the promenade
6. The setting is Central European, but Trieste offers everything an Italian city should: a Roman theatre and triumphal arch, big squares, nuns, youths on mopeds, tasty pizza and pasta, great coffee
7. Scenic Rilke trail between Sistiana and Duino
8. Our favorite even before entering the city: having seafood pasta on the terrace of Tenda Rossa, a fantastic restaurant near Miramare Castle overlooking the Bay of Trieste
9. The tiny uphill alleys in the city center with their hidden gems: family-owned restaurants, wine shops and wine bars, art galleries
1. A huge challenge to find a free park space – your best bet is an underground parking lot
2. As elsewhere in Italy, the locals drive like madmen
3. When arriving from Slovenia on the highway, the huge, ugly industrial zones and thinly scattered houses can be unsettling
4. Most restaurants close between 3 and 7pm
