Trieste has been a pleasant surprise. I thought it was going to be like Rimini which was a means to an end just to reach San Marino. In this case, San Marino would be Venice. Despite both being coastal cities, I don’t know why Rimini kind of bored me, yet Trieste has an entirely different vibe. Perhaps it’s the abundance of bars and a younger population? I really can’t pinpoint the difference. Suffice it to say that I enjoyed Trieste more even if I was only here for a short time.
The bus ride from Rijeka in Croatia took only two hours but required two border crossings: one with Slovenia; the other, with Italy. You’d like to think that with those three all being in the Schengen Zone, passport checks would be a distant memory of decades past. Well, the border guards hopped on the bus as we crossed both borders and asked for documents. As long as your stay in Europe is legit, then there is really nothing to worry about. From Trieste’s Silos bus station, I walked to my accommodation which involved some requisite sightseeing because I passed by the port and Piazza Unità d'Italia.
Piazza Unità d'Italia is well-illuminated at night and is quite the spectacle. Feel free to roam around Trieste during midnight if you don’t like crowds. Since most areas are well-lit, there is ample opportunity for nighttime photo ops. The centerpiece is a fountain and the square is flanked by three gorgeous buildings with one side facing the Adriatic Sea. I don’t know what those buildings are for but according to Google Maps, they are: Palazzo del Lloyd Triestino; Prefettura di Trieste; and Sala Comunale d’Arte with its clock tower.
Before reaching this plaza, I passed by a canal which Google Maps later identified as Canal Grande di Trieste. The backdrop was not that visible at night so I came back the next afternoon during sunset and apparently, this canal has a lineup of cafes and restaurants on the left side, while the neoclassical Church of Sant’Antonio Nuovo serves as the main attraction on the far end. Next to it is an 18th century Serbian Orthodox church, which I wasn’t able to enter because it was already closed for the day when I got there.
The real sightseeing shenanigans happened the next day, though. I guess I was in a good mood because it was a Friday meaning the work week was over. Heading out at 4 PM as I usually do, I was lucky because Trieste has this thing they call Triestemetro. It is basically a collection of numbered info boards showing a map of the vicinity and suggesting a walking route that you can take to maximize your sightseeing pleasure. Seeing the tourist attractions was much easier thanks to this.
Trieste has two castles. One is visible from the hills far away if you are at the city center. The other one is on a hill not far from all the action of downtown and only requires a leisurely hike along uphill roads. That hill is practically divided into two areas: the castle and the cathedral; and a big green park next to it which has steps leading you back to civilization directly to the loving arms of Ronald McDonald. I did not take that route going down but I still ended up at McDonalds anyway. Can’t resist that double cheeseburger, now can we?
Anyway, the cathedral was built in the 14th century over Roman ruins. Since entrance was free, I entered the church and surprisingly enjoyed it. It has frescoes and mosaics aplenty and there are three altars. It felt like two or three churches fused into one. Once you are done with the cathedral, go outside and you will see Trieste’s war monument which is hard to miss. To its right are the ruins of a Roman forum and the castle itself which now houses a museum.
I suggest you head to the park and go back down to the town center that way. The stairs there are nice. I just saw it from McDonalds and kind of regretted not exploring that part of the hill. And that was Trieste for me. Fast trains to Venice Mestre usually just take an hour and 45 minutes. The slower trains and Flixbus take around 2 hours and a half.
0 creature(s) gave a damn:
Post a Comment