Spent most of a rainy day here. Steeped in history. Great view of the Gulf of Trieste and…read moresurrounding area. We purchased tickets for a photography exhibit here. The works of Robert Capa were on display. We were mesmerized by his photos taken in Italy during WW II. There are also several interactive things to do. We decided to have lunch here since it was pouring and were compelled to return to the photo exhibit. Alinarimage has computer set up at the exhibit so you can scroll through thousands of photos of Italy. If you see something you like, you can have it emailed to you at no cost.

I visited the Museo Revoltella ealier this summer when my husband and I were in Trieste for a day…read moreon a road trip from Zagreb to Ljubljana. I love an art museum, but the museum wasn't one of the highlights of our day in Trieste. The building was confusingly laid out, so maybe I missed some of the collection, but the permanent collection didn't wow me. I did enjoy the period rooms and the Van Gogh exhibit. But the highlight of the museum for me was the building itself - it's stunning. Overall, it wasn't a standout museum to me, but it's a nice museum to visit if you're in Trieste and want to take in a little art!

Enoteca Bischoff, Via Mazzini 21 is an excellent source of wine, including cold white to go, a rare…read morefind. There are fine local wines in the Trieste region.

My husband and I visited Miramare Castle as we were leaving Trieste on our way to Slovenia earlier…read morethis summer. The castle was built for Austrian Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian and his wife, Charlotte of Belgium, in 1856 to 1860. Maximilian was the younger brother of Franz Joseph, Emperor of Austria, but he was appointed Emperor of Mexico in 1864 (long, fascinating story) and executed in Mexico in 1867. So long story short, he didn't live at Miramare long. But the castle has a fascinating history and is worth a visit for that alone. The architecture is maximalist and stunning, but I wish there was more information as you walked around the castle (either as an audio guide or information plaques/signs around the building). But it was the grounds of the castle that really blew my mind. When we arrived, it was pouring rain, which gave the castle a little extra ambiance. As we explored the castle, the weather did a 180 and it became a gorgeous day - blue skies and sunshine over the Gulf of Trieste. That cliffside view of the castle is really something. All in all, well worth a visit even if you're not mildly obsessed with Maximilian like I am.

When you visit Trieste, make sure you save a few hours to go and visit this place…read more The castle was built from 1856 to 1860 for Austrian Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian and his wife Charlotte of Belgium, better known as Emperor Maximilian and Empress Carlota. Their "backyard" - a 54 acres garden - was designed by Maximilian himself. Being raised in Trieste I have a lot of wonderful memories of this place. My dad liked bringing us all there for a stroll in the park, "to see the squirrels, feed the swans, and sit on the cannons" or to visit the castle. I always loved everything about this place and was always trying to imagine Maximilian and Carlota walking in the gardens and living in that beautiful castle built right on the sea with all those different tinted windows, whose purpose was to be able to see all day long the colors of the sky and the sea that appears in different times of the day. Of course, I also always hoped to experience the "famous ghost" said to be walking the castle and the gardens: in 1864 Maximilian was captured and shot at age of 35 during the civil war in Mexico, where he had moved with Carlota after being offered the title of Emperor of Mexico, and according to the legend, his soul returned to Miramare to enjoy his garden. (There is a second legend too: Carlota, who became mentally ill after Maximilian's death, is said to have put a curse on the castle so that all royal or military couples who would overnight there would die of a violent death away from their home country, which... actually did happen for some folks). This place is right outside the city and easily reachable by car or bus. If you want to reach it by public transportation (which I would recommend anyways), be prepared to travel in buses which can be overcrowded: to get there you have to pass Barcola, the "beach neighborhood" of the city, a favorite spot for locals who love to go there in summer for the beach, but also anytime the weather is pleasant. I moved abroad many years ago and never had the chance to go back to Miramare until last year. Apparently the entire place had been much neglected for many years in the past, but luckily a lot of restorations (some still in place) brought it back to its past splendor. The garden is as gorgeous, although some spots have now limited access to the public (sorry: no more sitting on the cannons!). Walking in the park is very relaxing: there is a wide range of different trees and vegetation, trails, fountains, a small lake (no swans though...) and even the coffee place is open again! The "small castle" and the "greenhouses" are still under restoration, but the beautiful panorama that you can enjoy from the park never changed. The only bad part in my opinion is the street that brings you the park and castle. It is a small side road but since you can still park along it (for a fee), it can be extremely busy with cars and pedestrian don't have a lot of room left to walk: I wish that stretch would be closed to cars, at least starting from the ex-stables of the castle. The entrance to the park is free but there is a fee for the castle, which unfortunately I couldn't visit: I was there on a sunny Sunday morning and there was a huge line waiting.