Trieste: Espresso, Echoes, and a Whole Lotta Damp
okay, so. trieste. i didn’t plan to end up here, honestly. the numbers - 3174915 and 1380597324 - they just… appeared on a napkin in a Berlin cafe. felt like a sign, right? like the universe was subtly nudging me towards the northeastern corner of Italy. and here i am.
it’s… grey. like, consistently grey. i just checked and it’s drizzling a persistent, melancholic drizzle. there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. the air smells like salt and something vaguely industrial, which, okay, not the worst combo. it’s got this weird, faded grandeur, you know? like a really fancy hotel that’s seen better days.
I’ve been wandering around, mostly aimlessly. stumbled upon this amazing little cafe - Caffe San Marco - apparently the place to be. overheard a couple arguing passionately about the merits of different types of biscotti. classic. someone told me that the coffee here is seriously next-level. like, they roast their own beans and everything. i’m skeptical, but willing to be converted. check out their TripAdvisor page: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g194783-d1863883-Reviews-Caffe_San_Marco-Trieste_Friuli_Venezia_Giulia.html.
and the architecture! seriously, it’s a mishmash of everything. austro-hungarian palaces next to crumbling art nouveau buildings. it’s like a history textbook exploded. i spent a good hour just staring at the Revoltella Museum. it’s got this weird, imposing vibe.
if you get bored, gorizia and udine are just a short drive away. i’m thinking of heading to the Miramare Castle tomorrow. apparently, it’s got stunning views of the Adriatic. i heard that the castle is haunted, which, you know, adds a certain je ne sais quoi.
*pro-tip: wear waterproof shoes. seriously. you’ll thank me later.
gear list:
rain jacket (essential)
comfortable walking shoes (see above)
camera (obviously)
a good book (for those grey afternoons)
a phrasebook (my italian is… rusty)
I’m staying in this tiny Airbnb near the port. the landlady, signora elena, keeps offering me homemade biscotti. she doesn’t speak much english, but she’s incredibly sweet. she keeps trying to set me up with her grandson, which is… charming, in a slightly awkward way.
I checked Yelp for some recommendations on local bars. https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=bars&find_loc=Trieste,+Friuli-Venezia+Giulia,+Italy - looks like there are a few decent spots near Piazza Unità d'Italia.
“Don’t trust the pigeons,” a very drunk man told me outside a bar last night. “They’re spies for the austrians.”
“The best gelato is at Gelateria La Romana,” a local warned me. “But be prepared to queue.”
I’m not sure what else to say. trieste is… quiet. contemplative. a little bit sad, maybe. but in a beautiful way. it’s not a place you go to party. it’s a place you go to wander, to think, to drink strong coffee, and to soak up the atmosphere. i’m also checking out the local forums for events: https://www.triestelive.it/.
*another pro-tip:* learn a few basic italian phrases. it goes a long way.
okay, i’m off to find more coffee. and maybe avoid the pigeons.
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