A Mixed Bag in Trieste: Parking Challenges, Overpriced Accommodation, and a City Steeped in History

We stopped in Trieste on our way back from Croatia, and I'm still trying to wrap my head around our experience. If you're interested in reading more about our time in Krk, Croatia, check out our review here. The Italian border isn't far, and we were on the road, so I managed to snag a great deal on accommodation right in the city center. The drive was a real treat – rolling hills, mountains, medieval castles perched on cliff faces, fortresses, and the sea hugging the coastline to our left the whole way. We decided to spend three days in Trieste and extend our vacation. The beaches, the old town with its unique architecture, pasta, wine, gelato, pizza – it was a taste of la dolce vita!

Parking – a major hassle!

As I learned firsthand, Italy's scooter culture is a thing – the city is packed with scooter parking spots, and they're free for scooters. Car parking, on the other hand, is scarce and pricey. Our hotel was located in the city center, and there was a large car park near the harbor that cost around 15-20 euros per day. The weird thing was that if you left your car there for a bit and then came back within 20 minutes, the clock would reset. I swear, it would've been cheaper to book a room for our car in the hostel. But we didn't have a choice. We just left the car there for three days without moving it.

xa0

Accommodation – a major letdown!

I mentioned earlier that I got lucky and booked a budget room in a hotel-hostel combo. The room cost 50 euros per night. From the photos, it looked nice and clean, and the price seemed reasonable. But when we arrived, we realized that for that money, we got a room with two single beds, a table, and two plastic cups. The bathroom and toilet were shared with five other rooms, and there was no kitchen or internet access. Even the electric kettle was an extra charge, and so was the air conditioner. The receptionist, who showed us to our room and handed us the keys, was always smoking in our room, and he'd flick ash onto the floor. I never saw him without a cigarette, and he'd always smoke inside with the windows closed and the air conditioner on. The place is called AFFITTA CAMERE alla Stazione, and it's located at Via Della Geppa 4. I'd advise you to steer clear of it.

We were pretty disappointed, especially considering that for the same price in Croatia, which is just a two-hour drive from Trieste, we would've gotten a much better deal. But we decided not to dwell on it and focus on exploring the beaches, restaurants, and city instead.

xa0

Beaches – a rip-off!

All the beaches are paid! The entrance fee to the beach ranges from 2 to 20 euros. The cheapest beach, and the oldest, is a municipal one that costs 2 euros. What's unique about this beach is that it's divided by a wall into separate areas for men and women. The men are only allowed to swim and sunbathe on their side, while the women are on the other side. The beaches are all made of concrete slabs, not sand. And to make matters worse, there's trash and debris floating in the water, including plastic bottles, food waste, and chip packaging.

The City – a fascinating blend of cultures!

I found it to be a fascinating, eclectic place that seamlessly blends different cultures, mainly reflected in its architecture!

The city has a rich history, to say the least. It was once free, then came under the control of the bishop, followed by the Habsburg monarchy, then Italy, Austria, and even experienced German occupation and American military rule. But now it's back under Italian rule, and the locals don't seem too thrilled about it. They'd probably prefer to be a free province again, but who's going to let them, right? It's a port city that's been a prize for centuries.

We managed to see most of the city in 6 hours, using a map and two electric scooters.

One of the coolest things about this city is its own little colosseum - the Teatro Romano. It's tiny, but still super impressive!

And then there's the old castle - the Castello di San Giusto with its underground tunnels. The ticket to the castle costs 3 euros and gets you into all the indoor exhibits, on the walls, and into the tunnels. The exhibits have all sorts of cool stuff like old weapons, maps of the city, and even old clothes and rooms where people used to live. As you leave the castle, you can see the remains of an old temple with columns in the traditional Roman style - it's really cool to touch them and walk among the columns, imagining what it must have been like back in the day.

Castello di San Giusto Castello di San Giusto Castello di San Giusto Castello di San Giusto Castello di San Giusto Castello di San Giusto Castello di San Giusto

Tickets to the Castle We mapped out our route on the map below – the orange path shows where we rode our e-scooters. Castle number 6 is marked. This is actually a bus tour map, but we opted for the scooter route instead. The bus tour goes beyond the city to other attractions, like Miramar Castle at number 10 on the map, which has a Scottish-style architecture. But we didn't venture out of the city on our scooters – we wouldn't have made it with the battery life we had. The city also has an artificially dug canal and the Italy Square, which are both great additions to the city, marked as numbers 1 and 5 on the map. The majority of the city runs along the waterfront, which is quite unusual and really beautiful!

And here's a map showing that the city has an impressive 45 attractions to visit. It's the same attractions we covered on the orange route from the previous map, but with more details.

My friend thought this was a fancy bedspread Here's another map, and it's way more realistic

Food and restaurants – a mixed bag!

There are tons of Italian restaurants in the center of town

But here's the kicker – in every single Italian restaurant we went to, the pasta was made by an Asian chef. Yep, you read that right – in every single Italian restaurant in the center, the pasta was cooked by an Asian person, often in the kitchen itself.

The pasta was overcooked, and the sauce was basically just ketchup or a bland tomato puree with some dried basil thrown in.

I'm no racist, but I think Italian food is best left to the Italians – at least, that's my experience. If the pasta had been done right, I wouldn't have even noticed who was cooking it. But since it wasn't, I did pay attention to the fact that it was an Asian person behind the stove.

We tried out three different restaurants, and then stumbled upon a tiny pizzeria tucked away in a corner, where they were tossing dough in the air, slathering it with their own specialty sauces, and baking it in a brick oven right in front of us. It was a real gem.

xa0

Thoughts on the city – a complex place!

I have to say, Trieste isn't exactly the best fit for a classic beach vacation or a traditional Italian getaway.

First things first, make sure you've got parking sorted for your stay. It's a good idea to opt for a hotel or hostel with its own parking lot.

Prices in restaurants and supermarkets are pretty reasonable – you can get a decent meal for two for around 25 euros, and fresh cheese and prosciutto are just 5-10 euros in the supermarket. While you're there, pick up some souvenirs like cheese, tarts, and pesto.

Despite being under Italian rule for a long time, there's something else at play here – something bigger than Italy!

This city has a rich and vibrant history, and you can really feel it by just wandering around, visiting the castles, and taking in the architecture, fountains, churches, and waterfront. It's the perfect place to just meander, taking in all the sights and sounds, trying all the different gelato flavors, and enjoying the local atmosphere. And in the evening, grab a spot on the waterfront, dip your toes in the water, and watch the sunset and the ships go by... and show off your new Italian purse!

I hope you have a great time in Trieste! ✌