Trieste |  |
Arguably, Trieste is not the world's most exciting city, but it has a unique atmosphere and history,
not comparable to any other Italian city. It lies tucked in between the Adriatic and the hills of the
Carst plateau that made it hard to reach overland in earlier days. Culturally seen it is almost an Italian
enclave, surrounded by a countryside in which Slovenian is spoken frequently. And while Italy was formed
as a nation in 1860, Trieste remained an autonomous region of the Austrian Empire, to become an integral
part of the country only as recent as 1975. | | Despite its unique character,
Trieste is largely unspoilt by tourism which creates an intimate atmosphere. But still, both city and
immediate surroundings have much to offer to the visitor: the Carst plateau, a peculiar landscape riddled
with limestone caves, reaches the outskirts of Trieste. Aquileia, the trade and transport hub in the region
in Roman times, hosts the world's largest excavations from these times, while in the hinterland, both Italian
and Slovenian, many villages can be found breathing an atmospere from a bygone era. Next to this unique and
somewhat intimate character of the city, another reason to visit Trieste is the Roman Via Flavia,
running from here to Pula on the Southern tip of Istria. |
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some common sights in the city... |
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