Self-Guided Walking Tour of Trieste Italy: From Canal to Sea, Trieste, Italy

Trieste, Italy, is a city you understand on foot. Start at the canal, follow the footsteps of writers, and end at the grand square where the city meets the Adriatic.

I visited Trieste last September, when I took a 7-day train journey from Bari, Italy, to Budapest, Hungary. I felt so lucky to see the ocean rush past my window, like a surf. Trieste was the second stop on my Solo Train Trip Through the Heart of Europe.

Since I only had one night in the city, I wanted to make the most of my time sightseeing. There were no walking tours available. So I researched all the important places to see and slipped on my runners. Please come join me on my self-guided walking tour of Trieste.

Begin at the Canal Grande, where the city opens in soft reflections of water and stone. Built in the 1700s to bring ships into the commercial center, the canal now feels intimate rather than industrial. Fishing boats sit still. Café tables spill onto the edges.

At the far end, the neoclassical façade of Sant’Antonio Taumaturgo Church anchors the view with quiet symmetry.

This is a good place to stop for lunch or dinner. I watched a boisterous evening water polo game in which the athletes competed in kayaks rather than on foot. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).