Car Rental Trieste - Exploring Trieste
Located in the extreme northeast of Italy, Trieste is frequently overlooked by tourists in favour of the more famous attractions of the country. However, the city is ideally placed for an exploration of the Adriatic coast, the snow-capped mountains of the Dolomites and nearby historic towns.
A drive along the coast from Trieste to Lignano gives a good idea of the diverse topography of the region. Around Trieste are steep cliffs with delightful small inlets, along with the castles of Miramare and Duino, the former of which has beautifully landscaped gardens. Farther along the road are the lagoons of Grado and Marano.
It is well worth stopping for a look around Grado, which has some medieval churches and attractive beaches. At the roadside between Grado and Lignano are wet docks that hold a fantastic range of boats. Additionally, Lignano Sabbiadoro (Golden Sand) is one of the best beaches in the area.
Travellers heading inland from Trieste soon arrive at Aquileia, which has a Roman forum, a basilica and a museum. A little farther is Palmanova, a star-shaped citadel which was founded in the 16th century by the Vatican to protect the region against Turkish invasions.
The next stop after Palmanova should be Cividale, which boasts a medieval city centre as well as many historical and artistic monuments of value, including Lombard Temple. Beyond Cividale, it is a short distance to Udine, where the castle dominates the skyline and affords great views down over the city’s elegant churches and museums.
Besides being near some beautiful stretches of coast and small towns rich in history, Trieste is within easy reach of the Dolomite Mountains, where you can go skiing in winter and trekking in summer. There is a spectacular coastal road heading south from Trieste along the Istria Peninsula in Croatia. The pretty town of Ljubljana in Slovenia is also a short drive away. A little farther afield, but still possible for a long day or overnight trip, the magical attractions of Venice are less than 100kms away.
