Accommodation

Staying in Trieste be can be tricky as budget accommodation options are limited to a couple of hostels and a handful of guesthouses. Couchsurfing is an option but is by no means assured, so for all our fellow budget travellers, here are HitchHikersHandbook‘s suggestions for staying in Trieste on the cheap…

Campeggio obelisco (Strada Nouva per Opicina, 37) is Trieste’s camping option and offers spectacular views from its position high in the hills. The campsite can be reached by taking the historic Opicina Tramway from the city centre and the prices in high season are 5.50 € for an adult and 3.50 € for a tent. It is the cheapest accommodation in Trieste and on site there is a restaurant and free WiFi but it is a fair distance from the city centre.

Tergeste Youth Hostel (viale Miramare, 331) is part of the International Youth Hostel chain and is located a short walk from Miramare Castle in a beautiful location overlooking the sea. Prices are a reasonable 18€, including breakfast, and there are common areas with free Wi-fi access, terrace and balconies. There is public transport connecting to the city centre via the #51 bus.

Affittacamere Ghega (via Carlo Ghega 3) is located down-town close to all the city sites, and offers dorm (19.50-21 €) and private (25-35 €) options. The hostel has an early check-out time (10 a.m.) and breakfast is not included but does have WiFi.

Going out

Trieste’s nightlife, much like the city itself, is a gentle affair so don’t expect the buzzing scene you might associate with other Italian cities. Most of the nocturnal activity occurs in cafés / bars in and around Piazza Unità d’Italia and prices vary, but expect to pay more the closer you are to the central square.

Coffee lovers are well serviced by a flood of cafés, which turn into bars by night and the most popular city nightclub is Viale 39. In the summer, large swaths of Trieste’s bars and cafés pack up their things and head 20km north of the city to the Bay of Sistiana where locals spend the day sitting on the beach and the evening drinking hard. Check out our useful map with bars, cafés and nightclubs in Trieste, marked…

Things to try & buy

Trieste is famed for its 2nd hand bookshops and the old town is dotted with places to pick up an interesting read. Coffee is another popular souvenir choice, with ground coffee a particularly manageable present to carry. Trieste is also famous for its antiques with its once monthly Antique Market taking place just off Piazza della Borsa.

To buy like the locals buy, head to the Mercato Coperto food market and select from the array of fruit and vegetable, meat and fish, spices and flowers, and some typical Triestine culinary specialities on offer.

Trieste’s cuisine is the product of its rich and varied historical influences with Germanic and Slavic elements sitting comfortable along the staple Italian and sea food options that you would expect from an Italian coastal city. Highlighting the Slavic influence, Goulash (both meat and fish varieties) is extremely popular and the Austrian style gnocchi comes stuffed with everything from potatoes to plums. You may also want to try Jota a soup prepared with pork, potatoes, cabbage, and finely-ground beans.

Internet

WiFi in Trieste is never far away. In the centre, along the waterfront and near the university, there are numerous cafés and bars that offer internet services. There is also a pubic WiFI system but we can not attest to its quality. Check out this useful map with some free WiFi spots marked: