I had never heard of Trieste, before booking a Mediterranean cruise that embarked from there. Venice banned large cruise ships, back in 2021. So, those ships now leave from Trieste, the coffee capital of Italy. The English major in me remembered something about James Joyce and northeastern Italy. But, I had no reason to make the connection between Joyce and the thin strip of land, between Slovenia and the Adriatic coast.

Coffee began arriving in region from the Ottoman Empire. Today, the locals drink twice as much coffee as anywhere else in Italy. The city is also the home of illy, the largest coffee brand in the country. Coca-Cola now sells ready-to-drink flavored canned coffees, from illy, all across Europe. I certainly needed a coffee, after a nine hour bus ride from Budapest. I made two hotel reservations. The first was to give me a rest period, before the cruise. Then, after visiting my sixth country, since taking the EuroStar from London to Paris, I decided that I needed two additional days.

So, of course, my first hotel was near the port and the second across the street from the train station. I headed out from the train station and it took me around twenty minutes to get to the hotel. Luckily, I was walking by some of the most historic sites in the city. The Canal Grande was first, then the Molo Audace Pier. From the pier, I could see the cruise ship terminal, a short five minutes away. I turned left, crossed the street, and cut through Piazza Unità d’Italia. It’s the largest sea facing public square in Europe.

I made a right turn, at the end of the square. Google Maps was telling me that my hotel was five minutes away. I crossed at the traffic light and kept walking straight. As soon as I passed an alley, I was quickly redirected to turn left, at the next street, then turn left, at the next side street, and then turn left again. I was now at the opposite end of the alley and mere steps from my destination. Although the hotel had sent me a “late arrival” code, due to my bus being late, a staff member opened the door for me, as I was fumbling through my phone to find code. Never have I been so happy to see a bed!

The trendy little area around the hotel had everything, shops, restaurants, boutiques, wine, and gelato. And the line for that gelato was long! After a good night of sleep, I walked through the neighborhood and back to the pier. There was a Hop On Hop Off bus stop, by the city bus stop. I’m not one for hopping off. But, if I did, the ruins of San Giusto Hill would have been my first choice. The Miramare Castle would be my second, but the stop for it was a good ways from the entrance.

There are lots of old ruins in Trieste. The Roman Theatre, in the city center, was rediscovered in the 19th century. It was probably built during the Augustan era (27 BC – AD 14). I would never have expect something so old to be in front of a bus stop and so open to the public. But, in a city with archaeological evidence dating back to a second century Roman conquest, old is pretty common in Trieste.

Two day before the cruise, I checked into my second hotel, by the train station. I messaged the Facebook cruise group, asking if anyone wanted to meet, down at the pier. A handful said yes and a subset of them turned up. We met, shortly before sunset, posed for photos, tossed flowers into the water, when asked by members of a group hosting a memorial ceremony. Then, a few of us went to dinner. After literally choking, on my first sip of wine, (no one at the table knew what to do) I managed to cough my way back to life, as one of the women pounded her fist on my back. A local teenager ran over, to see if he could help, as I took my first breath. It was definitely time to leave Trieste.

The highlight of any visit to Trieste, for an English Literature major, would have been finding the home, restaurant, or bar most frequented by James Joyce. I, of course, settled for his statue, at the Grand Canal. When I arrived, there was a couple posing with the statue. We nodded, when they were done. Then, I walked up to the figure and tried to decide the best way for me to pose for the shot. I didn’t notice that the couple had turned around and were walking back. I finally saw the husband and he gave me the universal nod of “Let me take that for you!” I handed over my phone.

One days before the cruise, there was great concern, in our Facebook group, over where our ship would dock. Team One said the ship would dock at the cruise terminal in town. Team Two claimed they knew that our ship would be docked at the commercial terminal, further away from town. Messages went back and forth, causing great concern for those arriving the day of the cruise, by train. Due to my hotel mistake, I was now back at the train station. Should I wait there and direct people to the terminal?

I checked out of my hotel. Someone from our group, staying at the hotel directly across from the cruise terminal, could see our NCL ship. Team One for the win! On my walk there, I began directing passengers who had just left the ship, on how to get to the train station. Hey, I’m a retired librarian. Ask me anything. XOXO—GGT