Trieste (Venice), Italy

A tour dedicated to lovers of nature, hiking and photography! Let us discover the Trieste surroundings and take in enchanting views, travel along evocative roads by coach and on foot and take advantage of the nature that surrounds us to challenge our photographic eye and take amazing pictures.

Start with an excursion to discover the history and architecture of the city of Trieste and then travel to Muggia, a characteristic Venetian-style town and an ancient fishing village.

• Panoramic tour of Trieste
• San Giusto Cathedral
• Trieste's old town: Grand Canal, historic buildings, Greek Orthodox Church (external visit), Piazza della Borsa and Piazza Unità d'Italia,
• Muggia, ancient fishing village

• Trieste is the birthplace of confetti, invented by the well-known nuclear physics engineer Ettore Fenderl, when he was a child.
• On the sightseeing bus tour you will be able to see the Cathedral of San Giusto, with its panoramic view, the Grand Canal, a navigable canal built in 1754-1756 by the Venetian Matteo Pirona, which is overlooked by palaces and residences once inhabited by the rich merchants of the past, an Orthodox church, Piazza della Borsa and Piazza Unità d'Italia, the elegant "sitting room* of Trieste.
• By the way, coffees all have special names here: an espresso is a “nero”, a macchiato is a “capo” and a “gocciato” just has a drop of milk foam in the center of the cup.
• Now you're in the ancient fishing village of Muggia. You'll notice a Venetian atmosphere not only in the architecture but also in the dialect, customs and culinary traditions. A stroll through the characteristic “calli” or narrow streets of the old town is a must here.

• Wear suitable clothing for the places of worship you will be visiting.
• On Sundays and religious festivals, the visit to the cathedral will be limited to the outside.
• Slight changes may be made to itineraries and the length of excursions to protect your health and to comply with regulations and the safety protocol.

Trieste is beautiful, rich, windy and unashamedly Hapsburg. Discover it as you walk among its ancient buildings, Viennese-style literary cafés and the enormous Piazza Unità d'Italia, the biggest seaside square in Europe. Do you know who the city's most famous inhabitant is? Bora, daughter of the wind god Aeolus.

• Trieste maritime station, Piazza Venezia and Revoltella Residence (external visit)
• Piazza Hortis and Rione Cavana
• Via delle Mura and old town
• Grand Canal and Saint Spyridon Church (external visit)
• Piazza della Borsa and Piazza Unità d'Italia

• The excursion starts opposite the residence of Baron Revoltella, now a modern art museum.
• The narrow alleys of Rione Cavana lead you into the maze of the old city. A short walk along Via delle Mura and your cell phone battery may run out taking photos of all the views offered by Piazzetta Trauner, the Arco di Riccardo, the Basilica of San Silvestro, the baroque church of Santa Maria Maggiore and Piazza Unità d'Italia.
• Not forgetting the Serbian Orthodox church of Saint Spyridon, all domes and mosaics.
• Trieste is also the city of the Barcolana, a historic international sailing regatta that sailors love, especially when the Bora wind blows. This strong wind makes a noise that sounds like a lament. According to legend, the Bora is expressing her pain for the death of her lover, the human Tergesteus.

• Slight changes may be made to itineraries and the length of excursions to protect your health and to comply with regulations and the safety protocol.
• The excursion is available both for guests in transit and for guests with a flight, train journey or transfer departing from Trieste after 6.00 p.m.

An excursion to discover the historical and architectural treasures of the city of Trieste.

• Panoramic tour of Trieste
• Cathedral of San Giusto
• Historic centre of Trieste: Canal Grande, Historic Palazzi, Greek - Orthodox Church (exterior visit), Piazza della Borsa and Piazza Unità d'Italia
• Miramare Castle

• Our journey to discover Trieste begins with a panoramic coach tour which gives us a first taste of the major monuments of the city.
• After leaving the coach, we walk up to the Cathedral of San Giusto (St. Justus), situated at the top of the Hill of San Giusto, which dominates the city; the Cathedral was built next to the Medieval complex which dates back to the 13th century. Here, accompanied by our guide, we can enjoy a close look at the interior of the church: the magnificent Byzantine mosaics in the apses, the frescoes depicting the life of the Saint dating from the 13th century, the remains of 5th century mosaic floors in front of the presbytery, the organ, restored after World War II and the rose window framed by the original Neo-Classical wooden structure.
• Our excursion proceeds with a guided walking tour of the city centre. In the very heart of the city is the Canal Grande, a navigable canal built between 1754 and 1756 by the Venetian, Matteo Pirona. Palazzi and the residences of the rich merchants of the past, Orthodox Church , Piazza della Borsa and Piazza Unità d'Italia all overlook the canal. We have some free time here to enjoy the atmosphere of the city to the full.
• We proceed towards Miramare Castle, an architectural masterpiece, built in a spectacular position, on a rocky promontory of karstic limestone origin, which extends towards the Gulf of Trieste. The Castle, built between 1856 and 1860, at the behest of Archduke Maximilian of Austria, was heavily influenced by the Romantic style, a revisitation of a Medieval fortress. The huge park which surrounds it (more than 22 hectares) boasts a wealth of rare plants, sculptures and ornamental lakes and ponds; a series of steps lead down to the sea. The breathtaking scenery invites us to immortalize these unforgettable moments with photographs.
• At the end of the visit we head by coach towards the airport of Trieste or Venice.

• The excursion is reserved for guests who disembark in Trieste.
• This tour ends at Trieste and Venice airports.
• This tour is suitable for guests having an afternoon flight (after 4.00pm from Trieste and after 5.00pm for Venice)
• Thisexcursion is not recommended for guests with mobility problems.
• We recommend appropriate clothing to visit religious sites.

Bus trip to discover the old town, with its Roman monuments and medieval quarter. Then it's up the San Giusto hill to view the Gulf from above and discover the Cathedral with the guide. After a visit to the Miramare Castle we're back on the bus for a sightseeing tour of the modern city and Piazza dell'Unità.

• Panoramic tour of Trieste
• Old Trieste: San Giusto Cathedral and Miramare Castle
• Modern Trieste and Piazza Unità d'Italia: sightseeing bus tour

• We'll set off for a sightseeing bus tour of the old town, the ancient heart of Trieste, where you'll see archaeological sites like the Roman Theater and the Arco di Riccardo, including the old Jewish ghetto built a stone's throw from the city center.
• Stop off at the San Giusto Cathedral for an unbeatable view of the Gulf and the city. Accompanied by our guide you'll see the Byzantine mosaics and 13th century frescoes housed inside it.
• Next stop: Miramare Castle. Visiting the interior you'll be amazed by the deliberately evocative furnishings that combine Mediterranean romanticism with a Nordic atmosphere, displaying the eclectic tastes of Archduke Maximilian of Austria.
• The sightseeing tour continues in the modern city. You'll see the Borgo Teresiano, commissioned by Maria Theresa of Austria, and the Grand Canal, a stretch of sea that extends to the Church of Sant'Antonio.
• Not far from here is the synagogue, one of the biggest in Europe, and the Serbian Orthodox church of Saint Spyridon, all domes and mosaics. A short walk along the seafront promenade you'll also find the Greek Orthodox Church of San Nicolò dei Greci.
• Before we head back, from the bus you'll also see Piazza Unità d'Italia: the biggest seaside square in Europe, looking out onto the Gulf of Trieste.

• The excursion is available both for guests in transit and for guests disembarking at the port of Trieste.
• If Trieste is your disembarkation port, please contact the Excursions Office on board to check that the excursion times are compatible with your return transfer timings.
• The excursion includes a 15-minute walk from the bus park to the Miramare Castle.
• Wear suitable clothing for the places of worship you will be visiting.
• When there are religious festivals, the visit to the Cathedral will be limited to the outside.
• The internal visit to the Castle may not be permitted for operational reasons, in which case only the external visit will be carried out.

A tour by miniature train and on foot deep inside the earth to admire the natural spectacle of the karst formations in the Postumia caves. You'll feel a bit like Indiana Jones among the stalactites and stalagmites.

• Postumia caves: stalactites and stalagmites, spaghetti and stone waves
• Gothic Hall, Dance Hall, Spaghetti Hall, White Hall, Red Hall, Concert Hall, Big House Hall

• From Trieste, we'll head for Postumia in Slovenia, globally renowned for its caves carved into the rock that extend for over 20 kilometers. As the miniature electric train descends below ground, you'll come across the phenomenal karst formations: stalactites and stalagmites of all shapes and sizes, creating evocative lights and shadows.
• Every room is more beautiful that the last. Accompanied by our specialized guide, you'll visit the Gothic Hall, the Dance Hall, the Spaghetti Hall and the Concert Hall. The star feature of the Spaghetti Hall is the fine spaghetti-like calcite filaments, in the Dance Hall Murano glass lampshades hang from the ceiling, the Concert Hall is so big that in 2012 it hosted the Basketball Euroleague match and has held concerts of every kind.
• Ready for some adrenaline? You'll cross the Russian bridge, a bridge suspended in the dark abyss of the caves that leads to the Beautiful Caves.
• There are five kilometers of galleries, walkways and salt until, on foot, you reach the most famous limestone formation, the symbol of the Postumia Caves, the Diamond, a tall glossy white stalagmite that stands around 5 meters tall

• Inside the caves, the air is saturated with humidity and the temperature is 8 °C; we recommend you wear appropriate clothing.
• The visit itinerary may change due to unforeseeable work in progress.
• Mobility impaired guests are welcome to remain comfortably seated in the train while the group continues the guided tour.
• A specialized guide who speaks Italian, English and German is included in the excursion price.
• The excursion is unsuitable for pregnant women.
• An identity document is required to cross the border.

Excursion details<-strong><-p>

This fascinating tour begins with a one-hour coach journey from the pier to Postojna, where there will be a slot of approximately 30 minutes for ticket pick-up (included in the tour price) and free time before the visit begins. The 90-minute guided visit of the caves starts with a short train ride into the heart of the site, before exploration of this subterranean world begins.<-p>

Be amazed by the towering mountains of stalagmites that are created by dripping water, which deposits calcium salts over millennia, and discover how the cave network is connected by an underground river.<-p>

Learn about the ¿baby dragons¿, or olms (salamanders), that eat, sleep and breed underwater here. They are only found in the Balkans and are thought to live for more than 100 years. Parts of the halls have been illuminated to create stunning visuals that further highlight the extraordinary nature of the rocks. After the visit there¿s additional free time at the caves, approximately 30 minutes, before returning to Trieste via a 60-minute coach drive.<-p>

Important Information:<-strong>This tour includes approximately 1.5-hour walking inside the caves. The tour is unsuitable for guests who are claustrophobic- guests of limited mobility are requested to evaluate their personal level of stamina and ability before taking part. We suggest bringing comfortable shoes and a jacket because the temperature inside the caves is around 10 degrees. The visit to the caves is unguided- guests will receive an audio guide in several languages during the visit. <-p>