Trieste, Port city in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy
Trieste sits at the northeastern corner of Italy, stretching along the Adriatic coast with hills rising behind it. The waterfront remains flat while narrow streets climb upward between older buildings.
From 1382 until 1918, the city belonged to the Habsburg Empire and served as its main port for overseas trade. After World War I it became Italian, changing its political and economic orientation completely.
Cafés line the streets and locals gather for hours over coffee, talking about literature and politics. You hear Italian, Slovenian, and dialects blending in conversations, reflecting a place where languages coexist naturally.
The center is walkable, though climbs toward the hills can be steep. The port remains a major entry point for coffee imports, and the city functions year-round as a working commercial hub.
A cold wind called the bora sweeps down from the karst plateau and can reach 150 kilometers per hour (93 miles per hour). Ropes are often fixed along sidewalks so pedestrians can hold on during strong gusts.
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