he city of Trieste has existed in some form or another for millennia. Perched atop forested limestone outcroppings in northeastern Italy, it is the centerpiece of the Gulf of Trieste on the Adriatic Sea. Just a few miles from the Slovenian border, 15 miles from Croatia and 50 miles from southern Austria, it’s a true cultural crossroads. The Romans built a wondrous walled city here, and an amphitheater for more than 3,000 spectators. The Austro-Hungarian Hapsburgs built a magnificent, canal-served marketplace and port city with a classic seafront promenade. The city became part of Italy in 1954, and, just a few
