After about a week in the Dolomites, we ventured back to the Adriatric coast and the port city of Trieste for several days. Although Trieste is probably not worth a detour as compared with other sites in northern Italy, if you’re flying in/out of the city to access the Dolomites, Slovenia, and/or Croatia’s Istria Peninsula, it can be a worthwhile stop for a day or two.
Trieste
A little off the beaten path, Trieste used to be a key Mediterranean port city before Venice took that title (and the tourists). As we often do, we signed up for a highly-rated/reviewed food tour in Trieste in order to learn more about the historical development and context, culture, and regional specialties. Unfortunately this experience ended up being what can only be described as the worst tour we’ve ever taken, with the worst tour guide who had only been in the city a year and not only seemed to know nothing but lacked passion and engagement with the small group. We were basically taken from spot to spot and given food to try but when we asked questions or attempted to get more information, the guide had nothing to say; at one point we passed a beautiful plaza and some type of historic structure and when asked for more details, she replied, “that’s an old building.” It was quite disappointing since it was a missed opportunity to get a better sense of Trieste’s rich history as the most active port/trading hub in the Mediterranean, before Venice came along and stole its thunder (and all the tourists), and a waste of four hours of babysitting.
Nevertheless, we tried to make the most of several humid, sticky days in the city in late June and at least we ate really well (highly recommend the pizzas at San Genna Pizzeria Napoletana, which is on a pedestrian-only stretch of tree-covered, connected plazas and quite pleasant).
The WWII-related sites in Trieste, Kleines Berlin underground air-raid tunnel complex and the Risiera di San Sabba concentration camp, were quite compelling. The San Sabba Rice Mill, on the outskirts of town, was operated as Southern Europe’s only deportation and concentration camp with a crematorium for Italian Jews and political prisoners during WWII. The camp utilized staff and thus methods from Operation Reinhard’s mass extermination camps in Poland (including Treblinka, which we visited last summer), but was mainly used for processing the property of and transiting thousands of Jews to their deaths in Auschwitz and other camps in the Holocaust, while Italian political prisoners were horribly tortured and killed at San Sabba. Although it appeared to take decades to process the little remaining evidence, record first-hand accounts, and document only a fraction of the crimes and murders committed here, the museum does a thorough job of explaining this and presenting a sobering, minimalist, and reflective experience for visitors, most of whom may not have even been aware that there was a concentration camp in Italy.
Istria Peninsula in Croatia
After a few days in Trieste, we headed down Croatiaโs Istria peninsula to spend time in Rovinj, Pula, and the hill town and wine production region of central Istria near Motovun. The region features an intriguing blend of Italian and Slavic culture, food, and language.
Rovinj
We stayed near Cuvi Beach, which is scenic but rocky (as nearly all Croatian beaches are, so bring your water shoes). We appreciated how family-friendly areas like Cuvi Beach featured a number of amenities like free beach loungers, nearby bathrooms, beach-side cafes and restaurants, kayak and paddleboard rentals, and walking and biking paths. Unfortunately our Airbnb ended up being a disappointing dump, so instead of doing more cooking/grilling (the original plan), we ate most of our meals out of the apartment. We could enjoyed a lunch at Soul Food Cuvi one day; a sunset stroll and dinner at Grote on another evening; and another good dinner at Bistro Mala Maslina in the vicinity.
Note for travelers: don’t just rely on Airbnb/VRBO in this region if you’re not going to stay at one of the hotel/resort complexes; there appeared to be a number of nice-looking guesthouses, boutique hotels, and better holiday rentals on the mainland, southeast of the old town, and likely available via Booking.com.
Rovinj as a coastal town is small but charming, with windy, hilly streets, open air markets featuring fresh produce and locally produced olive oils and truffle products, and oceanside promenades. Since we were staying a bit outside of the historic core closer to the beaches (which I recommend, as it feels a bit claustrophobic in the old town) we didn’t spend much time or eat here, but it’s worth a day to explore.
Daytrip to Pula
About an hour’s drive south of Rovinj near the end of the peninsula, Pula has one of the best-preserved Roman amphitheaters and a pedestrian-friendly old town perfect for strolling and gelato. Pula’s amphitheater, built into an incline and overlooking the harbor, is the sixth-largest remaining from the Roman empire and gives off major Gladiator vibes; they host concerts and other events here in the summers as well. Near the Pula Market Hall we also stumbled upon a terrific street food spot, Ploฤica ฤevapi, where we sampled the traditional grilled meat on freshly baked bread and with accompanying ajvar (roasted red pepper sauce) and fresh cheese, and Jacob enjoyed playing with a bin of the owner’s son’s old cars, trucks, and toys.
As between Rovinj and Pula I would pick Rovinj is the better home base for your time in Istria, but Pula is certainly worth a daytrip for its historic, significant sites.
Winetasting at Ipsa
One of the most memorable moments of our time in Istria was Jacobโs first olive oil and winetasting experience (not tasting the wine but at least hanging with us while we did and enjoying the yummy food pairings). Thanks to @_andreatomic (this blog’s designer!) for recommending the gorgeous and delicious Ipsa @ipsa_istria for this experience; it reminded us of some favorite memories winetasting back in the Santa Ynez Valley in California.
The wines included an orange wine (made from macerated grapes and leaving the skins on longer for the color) as well as a full-bodied red wine, all grown in the vicinity and made by this family-owned winery. We savored a lot of Croatian wine while in Istria and especially the Istrian white grape varietal, malvazija: light, slightly effervescent, easy to drink on a hot day (which it was during our stay). Through the Ipsa experience we also learned how to properly taste olive oil.
