Trieste

Trieste sits at the northeastern corner of Italy, hard against the Slovenian border, and has more in common with Vienna than with Rome. The Austro-Hungarian influence is visible in the grand cafés, the wide boulevards, and the neoclassical architecture around Piazza Unità d'Italia, one of the largest waterfront squares in Europe. James Joyce lived here for over a decade, and the literary-café tradition remains strong at places like Caffè San Marco and Caffè Tommaseo. Miramare Castle, a 19th-century Gothic Revival residence built for the Archduke Maximilian of Austria, sits on a promontory about six kilometres from the city centre and is reachable by bus. The cathedral of San Giusto, on the hilltop above the old town, has Roman column fragments built into its walls and Byzantine mosaics inside. The covered market near Via Carducci sells cheese, cured meats, and local wines. Jota, a bean-and-sauerkraut soup, is Trieste's signature dish and reflects the Slavic influence on the city's cooking. The currency is the euro.