IL MARE DENTRO THE SEA WITHIN

What does it mean to be a seaside city? It certainly cannot (only) be about having a seafront on the Gulf, outlined by beaches and sandy shores crowded with bathers and beach umbrellas. Because this is precisely what Trieste is not. And yet, Trieste is an undisputed seaside city: she overlooks, breathes, and touches the sea. She has the sea within.

IES’ summer issue provides a few tips on how to enjoy the sea à la Triestina. Of course, one may experience “our” sea the traditional way: taking a dip into this huge waveless pool in the northernmost corner of the Adriatic Sea. Or one may wish to try something new: experiencing the sea by looking at it, smelling its scent, skimming its surface, or embracing it with one’s gaze from the top of a Karst cliff – a breath-taking view of still blue waters that only the Bora wind can stir.

Leafing through these pages you will find out about the ways in which the city sometimes forces her way into her sea, and, conversely, saltwater soaks the ground and substratum, upon which this ancient hamlet was built and evolved throughout the centuries, never letting go of her faithful companion, the sea.

You shall see the sea of Piazza dell’Unità, whose blue lights shine as a reminder of how far inland the Gulf waters used to reach; you shall find it in the passion of one of Italy’s most sport-loving cities, where countless sport endeavours revolve around water; and you shall meet it again at dinner, as you taste one of Trieste’s traditional recipes – those you can only find when you avoid clichéd summer menus, focusing, instead, on the rich and diversified choice offered by local seafood cuisine, commonly (and, perhaps, unfairly) known as “peasant”.

And if you are still longing for a dive into the blue, here is our tip: wake up early, go for a run or a stroll along the stretch of coast extending from Barcola to Grignano, find the spot where the water is at its clearest and most inviting, and dive – after all, this coastline has been the largest free bathing establishment in the city. No further instructions needed. The sea is easy to find. And when you arrive, you shall know why Triestini live their sea out there… but mostly within their heart.

Nicolò Giraldi

Sedmak

Più di un golfo, tanti orizzonti diversi dentro alla città

More than one gulf, many different views inside the city