Sometimes you are surprised by what you find in a place that you visit for the first time. At another time, you know exactly what to expect. Finding a coffee industry in the Seychelles when we visited there was somewhat of a surprise, but of course, Italy’s coffee culture is quite famous and one expects exceptional coffee when visiting. On a recent trip to Trieste, however, even my highest expectations were blown away!
How much do you know about Trieste? I knew that it is famous for coffee and that a visit to this city with its cosmopolitan population would be interesting, but I wasn’t really prepared for the unique blend it offers. The cultures and languages of Trieste are influenced by its location as well as its rich history and you experience a wonderful blend of predominantly Italian, Slavic, Croatian, Hungarian and Austrian influences.
Located in northeast Italy on the Adriatic coast and at the top of the Gulf of Trieste, the city is positioned on a narrow strip of Italian territory between the ocean and Slovenia (8 to15 kilometres east and southeast of the city) as well as Croatia (about 30 km to the south).
With 6 different rulers in 36 years, Trieste has an interesting history. It belonged to the Habsburg monarchy from 1382 until 1918. In the 19th century, the monarchy was one of the Great Powers of Europe and Trieste was its most important seaport. In 1918 it became part of the Kingdom of Italy, from 1943 to 1945 part of the German Reich, in 1945 it was part of the Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia for about a month, but then fell under UK-USA administration until in 1947 when it became the Free Territory of Trieste. Since 1954 it is part of the Republic of Italy. (See a wonderful summery of its history here)
What are the most important industries of Trieste? During the time of the Free Territory of Trieste, and in the late 1950’s, the city became the last “outpost of the West” where Western lifestyle and products ensured a roaring trade of Western goods. In the 70’s and 80’s especially, denim jeans were popular and as per a Forbes article: “Let’s jump to Trieste for jeans, coffee and shoes, Yugoslavs would say, eager for quality goods they couldn’t find at home.” Today, the famous Piazza Ponte Rosso, which hosted these popular Ponte Rosso markets hosts cultural events.
Today, Trieste is a beautiful and bustling city. Since Schengen rules and less EU borders, a younger and less polarised population has embraced its diversity, the port is flourishing again and it has become acclaimed as a city of science due to its research institutions, universities, and international organisations. But, of course, what I love is that Trieste is known as the capital of coffee!
When Trieste was established as a free port by Emperor Charles VI in 1715, it also became the most important Italian port for importing coffee to Austria and Hungary. Alongside the port activity came the development of more industries and in the late nineteenth century, Trieste was home to 60 import companies, 10 coffee roasters and 98 coffee shops. Some of the famous coffee brands that developed in Trieste are Housebrandt, San Marco and Illy. These coffee houses became meeting places to discuss art and politics and played a very important part in the culture of the city.
One of the famous coffee houses is Caffè San Marco. Opened in 1914, it was destroyed a year later by die Habsburg army as it served as a meeting place for the printing of fake passports for anti-Austrian patriots during the Great War. Renovated after the conflict, it stays one of the most beautiful historic cafes in Trieste showcasing works by artists such as Vito Timmel and Napoleone Cozzi and it was a real privilege to enjoy my morning brew there this week! (Read more)
Illy is a familiar coffee brand, even in South Africa, and it is also an integral part of the Trieste coffee culture. The red and white logo shares the colours of Trieste as the company was born in the city, where its headquarters still reside. The Illy process is meticulous and when we visited Illy Caffè, we were introduced to beans from different areas as well as their most popular Italian blend. The company’s founder, Francesco Illy, was a Hungarian who arrived in Trieste after World War I. He launched his business in 1933 and was the first to develop a system for the vacuum packaging of coffee beans and ground coffee to ensure freshness, which enabled the brand to be sold wider than Trieste, later over the whole of Italy and eventually internationally. Today it even has a Università del Caffè, a centre of excellence dedicated to promoting the culture of quality coffee through training, research, and innovation. It has 24 branches across the world.
While we might think ourselves quite sophisticated when ordering coffee in Italy, Trieste requires a different coffee terminology! An espresso is called a nero, a macchiato is a capo and if you really want to fit in, you should order a capo in B. It is the most popular coffee in the city and the offspring of a macchiato and cappuccino, served in a glass rather than a cup.
There is much more to Trieste than its wonderful coffee culture. Tourist attractions include the grand Piazza Unità d’Italia, the main square of the city and Europe’s largest square next to the ocean. There are beautiful fountains, street art, such as the murals of Trieste and sculptures all over town. You also have to visit the ancient Roman theatre and the impressive white Miramare Castle with its wonderful gardens, built from 1856 to 1860 for Austrian Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian and his wife, Charlotte of Belgium. The Canal Grande bring ships into the city centre since the 18th century and the city hosts the historic international regatta, the Barcolana. Beaches can be found in Sistiana, Muggia, Barcola and Grignano and are truly worth a visit.
Food and wine are always important to me. With its cultural diversity, the local culinary culture is a fusion of Italian, Balkan, Austrian and German. Famous dishes include Jota, a hearty pork and vegetable soup and stews like Goulash and Brodetto, a Mediterranean seafood stew. Pastries inspired by Austrian influences include strudel-like preznits and an irresistible chocolaty Sachertorte, which is a treat with your nero!
Plan well in advance and book a table at Trieste’s two-star Michelin restaurant, Harry’s Piccolo or enjoy casual food shopping at osmizas, where you can also indulge with generous plates of cold cuts, cheeses and local wines. Located in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia wine region of Italy, Trieste has its own wine culture. Terrano and Vitovska are the native grapes to try, you should order a glass of Picolit Cialla, an exotic sweet wine and of course, when you had enough coffee, a glass of Prosecco is always a good idea when you are in this part of the world.