Trieste by the sea: the best beaches in the city and surroundings

As anyone who has been here in the summer season knows, as soon as the temperatures rise the people of Trieste flock to the sea. In fact, “to the bath” as they say around here. In Trieste you go to the beach on weekends but also during lunch break or immediately after work, thanks to its proximity to the city center: water has always been a fundamental element in the daily life of its inhabitants, to be sailed and enjoyed with a dip at every opportunity.

If you want to feel like a real “local”, here are some tips on where to go to the sea in Trieste: the most beautiful beaches and bathing facilities not to be missed in the city.

Summer in the city: the most beautiful beaches in Trieste

Beaches of the city centre: Lanterna and Ausonia

In Trieste, as we said, traditionally you go to the sea in the city centre. In the nineteenth century the Habsburgs built several floating bathing establishments, which offered more or less luxurious services depending on the class they were targeting but had in common the fact of being anchored at a short distance from the coast. The most famous was in this sense the Bagno Maria, a luxury bathing facility anchored in front of the Hotel de Ville since 1858.

From the beginning of the twentieth century, the first baths began to rise directly in the city and two of these are still in business, very popular in fact. The oldest and probably the most famous is the Lanterna or “Pedocin”, less then a mile from Piazza Unità d’Italia. Opened since  1903, it is the only bath facility in Europe in which the separation between the male and female gender has survived: a wall divides the beach in two, giving one side to men and the other to women and children. Over time there has been talk of eliminating it, but the people of Trieste are incredibly fond of this place and its tradition.

A short distance away is the Bagno Ausonia, another historic structure opened in 1934, at the time an innovative establishment with swimming pools and trampolines. Today spending a day among these concrete piers, crowded with deckchairs and umbrellas, is like taking a dip in the past, but it is still an extremely functional bath facility. With its vintage atmosphere that looks like an old movie, the Bagno Ausonia has accompanied many generations of residents in Trieste, just a few steps from the city center.

Along the coastal road: from Barcola to Grignano

On the other side of Trieste, several beaches follow one another along the coastal road that runs north. Just beyond the Vittoria Lighthouse you will find the Barcola pine forest, a rocky promenade equipped with steps to access the water before relaxing under the shade of the trees. Here there are also the “Topolini”, a row of ten semi-circular terraces overlooking the sea of Trieste that offer free services such as showers, toilets and changing rooms. Barcola is probably the most popular public beach in Trieste, because it is free and close to the center, with the convenience of several bars and kiosks along the way.

On the other hand, there are three bathing establishments near the Miramare Castle that require a fee: Bagno da Sticco and, beyond the promontory, Grignano 1 and Grignano 2 or “Sirena” beach and “Riviera” beach, which overlook the homonymous bay.

Beaches around Trieste: Sistiana and Muggia

Deciding to go to the beach in Trieste can also be the perfect excuse to take a short trip around. Many reach for example Muggia, a seaside village we told you about in this article, to spend a day on the beach and eat excellent fresh fish in one of its taverns. If you are looking for a more natural setting, the best area is located about half an hour north of Trieste: between the bay of Sistiana and the beach of Duino you can swim surrounded by lush vegetation, admiring the beautiful landscape of the Nature Reserve of the Duino cliffs and the Duino Castle not far away.

Sistiana, Muggia and other beaches of Trieste, such as Barcola and Grignano, can be easily reached from the city center by sea thanks to the connection offered by Trieste Trasporti in the summer season. Boats leave near the Bersaglieri Pier, about a kilometer from the DoubleTree by Hilton Trieste: you can find the timetables on the official website, while tickets must be purchased on board when boarding. For more information and suggestions, as always you can ask the reception staff for advice.