Borgo Teresiano and the Grand Canal

Borgo Teresiano is the nineteenth-century Trieste of merchants, shipowners and coffee traders. It was laid out in a neat grid in the eighteenth century under Empress Maria Theresa to give the booming free port room to grow, and it still feels spacious and orderly compared with the lanes of the old town. At its heart runs the Grand Canal, a short navigable channel built to bring cargo boats into the city centre. Today it holds small boats and is lined with pavement cafés, with a pedestrian bridge crossing in the middle and a bronze figure of James Joyce striding along the quay. Two churches define the ends of the canal. At the sea end is the Serbian Orthodox church of San Spiridione, with its blue domes and gold mosaics, built by the city's Serbian merchants in the nineteenth century and a reminder of how many communities made Trieste rich. At the other end stands the neoclassical church of Sant'Antonio Taumaturgo, whose columned portico faces the water. Between the two, the streets are full of grand apartment buildings, lively bars and good places to eat, making this one of the pleasantest areas to sit with a drink at the end of the day.

A walk through the Borgo works well as a loop from the main square. Head inland on the waterfront streets until you reach the canal, cross the bridge, and wander the side streets with their carved doorways and balconies. The buildings often show off the wealth of the trading families who built them, with stone caryatids, wrought-iron balconies and marble staircases visible through open entrances.

A stop at the Serbian Orthodox church is rewarding even if you are not religious, because the interior is dazzling with icons and gilding, and a small donation or ticket helps maintain it.

The canal itself is lined with outdoor tables. Mornings bring commuters, lunchtime fills the cafés, and evenings have an aperitivo crowd. In the warmer months, small events sometimes use the canal side. Look for the James Joyce statue near the bridge, which is a good photo spot and a reminder that the Irish writer lived and taught English in the city for years in the early twentieth century.

Practical notes are simple. The area is flat and walkable, with plenty of shops, bakeries and restaurants. Hotels in this district are close to the railway station and to the waterfront, which is why many visitors base themselves here. In summer, the canal side can be warm, so choose a shaded table.

In winter, the bora wind can funnel through the streets, so a sheltered café is welcome. Allow around an hour for a leisurely loop including the church, or longer if you plan to eat. Combine the Borgo with the main square, the Molo Audace pier and the literary walking route for a satisfying day in the flat centre of Trieste.

For a rounded visit, combine the walk with a meal. The streets around the canal contain traditional buffets, seafood restaurants and modern wine bars, and the pace of service is relaxed. Look up as you walk: balconies, cornices, sculpted figures and painted ceilings visible through doorways show how the merchant families displayed their wealth. If you enjoy architecture, ask whether any building courtyards are open, since some entrances reveal grand stairwells. Finish at the pier or the main square, which are only a few minutes away on foot.