CITY OF ALL SEASONS

Trieste in autumn and winter

Cool days in the refreshing south

There is something ultra-cozy about sitting in the warm living room at Residenza Hollmann when a storm is brewing outside, looking out as the whipped-up surface of the Adriatic swashes across the swim dock and the surf sprays over the seawalls. That said, you should never be overly concerned about the infamous Trieste winds, such as the cold Bora or the humid Scirocco. On average, Trieste boasts 200 wind-free days a year.
Anyone wishing to flee the continental winter in favor of southern climes will find temperatures in Trieste that are generally at least 10°C above those in Central Europe. And at this time of year, the city is virtually devoid of tourists… Big brand names entice shoppers, magical boutiques are waiting to be discovered. The good taste of Trieste is embodied in numerous top-quality restaurants, and in cuisine which represents a nexus of the Italian, Istrian and Alpine culinary traditions. The Trieste opera house hosts grand evenings, numerous galleries are delighted to receive visitors and, wherever you happen to be out and about in wintry Trieste, the closest coffeehouse is never far away.

REAPING THE REWARDS

The Osmizza is very much the embodiment of local food traditions in Trieste. The winegrowers and farmers of the Karst region invite guests to partake in their home-grown products, enjoyed in the mild sun at tables in the garden behind the house… Nowhere else does a crisp Malvasia or a robust Terrano taste better than here. However – you have to find them first, of course, those Osmizze, since the authorities only allow them to serve drinks for a limited period of time. Though if you are indeed on a mission, word-of-mouth or small, handmade posters in the villages of the Karst will undoubtedly reveal their locations.
In late autumn, the Karst is aglow in a colorful display of color quite beyond compare. In Trieste, people still like to sit outside in one of the cafés on the Piazza Unitá or along the Canal Grande, unless a fresh Bora happens to be sweeping through the streets as a harbinger of winter. That’s when guests of Residenza Hollmann are particularly fortunate, thanks to the idiosyncrasies of the local microclimate: The cold winds dropping down from the mountains basically leap over the cliffs, only touching down on the far side of the mussel fishers’ domain, out at sea.