The day-trippers come for Trieste

A steady stream of tourists clad in shorts and sneakers marched from a hulking cruise ship into the stunning piazza of a northern Italian city, many making a beeline for an alluring cafe with rows of outdoor tables.

- HANNON SIMS

Unità d'Italia, Trieste's central square, discharging their passengers into the heart of the city and making their growing influence impossible to ignore. In 2019, 177,000 cruise passengers passed through Trieste; in 2022, that figure jumped to 425,000, and it continues to rise. Last year, Trieste welcomed more than half a million passengers. And although fewer cruise ships are set to dock in Trieste this year, those that do will be carrying more passengers. Now, when cruise lines advertise a stop in Venice, many of them mean Trieste. Norwegian Cruise Line, for example, advertises 'Venice (Trieste)' itineraries. Other companies like MSC Cruises and Costa Cruises have also shifted toward Trieste, where passengers typically take a quick walk around town before boarding bu