Trieste, Venice, & Slovenia Explorer

Welcome to Trieste! At 5 pm, meet your Tour Director and travel companions for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant. (D)

Coffee & Canals Enjoy getting to know Trieste, your charming base for the vacation ahead, with a guided orientation walk through its elegant Old Town, taking in the grand Piazza Unità d’Italia and picturesque canals. Delve into the city’s renowned café culture with a visit to a historic coffee house, complete with a tasting experience. Enjoy free time this afternoon and evening to discover more of the city. (B) TOUR HIGHLIGHT Trieste’s coffee culture is woven into everyday life, reflecting the city’s historic role as one of Europe’s great coffee ports. Visitors can experience unique local customs, including ordering coffee by distinctive Triestine names—such as a nero (espresso), capo (espresso with a touch of milk), or capo in B, served in a small glass. The city is also the home of Illy, the internationally renowned coffee company founded in Trieste in 1933, which has helped establish the city’s reputation as a global center of coffee excellence.

Going Underground An unforgettable day awaits! Cross the border into Slovenia and head to Postonja for a definite highlight – a visit to the world-famous caves. Your experience comprises an underground train ride and walking tour. Pass through amazing corridors and see impressive limestone formations. Once back above ground drive to Slovenia’s picture postcard Bled, located on a stunning lake, surrounded by the Julian Alps. Enjoy some free time before returning to Trieste for an evening at leisure. (B) TOUR HIGHLIGHT Explore the world's most captivating cave on an unforgettable ride on an underground train. Enter the surreal subterranean world of shiny white stalagmites shaped by millions of years and millions of drops of water in the Postojna Cave. See the baby dragons (olms) who call the caves home - in the mysterious underground caverns of Slovenia.

Cosmopolitan Crossroads Enjoy a full day to delve deeper into the city. Take a stroll along the charming streets, admire the spectacular views, browse the stores, or try delicious local specialties. Later, why not do as the locals do, take a seat in a café, enjoy a spritz triestina, and watch the world go by. Alternatively, why not join an optional excursion to uncover some of the regions tastiest gastronomic specialties? (B) ENHANCED FREE TIME No visit is complete without experiencing the local aperitivo culture, a cherished tradition that brings residents together in the late afternoon to enjoy a drink and light snacks. Whether in a historic café or a lively piazza, an aperitivo offers the perfect opportunity to relax, socialize, and soak up the unique atmosphere of this captivating Adriatic city.

La Serenissima Drive to Venice and embark on a private boat ride before meeting your Local Guide for a fascinating sightseeing walk. See the Bridge of Sighs and St. Mark’s Square, with its landmark columns and Basilica. Visit a favorite vetreria (glass factory), meet a local glassblower and learn how the world-famous Murano glass is created. Enjoy free time this afternoon to meander along the canals and through the traditional Venetian calli and campi (alleyways and squares). Collect some wonderful memories before driving back to Trieste. (B) TOUR HIGHLIGHT Locals simply call Piazza San Marco “la piazza.” As paired with the smaller Piazzetta, it forms the social, religious, and political hub of Venice, which Napoleon called “the drawing room of Europe.” St. Mark’s Basilica dominates the square, offering visitors a spectacular view of the great arches, marble embellishments, and the Romanesque carvings of its façade. Also gracing the square is Doge’s Palace – a masterpiece of Venetian Gothic architecture. The enclosed Bridge of Sighs, connecting the palace with the prison, gets its name from prisoners sighing as they took in their last view of the Rio di Palazzo on their walk to the prison’s interrogation rooms.

Coastal Locations A whole day at leisure! Why not take a stroll to Trieste’s seafront, to the Barcola promenade and enjoy the city’s coastal atmosphere? Relax by the beach, soak up the Adriatic views, or join the locals for a refreshing swim in the clear waters. Alternatively, why not join an optional excursion along the stunning Slovenian coastline. This evening, join your travel companions for a farewelldinner. (B,D) ENHANCED FREE TIME The Barcola promenade is a much-loved stretch of waterfront; the city's open-air living room, where residents gather to walk, cycle, share a coffee or simply admire the ever-changing colors of the Adriatic. The atmosphere is especially vibrant on sunny days, when people of all ages head to the shoreline to relax by the water. Each autumn, the promenade also takes center stage during the world-famous Barcolana regatta, when thousands of sailing boats fill the Gulf of Trieste in a spectacular celebration of the city's enduring connection with the sea.

Safe travels until we meet again! Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)