Dublin’s most famous son (move aside Bono) famously chronicled a day in the life of an everyman in the fair city.
But he, of course, fell out with its burghers and went into exile in mainland Europe, falling in love with Trieste.
Where he is still remembered with affection as much as in his home city.
So much so that they erected a statue to the Great Man there too while for a step by step guide of Joyce’s Trieste check out this site.
And dander over to the Joyce Museum in the famous old town to get up close and personal.
Of course the best place to channel your inner Joyce at the Cafe Stella Polare.
Be sure you take your pen and pad for your Ulysses (or write it on your iPad).
While you should also check out the titular Caffe James Joyce.
So what is it about Trieste and coffee?
Well, it was only the gateway from the East Indies and the Middle East to the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Say again.
Well, Trieste was a Habsburg port back for centuries before the empire broke up after the First World War.
Which means Naval Captain Von Trapp’s town was actually an Italian and that was key to him getting out of Nazi Austria.
Which you know already from my Austrian travels but here’s a reminder.
Anyhoos Trieste is the jewel of the Friulia Venezia Giulia whose joys I have been enjoying, from mountain to woods to sea in the Virtual Italian Zoom Week.
I’ll be bringing you more in tomorrow’s Hungry and Thursday and all your favourite features.
MEET YOU IN THE CAFE