Located between the Adriatic and Slovenia, Trieste is a mittel-European city with two souls. Nonetheless when it comes to romance, with its sea vistas, Habsburg squares and cafés, this border town is very single-minded.

GRAND HOTEL
Duchi d'Aosta, Piazza Unità d'Italia, 2-1, Trieste (00 39 040 760 0011; fax: 366 092). Ask for a room overlooking the piazza, although to see the Adriatic you will need a very long neck. ££

HOTEL DANEU
Via Nazionale 111, in Opicina (00 39 040 214 214). Rebuilt from the summer hideaway enjoyed by the Burtons. £

TRE MERLI
Viale Miramare 42 (00 39 040 410 884). Though it calls itself trattoria con pizza this is an outstanding fish restaurant. The antipasti (self-service from a long table) are first-rate.

CITTADICHERSO
Via Cadorna 6 (00 39 040 366 044). More outstanding fish. Slightly pretentious setting, though very comfortable. A wine list with the best of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia growths.

CAFFE SAN MARCO
Via Battisti 18 (00 39 040 363 538). A wonderful old coffee-bar where you can spend whole days.

CAFFE TOMMASEO
Riva Tre Novembre (00 39 040 362 666). Art deco café frequented by politicians.

CAFFE DEGLI SPECCHI
Piazza Unità d'Italia. (00 39 040 365 777). Trieste's most Viennese café, on the ground floor of the Assicurazioni Generali building. Suffused with the atmosphere of insurance and full of women in hats.

CAFFE PASTICCERIA PIRONA
Largo Barriera Vecchia 12 (00 39 040 636 046). James Joyce savoured the Austrian cakes and fine wines and is said to have conceived the idea for Ulysses here.

The village of Muggia, a working fishing port, along the coast from Trieste, which celebrates its own version of the Venetian carnival every February. On the way back from Muggia, stop at the Veneziani Paint Factory where Svevo, author of The Confessions of Zeno, once worked as a general manager. The story goes that during WWI, the enemy stormed in and demanded the recipe for Veneziani's unique underwater paint from Svevo, but he resisted by giving the soldiers a fake substitute and quickly bricking up the plant.

AIRPORT
Trieste's main airport is Fruili-Venezia Giulia. Alternatively fly to Venice.

AIRLINES FROM THE UK
Ryanair (0871 246 0000; www.ryanair.com) has a daily direct service from London Stansted to Trieste's airport. Licensed minibus transfers to central Trieste and the railway station are very efficient. The trip takes half an hour and costs about £5. Don't think of relying on the municipal bus service or taxis, which are even more expensive on the airport-run here than elsewhere in Italy.

There are train services from Venice to Trieste and a hydrofoil service in the summer months.

Late spring is the best time to visit Trieste, although beware of the icy bora wind, which can blow at that time of year.

The tourist office is at via San Nicolò 20 (00 39 040 360 333).