Due gondole.


Ponte di Rialto.


Canale.


A seagull soaring in front of the 15th century St Mark's Clocktower.


An ornate depiction of Christ at St Mark's Basilica.


A gull on a flood walking platform.


Just after 11am I checked out of the hotel and walked through the city to Stazione di Venezia Santa Lucia. Just to the right is the Church of the Scalzi.


And with my €21 ticket for the train to the city of Trieste.


The 18th century Church of San Simeone Piccolo on the other side of the Grand Canal. The next train wasn't until 12:41pm so I had a few more minutes left to spend in the picturesque city.


Inside the Church of the Scalzi (Scalzi in Italian means "barefoot").


A Calzone and an espresso for lunch at the train station cafeteria.


The Trenitalia train ready for the 12:41pm departure to Trieste.


Despite the graffiti on the exterior the interior was clean and modern.


And departing ontime as we make our way over the Ponte della Libertà that connects the islands to the mainland.


Passing green fields as we head north-east.


And arriving at Trieste Centrale just over 2 hours later.


I then headed out to Piazza della Libertà and made the short walk to my hotel for my one night stay in the city.


Motoretta.


My cosy room at the Nuovo Albergo Centro. Although quite basic it was relatively new, clean, centrally located and for €40 per night including breakfast it was good value.


I then went out to make the most of the fading afternoon light.

Molo Audace (Audace Pier).


In 1740 the ship San Carlo sank in the port of Trieste. Instead of removing the wreck, it was decided to use it as the basis for the construction of a new pier, which was built between 1743 and 1751.


At the end of the First World War the first Italian Navy ship to enter the port of Trieste and dock at the San Carlo pier was the destroyer Audace. In 1922 the pier was renamed after the Audace in memory of the event.


After belonging to the Austrian Monarchy for over five hundred years from 1382 until 1918, the city was annexed by Italy at the end of the First World War.


Looking up the Canal Grande di Trieste with the 19th century Church of Sant'Antonio Nuovo at the far end. The canal was built between 1754-1756 so that the boats could go directly to the city center to unload and load their goods.


The Ursus, a giant 150-ton floating crane built in 1914 that is an icon of the city.


The sun beginning to set over the Gulf of Trieste.


Christmas trees lining Piazza Unità d'Italia, the city's main square. Previous visitors include Green Day, Iron Maiden, Vladimir Putin and Angela Merkel.


The city's municipal building in Piazza Unità d'Italia. Just in front is the Fontana dei Quattro Continenti, built in 1754 to represent the then known four continents (Europe, Asia, America and Africa).


After resting back at my hotel I headed out to dinner at Café Continentale. An amuse-bouche of Baccalà mantecato to start.


For the first course I had the Vicidomini spaghetti with local mussels, clams and plum tomatoes.


And for the second course the delicious sauteed duck breast with wild berry sauce.


After dinner I went for a stroll around the corner to an Illy Cafè for an evening coffee. The company illycaffè was founded in 1933 in Trieste by Hungarian Francesco Illy and the company headquarters still remain in the city.


And enjoying a tasty piece of granatina cake and a marocchino at the end of day 2.