The Trieste Tourist Board recommended this little known attraction, and boy, were we glad, as no one else on our cruise stop seemed to know about it.
The tram was fairly easy to find, after we had asked a local bus driver, but it is not signposted, as it is used daily by locals to get from their residential suburb high up on a steep hill above the city , down to the city centre to work, shop etc.
The tram itself was expertly and beautifully crafted, very old, but not marred by any graffiti, the wooden interior was in pristine condition. It was a short ride, very steep, and the tram is pulled by cables for part of the way. We sat amongst locals, not another tourist in sight, surrounded by old ladies with laden shopping bags, just back from Market, and bored school kids, who were quite indifferent to us 2 oldies, we just blended in to the background (I just love that!!).
The terminus at the top is quite unattractive except for a fantastic panoramic view, so we caught the same tram back down, as we were hungry and wanted our lunch, but it was such a gem to discover in this beautiful city, and for 3 euros, must be the bargain of all sightseeing trips!!
I remember trams in Swansea as a child in Wales, and do wish Britain would copy Europe and bring back this lovely mode of transport where practical. It made me feel very nostalgic, but grateful that we were so lucky growing up just after WW2, when the world was so safe and secure, and the youth respected older people, and children were innocent and did not grow up so precociously fast.
Signing off now… Victoria Meldrew.
