by InTrieste
The city’s waterfront came alive on Wednesday with the opening of the fifth edition of the Barcolana Sea Summit and the start of the 57th Barcolana sailing festival, one of the world’s largest maritime events. Alongside the inauguration of Barcolana Village on Trieste’s Rive and a new cultural hub in Borgo Cavana, the 2025-2026 academic year of the United World College of the Adriatic was officially opened, underscoring the city’s growing role as a crossroads of education, culture, and sustainability.
At sea, the third edition of the Barcolana Maxi – Portopiccolo Trophy began with five yachts competing off Sistiana. Sailing under light winds averaging six knots, the crew of Nice from the Fiamme Gialle crossed the finish line first after 2 hours and 18 minutes. Under corrected time, Anywave led the standings, followed by Nice and Nightshadow. The competition will continue Thursday with a coastal race to Trieste, before Friday’s final trial on the traditional Barcolana course.
On land, the Barcolana Sea Summit convened regional officials, researchers, and international guests at the Generali Convention Centre. The event, which has become a major European platform for maritime sustainability, featured the joint inauguration of the United World College’s academic year by President Roberto Antonione and Rector Khalid El-Metaal.
Mitja Gialuz, president of the Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano, said the collaboration between the Summit and the College symbolized shared values. “Barcolana and the United World College are united by freedom, peace, and sustainability,” he said, emphasizing education’s role in building “a sustainable and cooperative future.”
The day’s program concluded with a European workshop on the “Blue Economy,” focusing on training and employment in maritime industries. Thursday’s Summit sessions will include a Carabinieri conference on the “One Health” model and a panel on underwater noise and marine environment protection. The evening will feature Fiumi Scomparsi, a multimedia performance with Marco Paolini, Paolo Fresu, and Rajeev Badhan exploring Trieste’s lost waterways.
Meanwhile, Borgo Cavana transformed into a cultural district, with exhibitions, live music, and performances running through Sunday. Highlights include Adriano Giraldi’s Maldobrie, concerts by DANKA and Swing à la Carte, and Sunday’s closing event Sagravana, a blend of soul, blues, and singer-songwriter music celebrating Trieste’s creative spirit.
The Italian Navy also returned as a central presence. The Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Tour and the Amerigo Vespucciworld voyage are showcased in Piazza Unità d’Italia, where an announcement revealed that from 2026, the “Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Il Veloce” — the Mediterranean’s longest regatta — will conclude in Trieste during Barcolana 58.
Another notable arrival was the fleet of “Boats of Legality,” eight sailing vessels once confiscated from organized crime and now dedicated to education and inclusion. Part of the “Mare di Legalità” initiative by the Italian Naval League, the boats will host activities with local associations before joining Sunday’s main regatta.
Barcolana’s cultural side also took center stage with the literary festival Un Mare di Racconti, featuring authors including Mircea Cărtărescu, Ben Pastor, Maylis de Kerangal, and Emanuele Trevi.
In education, Regional Councillor for Education and Research Alessia Rosolen announced Barcolana Chef Junior, a new culinary competition for hospitality students to promote creativity and sustainability in the kitchen. “This initiative builds a bridge between school and work,” she said.
The festival’s artistic offerings continued underground with the TAL-Concert in Grotta Gigante, billed as “the deepest concert in the world.” Saxophonist Marco Castelli led the performance in the vast karst cave near Trieste, blending jazz and acoustic experimentation in an otherworldly natural setting.
As of Wednesday evening, more than 1,600 boats had registered for the Barcolana Autumn Cup, the festival’s main regatta, set for Sunday. With the Rive and city center buzzing with visitors, Trieste once again positioned itself as the beating heart of the Adriatic — a city where sailing, culture, and sustainability meet under a shared horizon.
