by Nina Vaclavikova
Interviews: Serenal Tonel, deputy mayor of Trieste; Trieste mayor, Roberto Dipiazza; Elena Pellaschiar- Vice President of Confcommercio Trieste
On Sunday afternoon, the city opened the thirteenth edition of its Christmas Market, a month-long event that transforms the historic center into a festive village through January 6.
Spread across the heart of Trieste — including via delle Torri, via Ponchielli, via Bellini, Piazza del Ponterosso and Piazza della Borsa — the market features 71 wooden stalls offering handcrafted goods, holiday decorations, gift items and regional food specialties. Twenty-eight of the stalls are dedicated specifically to gastronomy.
About a quarter of the vendors come from the local area, while the remainder represent other Italian regions and eight foreign countries, including Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, Serbia, France, Lithuania and Russia.
Beyond shopping, the event aims to appeal to families and visitors with street performers, holiday-themed entertainers, mascots for children and photo areas designed for seasonal snapshots. One of its main attractions is the ice-skating rink in Piazza del Ponterosso, which will remain open until January 11.
City officials describe the initiative as part of a broader effort to revitalize the center and surrounding neighborhoods, support local businesses and draw visitors during the holiday season — an approach intended to boost both the economy and community life.
