by Nina Vaclavikova
Interview: Sergio Emidio Bini, Councilor for Economic Development and Tourism
A promotional truck showcasing the food, culture and tourism of Friuli Venezia Giulia was inaugurated in Piazza Unità d’Italia on Friday as part of the events surrounding the 58th Barcolana sailing regatta.
The “Io Sono Friuli Venezia Giulia” truck, organized by the regional tourism agency PromoTurismoFVG, is part of a broader program designed to use the international sailing event to promote destinations and businesses across the region.
Sergio Emidio Bini, the regional councillor for productive activities and tourism, attended the inauguration alongside Trieste’s mayor, Roberto Dipiazza; the regional vice governor, Mario Anzil; and Mauro Bordin, president of the regional council.
Bini said the partnership between the region and Barcolana organizers was intended to encourage visitors to explore destinations beyond Trieste, including Grado, Lignano Sabbiadoro and the mountain areas around Lake Cavazzo.
Tourism figures released by the regional administration show that Trieste recorded more than 1.155 million overnight stays between January and August 2026, an increase of 1.9 percent from the same period last year and 67.6 percent from 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic.
Foreign visitors accounted for much of the growth. Their overnight stays increased 8.7 percent from the first eight months of 2025 and had doubled compared with the same period in 2019, according to the figures.
The regional tourism agency’s program for Barcolana 58 combines food and wine, cultural events, music, winter sports and maritime innovation.
The program began Wednesday with ForMandi, an event pairing mountain cheeses with Vitovska wines from the Karst plateau. On Friday at 6 pm, a discussion titled “The Enchantment of Water Castles” will explore the historic and architectural heritage of Miramare and Duino castles, with contributions from Guido Comis and Dimitri Della Torre e Tasso. The information center also features a Lego reproduction of Miramare Castle built by the young enthusiast Giulio Luin.
Music and entertainment are also part of the schedule. The swing trio Les Babettes is set to perform Thursday evening, followed on Friday by the m2o Night, featuring DJs Albertino, Fargetta, Shorty and Walter Pizzulli.
The program also connects sailing with winter sports through the Barcolana Ski-Coppa d’Autunno, a giant slalom competition on a synthetic ski slope in Aurisina. Teams led by former ski racers Kristian Ghedina and Tina Maze will compete alongside young athletes.
At sea, the regional brand is represented by the Solaris yacht and through a partnership with the Fast and Furio Sailing Team aboard the maxi yacht Arca SGR.
An educational initiative, Arca Young, brings together university engineering students and students from the local nautical institute to work on the refitting and electrification of a sailing vessel, linking the regatta’s sporting profile with maritime technology and sustainability.
The annual Barcolana, which draws sailing crews and spectators from Italy and abroad, remains one of the region’s principal opportunities to promote its coastal destinations, inland landscapes and local industries to an international audience.
