Caffè degli Specchi

Caffè degli Specchi is a must-see for anyone visiting Trieste. Founded in 1839 in Piazza Unità d'Italia, the café occupies part of the ground floor of Palazzo Stratti. It was regularly frequented by intellectuals and artists such as Italo Svevo, James Joyce and Franz Kafka and it owes its name to the old custom of engraving the most important events in the city's history on sheets of glass and/or mirrors, as evidenced by the three sheets that have survived to this day. The elegance of its interior makes it the ideal place for those who want to enjoy a coffee either standing in front of the counter or sitting at one of the many tables in the square.