We disembarked and stayed in Trieste a day after our cruise in April 2022. I honestly wish we had stayed longer, and if I get the chance, I want to return to Trieste as it is such an interesting fusion of traditional Italian cuisine and sensibilities with the Slavic. It is mere miles from the border of Slovenia. (It was the NCL Star’s very first cruise with passengers after Covid and was one of the best cruise experiences we’ve ever had, despite the then still iffy and irregular applications of each country’s Covid restrictions. It was totally worth the testing and hoops we had to jump through.) We were advised not to try to go into Slovenia then due to their Covid restrictions then, but we did visit Miramere Castle, the Hapsburg Summer Palace in Trieste and toured the city. I’d like to go back and visit the caves and surrounding area. Really lovely! You can see why the Hapsburgs had a summer residence there. The next day, we took the train to Venice and stayed outside Venice @ the Crowne Plaza Venice East, which is basically adjacent to a train station, though you will not hear train noise at the hotel. We checked in, dropped off our bags and took the train (about a 20 min ride) into Venice. Pretty easy back and forth and we didn’t have to hassle with luggage in Venice. The hotel offers a free airport shuttle. BTW: I booked the hotel on my own through Expedia, but newfound friends from the cruise who booked their hotel and transfers through NCL ended up staying there as well. Loved Trieste and glad we got to see it. Happy and safe travels to you, whatever you plan.
