e decided to spent one September’s holiday weekend in Sistiana – small Italian city near Slovenian border. Camp is 3 min from beach, rocks almost on the beach and there are many possibilities for rest days.
Ride
Sistiana, cca 25 min from Trieste (google maps)
The route from Bratislava to Sistiana is approx. 550 km long and it takes 5:20 h (without stops): map
We took the route through Austria and Slovenia, prices of highway toll:
Austria 10 days: 9,20 € (in 2019)
Slovenia 7 days: 10,00 € (in 2019)
Camp
We stayed in camp Camping village Mare Pineta directly in Sistiana. The price for 4 persons was 39 € (prices vary according to date ).
In the camp there are cabins, apartments, places for caravans a for tents. In the area is also a swimming pool, gym and small market.
Beach
The beach can be reached three ways (if you don’t count abseil 🙂 ): by foot (20 min), by car (3 min) or train riding every hour from camp. If you decide to drive by car, you have to pay for parking down there (we payed 9€ for whole day) or try to find one of several free “parking spots” along the route.
The beach is from small stones, you can rent beach umbrella and sunbed or you can bring your own. There are few toilets there and also enough bars. There are many people here during weekends so come earlier.
Sistiana, camp, beach, parking, trains’s stop, climbing (gm)
Climbing
We climbed in the area directly next to the beach. The rocks are few meters from water so good combination for climbing and swimming. Climbing is suitable after 5pm (like is written also in guide on crag) because all day the sun is shining directly at rock. We used free guides from net (grag, or here), you can add more in the comments. The routes are clearly marked on rock and have enough bolts, grades are in french system.
Sistiana climbing sectors (gm)
Panza del Elefante
The first sector directly next to beach, first part is sometimes called Shelter. The upper parts of multi pitches are not in good state, so we climbed just first pitch.
Sistiana, Panza dell Elefante
Sistiana, Panza dell Elefante, topo (src)
Panza del Mus
Another sector with interesting routes
Sistiana, Panza del Mus, topo (src)
Querung
This sector we didn’t visit but here is topo:
Sistiana, Querung, topo (src)
DWS
If you want and are brave enough you can try also deep water soloing. It’s climbing without rope with falling into the water. There is a piece ofrock suitable for this type of activity, there are even some bolts on the rock there.
Sistiana, piece of rock for DWS
What to do or see
In this region you can find many activities for rest days or for non-climbing members of your party. Just few minutes drive from camp is castle Miramare, city Trieste and on the way back home you can take a break in capital city of Slovenia – Ljubljana.
Miramare castle
Miramare Castle and its park were built by order of Ferdinand Maximilian (1832–1867), of the House of Habsburg – younger brother of Franz Joseph, Emperor of Austria. Designed in 1856 by Carl Junker, an Austrian architect, the architectural structure of Miramare was finished in 1860.
Now it is a museum with Maximilian’s chambers and those of his consort, Charlotte; the guest rooms; the information room telling the history of the castle and the park’s construction; the Duke Amedeo of Aosta’s apartment with furnishings from the 1930s in the Rationalist style. All the rooms still feature the original furnishings, ornaments, furniture and objects dating back to the middle of the 19th century.
Miramare castle
Miramare castle
Park and garden
Trieste
Trieste is a city and a seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of Italian territory lying between the Adriatic Sea and Slovenia, which lies approximately 10–15 km (6.2–9.3 mi) south and east of the city. Croatia is some 30 km (19 mi) to the south.
Trieste was one of the oldest parts of the Habsburg Monarchy, belonging to it from 1382 until 1918. In the 19th century the monarchy was one of the Great Powers of Europe and Trieste was its most important seaport. As a prosperous seaport in the Mediterranean region, Trieste became the fourth largest city of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (after Vienna, Budapest, and Prague).
Trieste
Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital and largest city of Slovenia. It has been the cultural, educational, economic, political, and administrative centre of independent Slovenia since 1991.
The city’s architecture is a mix of styles. Despite the appearance of large buildings, especially at the city’s edge, Ljubljana’s historic centre remains intact. Although the oldest architecture has been preserved from the Roman period, Ljubljana’s downtown got its outline in the Middle Ages. After the 1511 earthquake, it was rebuilt in the Baroque style following Italian, particularly Venetian, models.
After the quake in 1895, it was once again rebuilt, this time in the Vienna Secession style, which today is juxtaposed against the earlier Baroque style buildings that remain.
The 1901 Dragon Bridge, decorated with the Dragon statues on pedestals at four corners of the bridge has become a symbol of the city and is regarded as one of the most beautiful examples of a bridge made in Vienna Secession style.
Ljubljana, view on castle
Ljubljana, Dragon bridge
