Trieste spreads around and above its harbor like a giant amphitheater with the Adriatic as its stage. Wide boulevards run along its perimeter connecting the four piers and long breakwater of the old port of Punta Franco Vecchio on the north with the Campo Marzio station and the Punto Franco Nuovo (New Free Port) and large shipyards to the south. Along the harbor are a succession of large squares and the Canale Grande. The harbor is always your best landmark if you lose your way.

Several tourist attractions are along the harbor, including an aquarium, railway museum, and the maritime museum, and tourists join locals to catch the breeze and watch the sunset from the long Molo Audace, a pier that extends more than 250 meters into the Adriatic. There are beautiful views of the city from here, too.