by InTrieste
In the grand halls of the Trieste Chamber of Commerce, an unlikely fusion of centuries-old tradition and cutting-edge technology is brewing, positioning this historic port city for a bold future as the “Capital of Digital Coffee.”
At the center of the city’s coffee scene is the Trieste Coffee Festival, an annual event where Italy’s love affair with the drink meets its deep-rooted history as a coffee trading hub. But this year’s edition, held under the theme of “Co&phi,” is pushing the boundaries of how coffee is experienced, launching an ambitious new chapter: the convergence of physical and digital realms, also known as phygital reality.
The highlight of the festival, the event “Trieste Capital of Digital Coffee,” brought together regional leaders, tech innovators, and coffee industry pioneers for what organizers hope will be a game-changing initiative for the city.
“The innovation at the core of this year’s festival reflects not only where Trieste has been, but where it’s going,” said Alberto Polojac, the festival’s creative director and founder of Bloom Specialty Coffee. “We are merging coffee’s sensory experience with the digital world to create something truly unique.”
The event, organized by Freshmedia srls with the support of Digital Districts and Cynexo, transported participants into an immersive coffee experience that blended real and virtual elements. Through interactive displays, attendees were invited to explore coffee not just through taste and aroma, but through digital dimensions that enhanced the traditional experience.
Regional Councillor Fabio Scoccimarro and Deputy Mayor Serena Tonel joined the opening remarks, alongside Antonio Paoletti, President of the Venezia Giulia Chamber of Commerce, and Alessandro Martelli, President of Digital Districts, underscoring the city’s commitment to blending its historic roots with modern innovation.
Coffee in a Digital Age
Trieste’s position as one of the world’s most storied coffee cities is well established. The Adriatic port has been a gateway for coffee trade since the 18th century, drawing beans from the world over to be processed, traded, and shipped across Europe. But as global industries evolve in the digital age, Trieste is aiming to secure its place in the future by redefining how coffee is consumed — and how the city is experienced.
The phygital approach, a growing trend that melds the physical and digital, was a key focus at this year’s festival. The event offered guests a taste of the future by expanding the concept of coffee tasting through real-time interaction with digital content.
Beyond savoring the familiar taste of espresso or specialty brews, attendees could immerse themselves in personalized narratives, learning about the origins, culture, and innovations surrounding coffee through augmented reality displays and sensory-enhancing technology.
For Alberto Polojac, this blending of tradition and technology is the beginning of something much larger. “This event is just the start of a journey,” he said. “We are building not just an immersive sensory experience, but a new tourism model.”
A New Tourism Vision
The festival’s forward-thinking agenda comes with a vision of transforming Trieste into a global destination for coffee tourism. Organizers aim to create digital tourist routes, interactive coffee-themed experiences that would allow visitors to explore Trieste’s rich coffee heritage while engaging with cutting-edge digital tools.
This vision aligns with a broader trend in global tourism, where experiences are increasingly tailored and immersive. With its rich history as a coffee port, Trieste sees an opportunity to combine its traditional offerings with high-tech experiences that appeal to a new generation of travelers.
“Innovation is the cornerstone of our approach,” Polojac said, highlighting the potential of phygital tools to offer something entirely new to visitors. “We want tourists to come here not just to drink coffee, but to live it — to engage with the city’s coffee history through interactive, digital experiences.”
The effort also ties into the city’s ongoing revitalization projects, many of which seek to bridge Trieste’s storied past with its aspirations for the future. Already dubbed the “City of Coffee,” Trieste’s move toward a phygital coffee culture aims to solidify its status on the international stage, attracting coffee aficionados and cultural tourists alike.
As the digital and physical worlds continue to blend, Trieste’s coffee scene may serve as a model for how tradition can be seamlessly merged with innovation — where history is not left behind, but enhanced for the modern world.
And so, from the port that has shipped beans across the world for centuries, a new, digital Trieste is emerging — one cup of coffee at a time.
Interview: Alberto Polojac, the festival’s creative director
