by Guisela Chiarella
As summer fades, Trieste’s Barcola Beach—long a cherished seaside retreat for locals—sees the conclusion of a major construction effort aimed at restoring the Benedetto Croce waterfront. The works, though nearly complete, continue in a small stretch at the far end of Pinetta, leaving the beachgoers’ beloved stretch mostly operational for the season.
The restoration focused on a 570-meter section of the waterfront, which bore the brunt of November’s fierce storms. Heavy winds and flooding had significantly eroded the coastline, leading to the structural damage that prompted urgent action. While the majority of the project has been finished, the final leg towards the Pinetta remains under construction.
To gauge how these summer-long works have impacted life at Barcola, we took a stroll along the beach. Despite the construction zone’s presence, Trieste’s residents appeared undeterred, continuing their time-honored traditions of basking in the sun, taking dips in the Adriatic, and gathering for leisurely picnics.
While some locals noted a slight disruption due to the ongoing works, many were grateful that the restoration project had preserved much of Barcola’s charm. “It’s a bit noisier this year with the construction, but we’re glad to see it being cared for,” said Elena, a regular visitor for over two decades.
