Since 1969 the second Sunday of October has been the time of year when sailors of all levels ranging from keen amateurs to professional racing teams have converged on the Gulf of Trieste for the Barcolana Regatta. The inaugural event saw just 51 boats participate but the regatta has continued to grow and now draws more than 2,000 race participants and, last year, over 400,000 spectators throughout the weekend. Trieste can be a challenging location for sailing because of its “bora” wind which at it’s most extreme (usually during the winter months) has been known to gust at up to 170 km per hour.
This year’s main event takes place on Sunday 9th of October but the “Mercato del Mare”, a sailing fair where you can find everything related to the sea, from boats to clothing to sailing holidays, opened on the 1st of October.
During the week leading up to the main event there’s also the night regatta (6th-8th of October) and free music events including the Barcolana Jazz Festival (7th-8th of October) in Piazza dell’Unità d’Italia, a beautiful square right on the sea front. The event has a definite festival atmosphere and you can enjoy street theatre, circus performances and sample a range of local delicacies.
To help non-sailors better appreciate the regatta, a two day course is being held in nearby Muggia, explaining the event and the basics of sailing thus giving participants a hands-on taste of being on the water.
Locals say that one of the best places to view the race is the Carso, high above the Gulf of Trieste. For a pleasurable journey take the tram from Piazza Oberdan and enjoy the view of the Adriatic coastline whilst climbing up through the vineyards of the Carso region. Leave the tram at the Obelisk which is also where the “Napoleonica” path begins to traverse the Carso cliffs for a splendid view of the Gulf of Trieste and, on windy days, the added advantage of protection from the bora.
For more information please check the Barcolana’s website
For more information about the option of two day courses in Muggia check the Venice Work Sailing's website,
