The TRAVELER'S JOURNAL: September twenty-sixth, taking time out in Trieste.

Last time, we visited the Adriatic peninsula of Istria. The area's major city is situated 50 miles to the north. Although it's been part of Italy for nearly a century, Trieste also has a confused past. With an idyllic setting in a limestone nook on the northeast tip of the Adriatic Sea, Trieste first flourished as a Roman colony. In the 13th century, its rulers opted to join the Austrian Empire, rather than paying fealty to the Republic of Venice 100 miles to the west.

In 1719, Trieste was declared a free port, and for centuries it thrived as a center of international commerce and culture. Banks and insurance companies built grand headquarters. Artists and writers flocked here, and Trieste became a destination of distinction.

The 20th-century transformed it into a political pawn. Claimed by Italy after World War One, it was occupied by Germany in World War Two, then the Slavs, followed by British and American military. A 1975 treaty finally certified the city's return to Italy.

This history has blessed Trieste with a unique legacy of flavors, a melange of Mediterranean, Slavic and Bohemian. Pasta's as common on its tables as boiled pork and sauerkraut; jam-filled crepes and Linzer torte; heady beer, red wine and a strong coffee culture.

Trieste's cobbled, relatively untouristed streets are a treat to explore. Its social center is the huge Piazza which opens on the sea. Its prime attraction is a 15-century castle built on a hilltop next to the ruins of a Roman forum. And, best of all, a visit to Trieste remains a relative bargain, perhaps the last one in Italy.

FMI For information, Italian Government Tourism at www.italiantourism.com

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