Barcolana: Trieste's Own Sailing Regatta (2024)

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Join in on the world's largest sailing race at Barcolana. Learn more about the Barcolana Regatta in Trieste and how you can best enjoy this lively weekend.

Believe it or not Trieste is home to the largest sailing race in the world, according to the Guinness World Record. You don't have to be a sailing fanatic to get into the fun although of course the race attracts sailing enthusiasts from all over the world.

Each year the main event of Barcolana is hosted in the Gulf of Trieste on the second Sunday of October.

The weather is typically warm and sunny for spectators but for the sailors, the wind tends to come and go. Trieste is home to Bora, an especially strong wind that blows across the Adriatic Sea, making it a haven for sailors all year but any Triestino will tell you the wind has a mind of its own.

Some years the race takes minutes, with strong gusts moving the sailboats across the sea at rapid speeds, while others it can take hours as boaters wait for a gust to arrive.

Regardless, Barcolana weekend in Trieste is a lot of fun and well worth the visit.

Here's all you need to know to plan your trip in time for Barcolana.

Short on time? Here's the quick guide:

Barcolana takes place on the 2nd Sunday of October every year.

In 2024, the regatta will be held on October 13 at 10:30 a.m but the events start October 4.

Barcolana holds the record as the "largest sailing race in the world" and is a sight to behold.

You don't have to be a sailor to appreciate it, come for the views and the lively atmosphere!

Barcolana Regatta 2024

Our dog, Bandido, posing in front of the sailboats

When: October 13, 2024 at 10:30 a.m.
Where: The Gulf of Trieste, from Miramar and Barcola to Trieste's main port
Cost: Viewing is free, you just need to find a good vantage point

Each year, since 1969, this sailing regatta arrives to Trieste, a typically quiet coastal town and turns it into a big party for a weekend. You can expect hordes of crowds, a gulf full of boats, live music, and an energetic crowd. While the events start on October 4 and run until the 13th, the climax is the weekend of October 11-13. Check out the event calendar to get a full run-down of everything you can expect from Barcolana.

Even on New Year's Eve I've never seen Trieste as lively as it is on Barcolana weekend.

Just know that while you'll see upwards of 1000s of sailboats in the Gulf of Trieste on Sunday morning, not all boats are in the race. It's common for those with sailboats simply to head to water and watch the regatta up close and personal, without trying to actually participate.

If you don't have a boat but are a sailor, you can join Barcolana Ticket to Race and join a crew for race day.

The Course

According to Barcolana's official website, the course this year will be the same as last year and will stretch an overall length of 13 nautical miles, about 15 miles or 24 kilometers.

The starting line will be between Castle Miramare and Barcola. Participants will race into the gulf before circling back to Miramare. From Miramare, the course will run along the coastline, with the finish line right off Porto Vecchio Dam in front of Piazza Unità d'Italia.

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How to Best Enjoy the Regatta Weekend

While the main event takes place on Sunday, all weekend Barcolana takes over Trieste, giving you plenty of entertainment options to choose from.

On Friday, I suggest heading down to the area between Eatly and Molo Audace (Trieste's Main Pier). Here you'll be able to see some of the boats racing and enjoying pop-up tents with merchandise, regatta gear, food, and drinks. There should also be bands playing live music. Piazza Unità d'Italia is also full of booths all week and along the canal you'll find a wide variety of street vendors, mainly selling drinks and food.

On Saturday, you can expect more of the same, with a lively weekend environment. If you plan on eating at any of the best restaurants in Trieste, I highly recommend you make a reservation.

Saturday evening you'll find more eating, drinking, and dancing around Molo Audace or you can wind your way into Cavana for a bigger party environment. Last year these small alleyways were so packed it was hard to get from one end of the street to the other - a real rarity in Trieste.

Other than the special events taking place, Barcolana weekend is still a great time to enjoy all the best things in Trieste, just with a bigger crowd than usual.

Best Viewing Point for the Race

On Sunday morning, I recommend you wake up early to get a good view of the regatta. To get the best view of the regatta and to really see how it won the title of largest sailing race, you need to head to the hills.

In general, anywhere from the Victory Lighthouse to Monte Grisa Church will do. Last year, we started at the church (the giant one on the chill that locals say looks like a block of cheese) and after a few hours slowly headed lower and lower, stopping at different viewpoints along the way.

It wasn't a windy day so the race took longer than usual, giving us plenty of time.

Just know that unless you leave early in the morning, you'll have a hard time getting parking. Even the bus from the city center to this view point is packed all day.

Honestly, while I enjoyed the sweeping views Monte Grisa awarded for us to see just how many sailboats were in the gulf, it's so high up that seeing the details of the race was nearly impossible. I think the views around Victory Lighthouse will give you the best vantage point to see the greatest sailing race around.

This year, I plan to be around Piazza Unità d'Italia at the finish line to see how it compares from the upper view and to watch them award the winning boat with the Generali Trophy.

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Best Hotels in Trieste

Now that you're ready for the event itself, you need to prepare a place to stay. Unless you have a boat or friends who live in town, I'd recommend booking your accommodation well in advance. Trieste is a small city and not quite prepared for the number of viewers and participants that Barcolana brings each year.

To enjoy all this international event has to offer, I recommend staying in the city center or in the hills between Trieste and Barcola to get a good view right from your stay.

Given the crowds, it's best not to rely too much on transportation or the need to move around much more than your feet can take you, unless you get an early start to things.

📍I recommend booking your stay at one of these great hotels (just know that no price is really low for this weekend, unless you get lucky!):

Budget Stay: Urbanauts Studios. These trendy studio apartments are located right in Cavana, the coolest and most walkable area in Trieste.
Mid-Tier Stay: Grand Apartment Sissi: Want to see Barcolana from above? This 1-bedroom apartment is in Barcola and will make it easy to get the views.
Luxury Stay: Savoia Excelsior Palace. Stay right on the Adriatic Sea and right to Piazza Unità d'Italia and the canal, two of Trieste's must-sees.

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Will You Visit Trieste for Barcolana?

Head to the lighthouse or up to Prosecco for great views on race day

Be a part of the world's largest sailing regatta in Trieste, Italy. This small town on the Adriatic Sea has a vibrant sailing culture but for the 2nd Sunday of October every year it turns into something spectacular. Spectators and participants from all over the world come to enjoy Barcolana. Will you join them this year?

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