In search of the perfect cup of coffee in Italy

In search of the perfect cup of coffee in Italy
From stormy Trieste to bustling Naples, Peter Iantorno travels the length and breadth of Italy in search of the perfect cup of coffee

By Peter Iantorno, Friday magazine
Published: 14:48 April 7, 2013


With the mountainous Slovenian border on one side and the uncharacteristically grey Adriatic Sea on the other, I gazed out over the crumbling terracotta roof tiles of Trieste, taking shelter from the howling wind and driving rain behind a battlement on the Castle of San Giusto. It was a grim day in northern Italy; the clouds were thick, the wind strong and the rain showed no sign of stopping. But my guide assured me in his own unique way, “This is nothing – you wouldn’t want to be standing up here when our famous bora winds hit…”

Wondering if I should rush back down to sea level before this mysteriously named gust swept me off a turret, I pressed for more information. It turns out that bora (a north to north-eastern wind that can exceed 200 kilometres per hour) only blows for an average of between one and six days per month in Trieste, depending on the time of year, and its arrival can usually be predicted before the wind reaches dangerous speeds. Luckily this wasn’t one of those days.

A blast of culture

My weather worries allayed, I explored the castle – which was finished as it stands today in 1630, after almost two centuries of it being torn down and built back up again on the whims of various rulers from Italy and Austria. There’s no doubt that San Giusto is Italian now though, with the national tricolour flag hoisted high above the fort flapping proudly in the blustery wind. The castle was a perfect vantage point to get a feel for the city and the view alone was worth the very reasonable €4 (Dh19) entrance fee. ..................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://gulfnews.com/life-style/travel/in-search-of-the-perfect-cup-of-coffee-in-italy-1.1167652