On the provincial road 18 kilometers from the city between two small villages on the plateau, Gabrovizza and Sgonico, lie the Carsiana botanical gardens opened in 1964. Visitors shouldn't expect exotic flowers and plants, instead enjoy the beautiful reproduction of the natural karstic environment. You will find a doline (a characteristic depression in the shape of a funnel), woods and their karstic undergrowth, a pond, a natural well and local flora. Notice boards describe the more interesting features of the countryside and individual species of plants, giving their scientific names, family, geographical distribution and flowering period.
The Riserva Naturale della Val Rosandra is an evocative corner of the Kras Plateau above Trieste. It is just 20 minutes away from the city center going towards Muggia, and is the destination of tourists, spelunkers, and mountain climbers, every weekend. It is located in the San Dorligo della Valle administrative area and is a real natural paradise with a spectacular landscape of cliffs, piles of rocks, and rocky walls overhanging the torrent which crosses through the valley. The wild and rough aspect of some sites in the valley have given rise to numerous local legends about the mysterious princess Rosandra, or even, Charlemagne. The locals say that a walk in this valley frees your mind and reinforces the body. Who knows? What is certain is that it is a place full of charm. There are all sorts of things to discover in the valley. You could spend a whole day walking here, perhaps stopping for a picnic by the river or eating at the Mario Premuda refuge.
The Carso is one of the symbols of Trieste, one of the incomparable marvels of this region, and one of the most evocative natural environments in the whole of Europe. The Carso is the characteristic high plain which is spread to the East and South-East of the city. It is more than 40 kilometers long and five kilometers wide on average. The people of Trieste love this place more than anywhere else, and many people make excursions here on Sundays. The Carso is mainly built of limestone and dolomitic rock. Its formation, which began around 120 million years ago, is due to the sedimentation of microorganisms (animals, vegetables, and mollusks) in a vast sea of which the Mediterranean is just a part. The remains of these microorganisms were deposited on the bottom of the sea and built up layers of white mud which solidified to form stone.
The beautiful Sentiero Rilke has woods on one side and breathtaking views over the Sistiana Bay on the other. It is only a few kilometers long and an easy walk. It starts from the seasonal base of the Azienda di promozione turistica di Sistiana and ends at the entrance to the village of Duino. To get to this path from Trieste, take the number 44 bus, which stops across the road from the head of the path. If you drive, then be aware that there is limited parking space; you might want to park further down the road.