October 3rd to 12th, 2025 marks Barcolana week, renowned as the world's largest sailing regatta and recognised by the Guinness World Records since 2018, with 2,689 boats registered. The Barcolana celebrates its 57th edition, standing as a globally acknowledged event and the most significant occasion for the city of Trieste.
This year’s special edition featured Nave Vespucci entering Trieste’s San Giusto Basin accompanied by an extensive escort of sailing boats, motorboats, rowing craft, and dinghies. The event was organised to honour the return of the Italian Navy’s training ship following a two-year circumnavigation. Weather conditions included strong Bora winds with gusts up to thirty knots; of the 1,333 registered vessels, only novice crews remained ashore while others assembled at the Barcolana starting buoy at 14:00. Nave Vespucci’s arrival was met with a coordinated tribute from the sailing community, including an aerial display by the Frecce Tricolori in the colours of the Italian flag.
The race follows a fixed-vertex quadrilateral in the Gulf of Trieste, covering a total distance of The regatta will cover a total distance of 13 nautical miles. It is scheduled to start at 10:30 AM on Sunday, October 12, 2025, with the starting line located between Barcola and Miramare Castle. Competitors will begin by sailing at a heading of 210 degrees for 4.3 nautical miles to reach the first mark. They will then proceed on a 0.9-mile offset leg at 332 degrees. From Mark 2 to Mark 3, situated off the coast of Miramare Castle, the course extends for 4 nautical miles. After this, sailors will return towards Barcola, following the coastline for 2.3 miles. The final phase of the regatta starts off the Victory Lighthouse, where crews will sail at a heading of 160 degrees for 1.5 miles to arrive at the Old Port Breakwater. The finish line is in front of Piazza Unità, marking the end of the race.
Although the Barcolana regatta is held on Sunday morning, the organisation has expanded to include a series of events on the sea and in the city over the previous ten days. In recent years, several regattas have been held for young people, featuring vintage boats, as well as a swimming challenge. Of course, while in Trieste for the Barcolana, you should not miss trying the famous cuisine of Friuli Venezia Giulia, which is influenced by Slavic, central European and Venetian cooking traditions. Among the typical dishes are polenta, cut meats like hot cooked ham with kren (fresh horseradish), many fish based dishes including prawns and shrimp in busara sauce, and the famous pastry gubana, a wrap dough stuffed with dried fruit.
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