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GUIDE TO THE KARST

Trail running in Trieste and the Karst

Where the sea and the wild Karst plateau lie just minutes apart — the trails of the Trieste Karst, all year round.

Trieste is one of the few cities in Europe where the sea and a wild karst plateau coexist just minutes apart. Within a 20 km radius of the city centre, you can go from the cliffs on the Gulf of Trieste to the woods and sinkholes of the Karst, a limestone terrain carved with caves, gorges, and marked trails that has attracted hikers for over a century and, in recent years, increasingly more trail runners. It is in this setting that La Corsa della Bora is run La Corsa della Bora, but the trails of the Trieste Karst can be walked all year round, well beyond the race weekend.

A running race in Trieste, on the Karst and the coast

Anyone looking for a running race in Trieste organised on these same trails will find La Corsa della Bora: 7 running distances, from the 4 km of the S1 Borin to the 116 km of the S1 Bora Ultra, which are held annually on the weekend of January 9th-10th between the Gulf of Trieste, the Italian and Slovenian Karst, and the coast of PortoPiccolo. Each distance has a dedicated page with the route, technical data and registration:

The numbers, timing gates and UTMB Index/ITRA certifications for each distance are collected on the page Official data 2027; departure dates and times Programme 2027. The historical record of winners and numbers from past editions is instead collected in the’Roll of Honour and History of La Corsa della Bora.

Carso High Route (CAI trail no. 3)

The main hiking route in the area: approximately 50 km following the Italian-Slovenian border from Iamiano (province of Gorizia) to Pese, near the border crossing. It is divided into 5 stages (Iamiano–Malchina, Malchina–Sales, Sales–Zolla, Zolla–Gropada, Gropada–Pese) and crosses the entire Trieste Karst plateau, through woods, sinkholes and dry stone walls. Open all year round, with well-maintained CAI signage.

The Alta Via del Carso is historically the route taken up by the Ultra race of La Corsa della Bora. Today the stretch between Medeazza and Precenico is shared by three distances: the S1 Bora Ultra (116 km), the S1 TransKarst Ultra (55 km) and the S1 Borderless Trail; the S1 Half Trail ne percorre invece un tratto più breve, da Medeazza al Monte Ermada. L’Alta Via è solo uno dei sentieri CAI toccati dal percorso: l’elenco completo, sentiero per sentiero, è nella pagina The CAI trails of the Karst.

Rilke Path

Approximately 1,700 metres of almost flat path along the cliff face between Sistiana and Duino, opened in 1987 and named after the poet Rainer Maria Rilke, who often walked it as a guest of Duino Castle. Open views over the Gulf of Trieste and the Bay of Sistiana: the most accessible panoramic stretch in the area, also suitable for those looking for a short workout with minimal elevation gain. It is also the section that connects almost all the distances of the Corsa della Bora: it is crossed by, among others, the S1 Half Trail (23 km) and the S1 Bora Ultra (116 km). For the full history of the castle, cliffs, and path, see Duino and the Rilke Path.

Val Rosandra

Nature reserve on the outskirts of Trieste, towards the Slovenian border: gorges, rocky cliffs, and a stream that has carved a canyon into the karst limestone. The Premuda Refuge is the landmark and starting point for various itineraries, from a few hours' walk to more technical routes for those seeking concentrated elevation gain in a small area. Val Rosandra/Dolina Glinščice is also part of the Corsa della Bora race, crossed at night at km 13.2 by the S1 Trieste Ultra (61 km) And from S1 Bora Ultra (116 km). The wind that gives the race its name is often felt in these exposed sections of the Carso too: see The Bora, the wind.

Napoleonica

Starting from the Obelisk of Opicina, it runs along the Karst ridge with continuous views of the city and the gulf. The gentle slope and regular surface make it one of the most popular routes for daily running by Trieste residents, as well as a classic for visitors to the city who want a first taste of the Karst. La Corsa della Bora also passes through it, at km 35.3: a short stretch shared with S1 Trieste Ultra (61 km) and to S1 Bora Ultra (116 km), between the Obelisk and the descent to the sea.

Sage Trail (Pot Tiziana Weiss)

Titled after the triestine mountaineer Tiziana Weiss (Sentiero Tiziana Weiss), it crosses woods and clearings of the Karst in a less-trodden section compared to the classic Rilke and Napoleonica trails, ideal for those seeking greater isolation while remaining close to the city. It is also the final section common to all the longer distances of the Corsa della Bora, the one preceding the arrival at PortoPiccolo: it is traversed, among others, by the S1 Trieste Ultra (61 km) and the S1 Bora Ultra (116 km), often at night. For the final stretch towards the sea, see also Costa dei Barbari and Santa Croce and Aurisina.

Ground and climate: what to expect

The Karst is outcropping limestone rock, often uneven: shoes with good protection and grip are more useful than a soft, alpine forest floor. The climate is mild all year round compared to the nearby Alps, but the Bora — the characteristic wind of Trieste — can blow strongly, especially in exposed sections on the Karst escarpment, and is a factor to be considered in every season. January is the coldest month (typically 0–8 °C, snow possible at altitude), while spring and autumn offer the most stable conditions for training on the paths. To find out more about this wind — when it blows, how strong it is, how to run in a race — see The Bora, the wind.

Where to run in preparation for La Corsa della Bora

The Corsa della Bora trails run through a large part of these paths, connecting the Italian and Slovenian Karst with the coast of PortoPiccolo and Bora Village. To train on the actual race route, the page Official data 2027 collects km, elevation gains and certified time barriers for all distances, from the 4 km of the S1 Borin to the 116 km of the S1 Bora Ultra. The Programme 2027 indicates instead the departure dates and times for each race.

From the sea to the mountains: from the Karst to the Julian Alps

The Carso is just one of the two souls of trail running organised by ASD SentieroUNO. Those who run La Corsa della Bora amongst the dolines and wind of Trieste, and seek a radically different experience in the same running season, find their natural continuation in the Julian Alps: two editions a year, in February on snow and in June amidst greenery, between Val Saisera and Jôf di Montasio, at the point where Italy, Austria and Slovenia meet.

This isn't another high-altitude Karst region: it's a true high mountain territory, with alpine climbs, refuges, and a base camp – the Kile Alpine Resort – designed for those who seek the same spirit of autonomy and wide gates as the Corsa della Bora, but shifted to completely different terrain.

Discover the Alpe Adria Trail in the Julian Alps

Discover the territory of the Corsa della Bora

The Karst and the coast, told place by place, for those who want to explore what to see outside of the race weekend: