The Trieste coast has lots of options for sleeping and eating. Look for agroturismi and B&B’s in every village. There are many campsites scattered around, namely Carso camp or Pineta near Sistiana. Or – stay in Slovenia, since everything is quite close.

We would definitely recommend staying in these climber-tested establishments:

VOVK CAMP

POD KOSTANJI 

OCIZLA HOSTEL 

BEST SEASON Costiera is a winter crag. Closeness of the sea can bring freshness, which is nice in the spring and autumn, when a too hot sunny day can be uncomfortable. In the summer it is simply too hot, so instead of going to the crag, continue towards the sea and save yourself a heart attack. Mind the sea urchins.

SUN & SHADE Since the wall has many corners, you will always find some shade, but the route selection will be small. If you seek shade, it’s best to visit the crag in the morning.

RAIN Costiera is not too rain-proof, but it still has enough overhangs, that you can climb some shorter routes even if there’s a light sprinkle.

STYLE & ROUTES Be a little conservative and try a grade or two below your level – at least at the beginning. The routes are mostly vertical with an ocassional overhang, often polished and at times quite cruxy – either they had really hard grades back then or the passing of time made them harder. The cruxes are a combo of technical climbing and power, with a few tufas to spice things up. A general rule is that vertical and easier grades can be quite stiff, while the harder and more overhanging routes tend to be a bit soft.

GEAR & SAFETY The rock is solid. But it can be polished. The bolts are generally nice, even re-equiped recently, though there are some old ones. Most routes are short and the long ones usually have an anchor in the middle. So if you can re-tie your knot, you should be fine with a shorter rope, but take at least 14 quickdraws.

KIDS & COMFORT There are some comfortable plateaus at the base, but the approach itself is not advisable for the toddlers and feeble people. Some beginnings of routes can be a bit psychotic.

BEGINNERS For a couple of visits, you can find quite nice routes, the easy ones in Nuova Costiera and around the corner in the middle of the crag. 2/5

ADVANCED Costiera is foremost a crag for advanced climbers. If you are willing to accept, that you may have some unexpected problems, you will enjoy in a colorful and historic selection of the routes. 5/5

THE BEST  There are not many hard routes, and even those are either soft (more on the left) or quite hard (more on the right). At least try the classic Colibri. 2/5

NOTES Don‘t leave valuables in the car – there have been some reported thefts. And watch out when you drive back on the road. The path to the beach leads by some “private” properties.