Description

This is the only protected marine area of Region Friuli Venezia Giulia and the smallest in Italy. It was created in 1986 with a decree from the Ministry of the Environment, which entrusted the Italian WWF with administering it (Min. Dec. of 12 November 1986). The protected area is a true oasis of biodiversity squeezed between the bathing establishments of Grignano and the Barcola riviera and just a few kilometres from the centre of Trieste and industrial zone of Muggia. Likewise, it is in direct contact with an area of coastline used intensively for fishing and farming mussels. The area can be visited throughout the year via the museum and its aquaria, and during the summer with sea-watching trips. The visitor centre is housed on the ground floor of the Castelletto di Miramare (the Gartenhaus, as Maximilian used to call it), designed by Carl Junker at the end of the nineteenth century as an annex to the Castle itself. The brief didactic itinerary within makes it possible to learn about the underwater habitats, thanks to some reconstructions and a number of didactic aquaria enabling a direct observation of salema, white sea bream and combtooth blennies among the fish, and anemones, fan worms and sponges among the invertebrates. After this introductory lesson, during the summer the visit continues by the sea itself with some sea-watching, a swim with mask, fins and a light wetsuit to swim among the salema, wrasse, damselfish, brown meagers, combtooth blennies and other species that have learned not to be afraid of man.