Bloomsday Trieste

Trieste, the city of Joyce

James Joyce lived in Trieste from 1904 to 1915 (with a return after the war): decisive years, during which the Irish writer taught English, made friends, and laid the foundations for Ulysses. It is not surprising, therefore, that every year, the Bloomsday is celebrated here, the global day dedicated to the novel that takes place entirely on June 16, 1904, following Leopold Bloom's wanderings through the streets of Dublin.

A widespread festival for literature

In Trieste, Bloomsday is not a simple academic commemoration but a true city festival: public readings, theatre performances, film screenings, music, and in-depth discussions animate the days around June 16th. The focal point is the Joyce Museum, now part of LETS – Museum of Literature in Trieste in Piazza Attilio Hortis, which houses a rich heritage on the relationship between the writer and the city.

Who organizes it

The event is promoted by the Municipal Library Service of Trieste together with the University of Trieste and the Joyce Museum, and is part of the Trieste Estate program, the city's major summer festival. Scholars, readers, and enthusiasts gather to pay homage to Joyce's genius in the places that inspired him.

On Joyce's trail in the city

Participating in Bloomsday is also a way to rediscover Joyce's Trieste: the historic cafes, the city center streets, the waterfront, and the places the writer frequented. A Mitteleuropean and cosmopolitan city that still retains the literary charm that captivated one of the greatest authors of the 20th century.