Duino-Aurisina is a coastal city on the border with Slovenia. On a rock by the sea, there is a castle open to the public, which was visited by, among others, the German poet Rilke.
The city consists of two parts, the seaside Duino and the further inland Aurisina. Due to its location, a large Slovenian minority lives there, and the name is bilingual.
The biggest attraction of Duino-Aurisin is the Duino Castle standing on a coastal rock. Built in the 14th century, it remains an inhabited residence, and in the past was also an important cultural center. Writers, poets and painters used to visit here, including the famous Rainer Maria Rilke. In his honor and to commemorate his love for the local landscape, the Rilke Trail was led from the castle along the coastal cliffs.
In addition to the Duino castle, there are also ruins of an earlier, 11th-century fortress in the village. They are situated on a cliff coast, the most beautiful part of which is called Dama Bianca. It is a limestone rock protruding vertically from the water, depicting acc. legend of the woman who drowned in the sea here.
