Two days in Trieste

As a part of a much longer trip to Italy, I spent two days in Trieste, and since this region isn't covered in Rick Steve's guides, I am posting some travel notes.
Trieste is an attractive city - much of it is hilly and forrested. Of course it is a working port, so there are industrialized areas, but they didn't seem to detract much. The train station is a 10 to 15 minute walk from the center of town, and the city bus system seems to be user-friendly. Single ride bus passes expire an hour after first use. If I recall correctly, all-day passes run about four euros, a good buy if you'll be using public transportation.
I spent a lot of time just walking around the center of the city, and I had plenty of company, since the weather was superb and the locals were out in force. I visited the Piazza dell'Unita d'Italia - the large waterfront square - several times, including once at night, when the big neoclassical buildings framing the piazza are lit up. It is quite a sight.
I enjoyed my visit to the Basilica di San Giusto and the Castello di San Giusto, located on a hill that was the center of the city in Roman and medieval times. Although I understand there is a bus to the top, the walk is manageable if you're in decent shape. The Basilica has some lovely medieval mosaics, and the views of the city from the ramparts of the Castello are excellent. Adjacent to the Basilica are the remains of a Roman era forum.
I also enjoyed a ride on the old trolley to Villa Opicina. The early 20th century trolley turns into a funicular along the way in order to negotiate a steep hill. I got off at the monument - an obelisque - that is one or two stops from the end of the line, and took a long walk along one of the several walking paths that overlook the city. More spectacular views.
I took the bus north of the city to visit the Castello di Miramare, the lovely seaside palace of the ill-fated Archduke Maximilian. In spite of the fanciful nature of the design and the over-the-top Victorian decor, I found the place oddly appealing. The park surrounding the castello is in sadly poor condition, and I hope funds can be found to improve it, because it is a spectacular place.
There are a number of city museums - I only had time to visit two of them, the Museo Revoltella and the Museo Sartorio. I particularly enjoyed the modern art museum at the Museo Revoltella and the collection of drawings by Giambattista Tiepolo at the Museo Sartorio.
English-speaking tourists are rare birds in Trieste. Waiters, bus drivers and museum personnel were uniformly kind and helpful - we are not pests there. But because English is not widely spoken, it would be challenging to handle a visit with no Italian at all. My Italian is very limited, and I did fine.
The Triestini seem to have a complex relationship with directional signs. In some parts of the city, you can go for several blocks without seeing any street signs. Regional maps - with translations into English and other languages - are posted near a number of tourist attractions, but without any signs pointing you in the direction you're supposed to go. The north entrance to the Castello di Miramare, for example, has one of these regional maps, but no "this is the entrance" sign. I got the sense that someone is trying very hard to be helpful to visitors, but can't quite get there. It is really puzzling.
Trieste is packed with cafes, but restaurants were harder to find. I would recommend booking accomodations in a full service hotel where the staff can make restaurant recommendations and reservations.
I enjoyed my visit very much, and am already planning a future trip to Friuli-Venezia Giulia. I thought Trieste was an excellent introduction to the region.