Giardino Botanico Carsiana

The Carsiana Botanical Garden is situated in a sinkhole on the outskirts of the village of Sgonico/Zgonik, in the province of Trieste. Here, nature has provided the main geomorphological features of the Karst: the sinkhole itself, the limestone pavements and a shaft cave, thus allowing the plant formations – along with their associated species – characteristic of the Upper Adriatic Karst landscape to be presented in a very natural way.

The botanical display is organised according to ecological characteristics rather than a systematic order, allowing for a more intuitive understanding of the link between vegetation, climate and geology.

During the pleasant walk, which takes about an hour, you pass through various types of woodland, open habitats such as meadows, heathland, scree slopes and rocky shores, and the wetlands of karst ponds and lakes; you can look down into the karst sinkhole, some 40 metres deep, and rest on the benches whilst admiring the typical stone ‘hiška’. Part of the Garden is dedicated to a collection of plants from the mountainous Karst region, which are unique to the Dinaric Alps.

Practical information
The Garden is only partially accessible to people with mobility impairments: please contact us for further information.
Dogs are not permitted in the exhibition area: your four-legged friends can wait in the reception area, where they will find a fenced-off space set aside for them and a bowl of fresh water at all times.

Opening times and visits
Please visit the website