The Lantern, better known as Pedocin, is now the only bathing area in Europe where the areas reserved for men and for women and children up to 12 years of age are separated. The architectural barriers have been torn down at the entrance to the structure, but no-one would dare to lay a finger on the beloved 3-metre-high wall which separates the two sectors and allows non-swimmers to enjoy peace and quiet, maybe by sunbathing without embarrassment. The local people are almost unanimous in defending this old sexist relic which, if viewed in its proper light, represents a distinctive feature of the site.
The area is opened in the winter for heliotherapy (bathing is permitted only from June to September) and is located on the Fratelli Bandiera quay near the lighthouse from which it takes its name. It is always rowded, especially during lunch breaks, because it is so close to the city centre and easily reachable by public transport. There are two changing rooms, toilets and refreshment.
The inexpensive admission ticket must be clipped as on a bus.

Point of interest
Some people argue that the unflattering dialect name refers to the high concentration of bathers piled up on the rocks like pedoci (=mussels), especially so since at the beginning of the last century, dark bathing costumes reinforced this image. Others suggest that instead it refers to the American military who frequented the area during the period of Allied occupation and did not have a reputation for personal hygiene (pedocio in Trieste dialect also means louse).