Trieste is situated in the northernmost part of the high Adriatic in North-east Europa. The city lies on the Gulf of Trieste. Built mostly on a hillside that becomes a mountain, Trieste's urban territory is situated at the foot of an imposing escarpment that comes down abruptly from the Kras Plateau towards the sea. The Kras heights, close to the city, reach an altitude of 458 metres (1,502 ft) above sea level.