GO25-GORIZIA AND EASTERN FRIULI

Arrival in Cividale del Friuli, the ancient Lombard capital full of charm, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2011. Meet with the guide and visit this town, which preserves precious remnants of its Lombard past: the Lombard Temple, the Christian Museum, the Monastery of Santa Maria in Valle, and the Devil’s Bridge.

At the end of the visit, accommodation at a hotel in Cividale del Friuli or nearby.

DINNER AND OVERNIGHT STAY AT THE HOTEL

In the morning, departure for Gorizia and Nova Gorica, European Capital of Culture 2025, a laboratory for the future of Europe, created with the aim of forming a new cross-border identity.

Meet with the guide and begin the visit to Gorizia, a city with an Austro-Hungarian past, featuring its palaces and gardens: the Castle and the surrounding village, the elegant Coronini Cronberg Noble Palace, Piazza Vittoria with the Neptune Fountain, Via Rastello, and the beautiful Church of Saint Ignatius.

Through Piazza Transalpina, continue to Nova Gorica, a vibrant and dynamic city with innovative architecture, art galleries, boulevards, and theaters reflecting both history and modernity.

Lunch in a restaurant.

In the afternoon, stop at Oslavia, where there are World War I memorials, including the Sacrarium, which houses the remains of Italian soldiers who fell in the Great War battles of 1915-1918.

Continue to the Colli Orientali del Friuli wine region, a borderland where Italian, Slovenian, and Austrian influences coexist, with a harmonious landscape of vine-covered hills, forests, small villages, castles, and churches. Visit a winery and enjoy a tasting of prestigious DOC wines, accompanied by a platter of typical local products.

Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

BREAKFAST, DINNER, AND OVERNIGHT STAY AT THE HOTEL

LUNCH IN RESTAURANT

WINE TASTING WITH TYPICAL PRODUCT PAIRING

In the morning, departure for the Road of Castles, with a stop at Partistagno Castle, a defensive and noble residence from the feudal era, built around the year 1000. Initially owned by the Counts of Attems, this castle offers a glimpse into the region’s feudal past.

Next, visit the Medieval Archaeological Museum, the first regional museum dedicated to the daily life in the feudal castles of the eastern foothills of Friuli (X-XV century). The museum documents the period between the end of the early Middle Ages and the Venetian occupation, showcasing archaeological finds, models, and reconstructions of medieval environments.

Lunch in a traditional trattoria.

In the afternoon, a guided visit to I Comelli Winery. Alternatively, we would like to propose Ronca dai Luchis (Faedis), an intriguing estate that includes a farm, wine production, apartments, a swimming pool, and a tasting room. This winery specializes in Refosco di Faedis and offers a walk among the vineyards, followed by a tasting of Ramandolo DOCG white wine. The grapes are entirely Verduzzo Friulano, cultivated in a natural amphitheater of vineyards on the hilly slopes between the towns of Nimis and Tarcento. This grape variety is only allowed to carry the name Ramandolo in these two municipalities, a name derived from a hamlet in Nimis.

BREAKFAST, DINNER, AND OVERNIGHT STAY AT THE HOTEL

LUNCH IN A RESTAURANT

WINE TASTING: REFOSCO AND RAMANDOLO

In the morning, departure for Aquileia, an ancient Roman city founded in 181 BC. It was the capital of the Augustan region and later became a center for the spread of Christianity. A UNESCO World Heritage site, you will visit the Forum, the Port, the Decumanus, and the Patriarchal Basilica from the 4th century, famous for its precious floor mosaics and the crypt of frescoes.

Continue to Grado, passing through a beautiful lagoon landscape. You will have a brief guided tour of the historical center Lunch in a seafood restaurant in Grado.

BREAKFAST AT THE HOTEL

LUNCH IN A RESTAURANT IN GRADO