GRADISCA – GORIZIA – COLLIO – CIVIDALE

In the Venezia Giulia area lies GRADISCA D'ISONZO, a charming town rich in parks and tree-lined avenues. The Venetians built it to prevent the Ottomans from raiding the land. Remarkable are the remains of ancient fortifications, especially towers and ramparts. GORIZIA, the Mitteleuropean town close to the Slovenian border features lush green areas; from an architectural point of view it recalls Vienna and Zagreb. In the Middle Ages, the Austrian and Venetian empires fought to conquer this feud, which belonged to the Counts of Gorizia. The 12th century Castle, which was then expanded by the Venetians, offers a wonderful view of the town. It includes the Medieval Village, the Art History Museum and the Gothic Church of Santo Spirito, dating back to the mid-15th century. Tourists are always fascinated by the World War I Museum and the Pinacoteca (picture gallery), housed in the 18th century Palazzo Attems.
Next stop is the COLLIO, an area of charming green hills covered with vineyards and networked by numerous panoramic roads, which allow the tourist to discover little restaurants and enjoy exquisite typical dishes, served with a superb range of Collio wines (D.O.C. winemaking area).
In OSLAVIA people come to contemplate the silence of the War Cemetery, where 60 thousand soldiers, killed during World War I, are buried. PODGORA and SABOTINO are two towns where devastating battles took place.
Just a few kilometers away is SAN FLORIANO DEL COLLIO, with its Castello Formentini.
CORMONS is the main town in the Collio area. It features many Austrian details, a beautiful Dome, the 17th century Chiesa del Soccorso and the Subida , one of many tiny Gothic churches. CIVIDALE DEL FRIULI is just a twenty minute drive from here. The gentle grapevine-covered hills are the “Colli Orientali del Friuli”, another well-known D.O.C. wine-making area. There are as many as eight such areas in Friuli-Venezia Giulia!
Forum Julii was Cividale’s original Roman name. It then changed into “Friuli” and is now used to identify the entire area. The town began to flourish in AD 568 when it became seat of the 1st Lombard Duchy and regional capital. That’s when it was enriched with the most beautiful buildings. Cividale fell under the rule of many conquerors: the Franks, headed by Charles the Great, the Patriarchs of Aquileia, the Venetians, and the Habsburgs. The Duomo, the Christian and Archeological Museums, and the Tempietto Longobardo offer visitors the opportunity to plunge into the city’s ancient history. A true treasure is the Devil’s Bridgewhich has become the city’s symbol. The river flowing beneath it is the Natisone, which winds through the homonymous valleys, located on the Slovenian border. The area features luxuriant woods, characteristic villages, and is also perfect for excursions. Visitors will not want to miss the Cave of S. Giovanni D’Antro and the Castelmonte Sanctuary.
A typical cake is the “gubana”.