SACILE – SESTO AL REGHENA – S.VITO AL TAGLIAMENTO

The tour starts in PORCIA, a large town west of Pordenone. The majestic Castle overlooking the town is the only witness to the historic clashes occurred many centuries ago between the local lords, the Patriarchs of Aquileia and the Counts of Gorizia. Here, visitors will love the intimate parish church with its bell-tower and will be fascinated by Villa Correr-Dolfin, one of the most beautiful Venetian villas in the Pordenone area.
CASTELLO DI AVIANO is located up north, where the Friulan plains gradually turn into mountains. The town is renowned for its valuable religious buildings, among which, the parish church and the little 14th century church of S. Giuliana; the Castle, which offers a lovely view of the surrounding area and a beautiful golf course.
About 10 kilometers westwards, in a remarkable panoramic setting, lies POLCENIGO, overlooked by a building which serves both as a Palace and a Castle. The most impressive sights are: the Duomo, built before 1282, then restored and expanded; the Colle di San Floriano, surrounded by a natural park and crowned by the old little church of San Floriano; and the deep Gorgazzo: an incredibly cold lake with deep, blue waters which originate from one of the Livenza springs. The innumerable underwater caves in this area provide an excellent training ground for scuba-divers.
Southwards lies SACILE, known as the «garden of the Serenissima», where Venetian patricians came to spend their holidays, in virtue of the area's pleasant climate and unique beauty. Sacile is also famous for its «Sagra dei osei», the Bird Feast, held every year since 1274 on the last Sunday of August. Romantic arcades flank the 15th century Gothic Duomo, the soaring 16th century bell-tower and the meanderings of the Livenza river.
BRUGNERA, which is only a few kilometers away is known for its furniture factories and for Villa Varda, a beautiful building with an elegant 18-hectare park which can be visited.
Next stop is SESTO AL REGHENA where visitors will not want to miss Santa Maria in Sylvis: a cluster of buildings which includes a remarkable Romanesque-Byzantine abbey, decorated with unique frescoes. The Benedictine friars used it until 1790, but the abbey is much older: it had been commissioned in the 8th century by the sons of the Lombard Duke of Friuli. Presently, the town hall and the presbytery are housed in other two buildings belonging to the same unit.
A quick stop in CORDOVADO will allow visitors to admire the well preserved remains of the Castle, once a fortified village protecting the estates of the Bishops of Concordia.
SAN VITO AL TAGLIAMENTO is on the way back to Pordenone. The town was founded by the Romans, and features a beautiful square surrounded by arcades, old buildings overlooking them and a majestic Duomo, completed in 1750 around an original nucleus which allegedly dates back to the 13th century. Spectacular are the works of art which are treasured within.