Highlights
Friuli-Venezia Giulia Italy’s north-eastern corner, unrevealed and undiscovered surrounded by the majestic, Alps, Venetian plains and the Adriatic Sea is the, the perfect location for a tranquil holiday. A variety of choices on how to spend your time in this region of Italy. Away from the beaten path the choices are endless. From trekking or skiing the Alps, soaking up the sun on sandy beaches, riding through vast rolling plains dotted with vineyards and castles. If History is your theme, you will discover Roman ruins, UNESCOs Heritage sites and archeological sites such as Aquileia If food is your passion the cuisine different to what we know as Italian food. It is influenced by nearby Austria, Slovenia and Croatia and recognized for its cheeses, olive oils, outstanding wines and the delicious hams PDO dry. Its delightful villages and welcoming people make this a definite must visit on your next journey to Italy.
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Itinerary - click for more
Day 1: Venice, Udine – Distance Venice Udine 120km
Arrival Venice airport. Pick up rental vehicle and head north toward Udine. Check into hotel and time to relax and walk about Udine centre.
Udine a town with squares of Venetian charm and ancient buildings: Piazza Libertà, defined as “the most beautiful Venetian square on the mainland”, Piazza Matteotti (or Piazza delle Erbe) surrounded by porticos, appears to be an open-air lounge surrounded by ancient and colourful historical buildings which impart the spirit of Udine.
Dinner in Udine
Suggestion Gourmet Restaurants in Udine
1.Gourmet Restaurant: Ristorante Vitellp D’Oro – Part of a house from the early nineteenth century and leans against the second city wall from the thirteenth century. (in the city centre)
2. Ristorante Agli Amici 188 – Gourment restaurant (2*Michelin star)
Michela and Emanuele Scarello, brother and sister, run this great restaurant given this name in the 1960s as a family business. Michela seeks to perpetuate the tradition of hospitality and to reveal the wines of small producers or forgotten vineyards. (about 3km from city centre)Day 2: Cividale Del Friuli and the Renowned Collio Wine Area
9.00 Departure to Cividale del Friuli (Cividale-Udine 16Km/about 20 mins)
09.30-11.30 Visit to Cividale del Friuli
Optional guided tour of historical centre. Duration 90 mins
Dates back to the Lombard period in Italy a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Founded by Julius Cesar under the name of Forum Iulii – where the name Friuli comes from – in 568 BC, Continue to the Collio wine DOC area where many of Italy’s best white wines are produced. The Collio is one of the most prestigious wine areas. The quality of the local wines is the result of a perfect microclimate this allows the cultivation of nearly two thousand hectares of specialized vineyards of the hills producing excellent quality wines such as Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco, Friulano, Sauvignon , the Ribolla gialla, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Collio bianco.
Visit and winetasting in a wine cellar
1. Wine cellar and wine resort “Castello di Spessa” – in Capriva del Friuli DOC Collio Visit the historic wine cellar, taste the wines. The castles origins date back to the 1200s . The spectacular ageing cellars preserve the barriques for ageing red wines. They are deep into the basement and are located on two levels: the deepest, 18 metres down, is derived from a military bunker constructed in 1939. Recently opened is the pleasant “il Gusto di Casanova” Bistro Lounge offering excellent Friulian cold dishes.
2. Wine cellar Russiz Superiore – Marco Felluga – in Capriva del Friuli DOC Collio.
The history of the farm begins at the end of 1200 and the name originates from that of the hills extending over which the vineyards stretch. The eagle of Russiz Superiore, symbol of the firm, derives from the emblem that was that of the princes von Thurm und Taxis, among the first lords of these lands, who arrived in Friuli in 1273. A noble emblem, noble wines, noble families succeeded over the years down to Marco Felluga.
Lunch in a gourmet restaurant nearby – suggestions:
1. Ristorante “Al Cacciatore della Subida” – 1 Michelin Star
Set in the heart of the Collio. The cuisine draws inspiration from the dishes of these borderlands, where the Friulian culture and that of the Slovene world meet and merge
2. Ristorante “La Tavernetta” by Castello di Spessa wine resort
At the foot of the castle, La Tavernetta offers a selected and refined cuisine with exquisite meat and fish dishes. After lunch continue to Rosazzo Abbey and enjoy a panoramic view of the Colli Orientali DOC area. The Abbey in the hills about twenty kilometers from Udine. The millenary Abbey, whose origins are not yet completely understood, has been in the past and is still today the connection point between east and west, where different cultures meet.
Return to Udine.Day 3: Palmanova, Aquilelia, Grado
9.00 Departure from Udine (Udine-Palmanova 25Km/30mins)
9.30 Arrival in Palmanova – UNESCO World Heritage Site. Discover the fortress city in the shape of a nine-point star, which represents one of the most ambitious creations from the renaissance culture and one of few examples of its kind in the world.
Coffee break “Caffetteria Torinese”. Among the best bar in Italy according to Gambero Rosso
10.45 Departure to Aquileia (Palmanova-Aquileia 18Km/20mins)
11.10-12.45 – Visit to Aquileia. Aquileia features an extremely important archaeological area, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The ancient Basilica with its spectacular mosaics is a journey to discover the secrets and splendours of the Second Rome.
Optional Guided tour about 90 mins
12.45 Departure to Grado Aquileia (12Km/10mins)
Arrival in Grado, Aperitiv by the harbor and gourmet dining in the historical center. Stroll after lunch an elegant sea-side town that houses an historical Venetian- style centre. Pleasant to get lost among small squares and alleys and the picturesque fisherman’s houses.
Suggestions for Lunch.
1. Gourmet Restaurante Ristorante All’Androna
Located in the heart of the old town, a fascinating atmosphere, is one of Grado’s stand out restaurants. Offers pleasantly creative food, based on Grado’s deep history, but modern at the same time. Located in the city centre.
2. Antica Trattoria Alla Fortuna – The restaurant is located in the heart of the historic centre of Grado, and in the 1970s and 1980s was much visited by artists and football players. It is also recommended in numerous gastronomic guides. Return to Udine (50Km/50mins). OvernightDay 4: Spilimbergo and San Daniele Del Friuli
9.00 Departure to Spilimbergo (Udine-Spilimbergo 32Km/35mins)
9.40-10.15 Coffee break in the historical centre of Spilimbergo. It is a village of ancient origins, which grew primarily during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The centre, retaining its original medieval structure, has undergone continuous restoration work to enhance the works of artists who have succeeded each other over the centuries, including Giovanni Antonio de’ Sacchis, also known as “il Pordenone”, and Giovanni Antonio Pilacorte. After the coffee break and a short stroll in the historical centre of Spilimbergo continue to visit the Schola Mosaicisti del Friuli – Mosaic School
10.30-11.30 Visit to Scuola Mosaicisti del Friuli Spilimbergo has been the home of one of the most important Mosaic Schools in the world since 1922. Today it teaches the use of Roman, Byzantine and modern mosaic techniques and it researches and experiments aesthetic and functional solutions applied to contemporary times.
11.30 Transfer from Spilimbergo to San Daniele del Friuli (18Km/20mins)Nestled on a hill, San Daniele del Friuli is the main centre of the Friulian Hills, known on an international level for its production of a ham with an inimitable taste, the result of a thousand year old tradition and an unique micro- climate. Lunch in a local Prosciutteria (Ham Factory) for a Prosciutto di San Daniele DOP Tasting, possibility of visitthe Prosciutto Factory.
1. “Casa del Prosciutto” – artisanal production
2.‘Prosciuttificio Bagatto“ – artisanal production
14.30 After lunch transfer to „Distillery Pagura“ for local Grappa
Tasting (San Daniele-Distillery Pagura in Castions di Zoppola 30Km/30mins)
The Distillery Pagura is one of the oldest in Friuli: it was set up in Castions di Zoppola in 1879. You can participate in the process of making and distillation of Grappa and taste the different types of typical Grappa of the house. Not to be missed is the personal tailoring of the bottles, which is done by hand: an optimal idea for a gift from Friuli Venezia Giulia. Return to Udine. Time for a leisurely stroll. In the eighteenth century, Udine was the city of the painter Giambattista Tiepolo, who reached his artistic maturity here: today, his masterpieces can be admired in the Gallerie del Tiepolo (in the Patriarchal Palace), in the Duomo (Cathedral), and in the Chiesa della Purità. Today, Udine is a city that is open to innovation while tying its image to authentic taverns where one of the most-loved rituals is celebrated namely, the tasting of a glass of wine („tajut“) all in a friendly atmosphere.Day 5: Trieste
Check-out of your hotel
9.00 Departure to Trieste (Udine-Trieste 70 Km/about 55mins)
10.00 Visit to Miramare Castle, by Trieste The Castle of Miramare stands on the tip of the
promontory of Grignano. Its position overlooking the sea, provides the possibility to enjoy a wonderful view over the Gulf of Trieste. Built between 1856 and 1860 by Archduke Maximilian of Austria, later Emperor of Mexico, the building is strongly influenced by a Romantic taste, as a revisited construction of a medieval fortress. After your visit transfer to Trieste to check-in and lunch in Trieste historical centre
1.Harry’s Bistrò e l’Harry’s Piccolo by – 1*Michelin star
1.Hostaria Malcanton
After lunch walking guided tour of Trieste (optional about 90 mins) Trieste by the Adriatic Sea with Piazza Unità d’Italia, the largest square in Europe facing the sea. Charming historic cafés, art, heterogeneous architecture and enchanting sea. Trieste is the most international city in the region, suspended between a glorious past of “Little Vienna by the Sea” and the present cosmopolitan city. Antique shop window displays, shops and beautiful buildings: in the distance, one can glimpse the white profile of Miramare, the romantic castle of Maximilian and Charlotte of Hapsburg. A journey of discovery of the city’s history, Roman era to medieval wonders, to the Habsburg splendour. But coffee in Trieste epic with many beautiful literary cafes, which are historical premises with retro charm, frequented by poets and writers such as James Joyce. The first Coffee shops were opened in Trieste during the second half of the eighteenth century. Unique to Trieste the traditional Viennese-style coffee house. \Thanks to the cosmopolitan spirit of the city that the coffee tradition became so popular. Today the Cafés are still fascinating meeting places where you are immediately bewitched by the slow and relaxed rhythm surrounding them. Vsit some of the historical cafes such as Caffè Tommaseo, Caffè degli Specchi, Caffè Tergesteo, Caffè Stella Polare, Caffè Urbanis and the ancient Caffè San Marco.
Dining and overnight in TriesteDay 6: Trieste Surroundings
Morning travel to Duino Castle just outside Trieste (Trieste-Duino Castle 20Km/30mins) Duino Castle, owned by the Princes of Torre and Tasso, was built in 1300 upon the ruins of an ancient Roman outpost. The massive complex with its composite architectural style overlooks the Gulf of Trieste. Over the centuries, it has offered hospitality to many illustrious people, including the poet R.M. Rilke, Empress Elisabeth of Austria (known as Sissi), the Archduke Maximilian of Habsburg and his wife Charlotte of Belgium. Continue on to the Karst, the plateau that surrounds Trieste for a wine tasting with a view of the Trieste gulf in a local „osmiza“, the local easy-going trattoria. After lunch back to Trieste historical centre.
Arrivederci Dinner
1.Ristorante „Le Terrazze“ by Hotel Riviera Maximilian
2.Bris – Gourmet RestaurantDay 7: Departure
After breakfast departure. Rental rental vehicle ***end of services***
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Vehicle Rental Details - click for more
Car Rental Includes:
- Unlimited Mileage
- Third Party Liability (RCA)
- Collision Damage Waiver Reduction (CDW)
- Theft Protection Reduction (TP)
- Personal Accident Insurance (PAI);
- Super CDW – Super TP
- 18% Airport Charges
- 14% Railway Fee
- Domestic One-way Drop-off Charge
- Road Tax
- 22 % VAT
Car Rental Does Not Include:
- Administrative cost of invoice
- Administration fees in case of accident (GMU) and fines (GRV)
- Whatever not mentioned in the inclusions
Not Included
Hotels or Similar
As a general rule the scheduled hotel for each departure will be one of the above listed. The final list of the hotels will available 15 days prior to departure.
2021 Dates & Rates
| Dates | |
|---|---|
| Valid All Year | Custom tour. All services on request. Pricing based on clients choices |
The CAD ($) rate is indicative of Euro price and subject to change.
Price per person in CAD $ Dollars.