Villages and towns of
Friuli Venezia Giulia

What to expect

Friuli Venezia Giulia is a region rich in historic villages, each with a unique story to tell. Discover and visit medieval towns such as Cividale del Friuli, with its ancient bridges and Lombard cathedral, or Palmanova, with its imposing star-shaped walls. Also not to be missed is Aquileia, with its Roman ruins and basilica mosaics. The villages of Friuli Venezia Giulia offer a journey through time, between architecture, culture and traditions that are lost in the pages of history.

HISTORIC CITIES AND TOWNS

Major historic towns and cities in Friuli Venezia Giulia include: Aquileia, Cividale del Friuli, Palmanova, Udine, Trieste, Gorizia, Pordenone, Cordovado, Castelmonte, and Venzone.

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SEASIDE PLACES

Major seaside resorts and coastal towns in Friuli Venezia Giulia include: Lignano Sabbiadoro, Marano Lagunare, Grado and Trieste.

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MOUNTAIN VILLAGES

The main mountain villages in Friuli Venezia Giulia include: Sappada, Forni di Sopra, Sauris, Tarvisio, Monte Lussari village, Erto and Casso, Pesariis, Poffabro, Ravascletto, Arta Terme, Claut and Paularo.

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Historical towns and villages

Cividale del Friuli

Famous for its priceless relics from the Longobard era, which have earned it UNESCO World Heritage status, Cividale del Friuli boasts many other riches within its walls.

Palmanova

The fortress city offers the privilege of admiring its still intact 16th-century walls. The plant, which forms a 9-pointed star, makes this place unique in the world, so much so that it is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Aquileia

Aquileia was an important and wealthy city of the Roman Empire and, thanks to countless archaeological excavations, this unique and historically rich place has returned to its former glory and can be visited in its entirety.

Castelmonte

Castelmonte rises to a height of 618 meters. It is a place of great spirituality, a pilgrimage destination and offers breathtaking views of the mountains and valley below.

Venzone

Venzone, the only fourteenth-century village left in Friuli Venezia Giulia, looks exactly as it did in the Middle Ages, with the mighty walls forming a double enclosure surrounded by a deep moat.

Cordovado

Cordovado was for almost 4 centuries the most important castle and village on the plain. Today the walls, moat and gate towers remain, enclosing a small village of rare beauty, elected among the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy.

Experiences in Friuli Venezia Giulia

Hiking

Caves

Bicycle touring

Adventure

Tastings

Mountains

Boat Tours

Quad

Visits

Culture

Seaside towns

Lignano Sabbiadoro

Lignano is a diverse resort, offering services for different types of tourism. In Lignano, relax, fun, sport, music and good food are guaranteed and there is a wide choice of hotels, flats to rent or campsites for the accommodation.

Grado

The town of Grado is located in the Upper Adriatic Sea, in the lagoon of the same name, a nature oasis abutting the two nature reserves of Valle Cavanata and Foce dell’Isonzo. Sunshine Island is so named because its beaches face south and are never shaded.

Marano Lagunare

The atmosphere of Marano is that of an ancient fishing village. The downtown streets have an old-world charm. Marano is located in the province of Udine, from which it can be easily reached in about 40 minutes by car. Very impressive is to reach it by sea, by motorboat from Lignano Sabbiadoro.

Mountain villages

Sauris

Sauris “Zahre” is a mountain community in its own right, with unique peculiarities, an ancient history, its own dialect, Sauran, local traditions and cuisine with typical recipes. The surrounding landscape is of rare beauty, with its thick forests, mountains, and famous lake.

Sappada

Sappada stands at 1245 m guarded by the Dolomites and the Carnic Alps and surrounded by thick forests. Characteristic wooden houses, local handicrafts and the production of cured meats and cheeses make this village unique.

Village of Monte Lussari

The Balcony on the Julian Alps, Mount Santo di Lussari, with its 1789 m height, shrine and small village is an unmissable visit for those in Friuli Venezia Giulia.

Erto and Casso

The two neighboring villages, partially spared by the 1963 tragedy, were restored in the years following the events, retaining their original charm.

Poffabro

Against the backdrop of the Friulian Dolomites lies the Colvera Valley and, at its heart, the small village of Poffabro, named one of Italy’s Most Beautiful Villages in 2002.

Stavoli di Orias

In the Pesarina Valley, known as the ‘Valley of Time’ for its long tradition of watchmaking, there is a place where time has stood still: the stávoli of Orias.

Pesariis

Pesariis is also called the town of clocks as it has a centuries-old tradition of watchmaking and is the site of the renowned Solari factory, which produces world-famous watches.

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Villages and towns of Friuli Venezia Giulia