1 DAY ARRIVAL
Arrival in Grado. Accomodation, dinner and overnight.
2 DAY GRADO
Breakfast
and guided visit of Grado. This island has everything from Its
traditional, old fishing village and historic town centre, with a
labyrinth of alleys and tiny squares; a Y-shaped harbour which acts as
the town salon; a seafront which appears suspended between land and sky,
where you can enjoy a stroll at any time of the year. In the narrow
streets and small squares of the town centre you can breathe the history
of what many know as the mother of Venice, given that Grado was founded
in the Roman era as an important port in Aquileia’s port system. The
historic centre is a picturesque maze of ‘calli ‘(streets) and
‘campielli’ (squares), with traditional buildings dotted with stone
walls, small windows, narrow stairways and distinctive chimneys. The old
port of Grado, with its characteristic ‘Y’ shape, first wanted by the
Venetians and then by the Austro-Hungarians, is the town’s parlour on
the sea with bars, cafes, restaurants and shops. The port never sleeps
in the typical atmosphere of the seaside town. In the early hours of the
morning it is the place where you will see fishing boats returning
with fresh fish that you can buy at the fish market, run by the
Fishermen’s Cooperative and located at the head of the Porto Mandracchio
canal. If you pay a bit of attention as you go along the piers, you can
identify the symbols used by fishermen since ancient times to mark the
nets belonging to them so they wouldn’t be mistaken for those of other
families. In the afternoon boat excursion to the island of Barbana. The
spiritual fascination of sanctuaries is often amplified by the splendid
landscapes offered by the places that surround them: this is also the
case of the tiny island of Barbana in the Grado lagoon, where this
ancient, Marian sanctuary stands, today home to a community
of Benedictine Monks from the Benedictine Congregation of
Brazil. Tradition says that the Sanctuary of the Beata Vergine Maria
dates back to 582 A.D., when a violent sea storm threatened the town of
Grado. When the storm subsided, an image of the Madonna, which had
drifted on the water, was found on the island near the huts of two
hermits. Elia, the patriarch of Grado, had a sepulchre built here to
thank the Madonna for saving the town. The island soon became the
permanent residence of a community of friars and the destination of
frequent pilgrimages. Dinner and overnight.
3 DAY TRIESTE AND MIRAMARE CASTLE
Breakfast
and departure to Trieste. A symbol of elegance with its historical
buildings, the Roman ruins and the Hapsburg views, Trieste has always
been the most multicultural and Middle European of all Italian cities.
Its
riches, looking out over the famous port, just a short distance from
the Miramare castle, justify the choice of this “little Vienna on
Sea” as a holiday destination. Let’s start with a panoramic tour by bus
to the Roman theatres and high ride to Colle San Giusto to visit the
cathedral. Than the visit goes on through the medieval district, the
oldest in the city and take a break in one of the historic cafes. Very
few people know that one of the most characteristic products of Trieste
is coffee; indeed in its port, since the 1700s shiploads of coffee
coming from the New World came ashoreand headed for coffee roasters all
over Italy and Europe. Coffee, is, actually one of the real symbols of
the city together with the numerous cafés and the unusual language used
for ordering it: if you want an espresso, you must say ‘un nero’ If, on
the other hand, you prefer a caffè macchiato you have to ask for a
‘capo’. And finally, the most important thing, if you like your coffee
in a glass cup, remember to add to your request ‘… in B’!
We suggest the visit of the Illy Coffee University to learn much more about italian coffee.
After
lunch and free time the visit goes on to the Miramare Castle, above the
sea, is the first glance that you have coming in Trieste driving along
the panoramic coastal road. This majestic white castle, the beloved home
of Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian of Habsburg (brother of Emperor Franz
Joseph), overlooks the sea and is surrounded by a huge park full of rare
and exotic tree species collected by the Archduke himself in his
scientific expeditions around the world aboard the frigate Novara. The
Castle was built for Maximilian, who fell in love with the view of the
small bay and decided to build his home here, where he lived with his
wife Charlotte of Belgium. Maximilian and Charlotte were able to enjoy
their beautiful castle for only four years or so before leaving for
Mexico, where Maximilian was crowned Emperor Maximilian of Mexico, only
to be executed by firing squad in 1867. Legend has it that Charlotte,
mad with grief, still wanders in the park calling his name. Their home, a
splendid example of an aristocratic 19th century residence, retains all
its original interior furnishings. The beauty of the castle and the
park, together with the sad and romantic story of the young imperial
couple, still fascinates tourists all over the world and has made it one
of the most visited destinations in Europe. Back to the Hotel, dinner
and overnight.
4 DAY GORIZIA AND COLLIO LAND
Breakfast
and departure to Gorizia, where you can breathe the atmosphere of a
typical border town. Gorizia is as the name suggests, the capital of
this province and was part of Austria for almost ten centuries. Starting
from the year 1000 Austrian earls governed this area with their
autonomous counties and later starting from the year 1500 it was
inherited by the Austrian Empire. These northern influences can be seen
in the architecture. Gorizia was once called by the Austrian nobility
who had their second home here, the ‘Nice of Austria’ because of its
mild climate. The town of Gorizia is built around a hill with on top of
it a magnificent castle. The castle has been completely restored after
the First World War, but it gives you a good idea of how it once looked
like in the Middle Ages. You can visit the castle. On top of the hill
near the castle you can also visit the War Museum. Gorizia was also
called 'città maledetta’ (the cursed city), because it was almost
completely devastated after the Great War. The city was bombed very
often and its liberation has cost many human lives. At the foot of the
hill there is the old center with the main square 'Piazza della
Vittoria'. Here you find the church of St. Ignazio that was built in the
18th century in Austrian Baroque style and was used by the Jesuits.
Around the square you can admire some interesting buildings and villas.
Gorizia was divided into two at the end of the Second World War, just
like Berlin. The part in Slovenia was called "Nova Gorica". In 2004 the
old border crossings have been removed because of the Schengen treaty.
You can feel the strange sensation on the Transalpina Square by standing
with one foot in Italy and one foot in Slovenia. The visit continues to
Collio wine land. The region Friuli Venezia Giulia produces excellent
white and red wines that have been exported since the Middle Ages, first
only in Europe and now across the entire globe. More than half of the
region consists of wine regions. In total there are eight of them. Each
area is unique because of the different characteristics of each area’s
soil (pebbles, sandstone, marl, earth, clay, and karst rock) and
location (flat land, hilly areas, close to the sea, or near a river).
The most common areas are Collio and the adjacent Colli Orientali. Here
the grapevine covered hills benefit from plenty of sunshine, cool
temperatures from the Gulf of Trieste and cool winds arriving from the
Alps. This region produces mostly white wines. Winemakers from Colli,
Orientali, and Collio like to experiment and are among the most advanced
winemakers in Italy. They were the first to put a single grape in a
bottle. The 'Refosco dal Peduncolo rosso' or the 'Pignolo' varieties
can’t be found anywhere else in Italy. These two wine areas produce
proportionally the most authentic Friulian wines. What about the dry
'Tocai' (nowadays called Friulano because of competition with the
Hungarian Tokaj), the delicious 'Ribolla', the spicy 'Malvasia', the
sweet 'Verduzzo'? All of these wines can be drank with a dessert, as
well as, a fish dish. Not only are there authentic wines produced here
but also the famous Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay, originally coming from
the countries north of the Alps, but they found here their ideal natural
living conditions.
In Collio area you feel like you're really on
vacation. You will see rolling hills with peaks covered with the
characteristic cypresses, images you normally relate to when you think
of Tuscany or Umbria. If you come in the spring the landscape is
scattered with pink cherry trees in bloom. Stop for a visit and wine
tasting in a typical wine cellar. Back to your Hotel. Dinner and
overnight.
SUGGESTION: option to rent a bright yellow
'vespa'- the typical Italian scooter, the yellow represents the color of
the sun, energy, and of course their wines.
5 DAY UDINE AND SAN DANIELE HAM
Breakfast
and departure to Udine. The perfect visit of Udine starts on what is
called the most beautiful square built in Venetian style, existing on
the mainland which is Piazza Libertà. The square is located at the foot
of the hill where is also located the old town hall called ‘Loggia di
Lionello’ which resembles a lot to the Doge's Palace. Up on the hill you
can visit the castle which hosts a historical art museum. From the top
you have a stunning view over the surroundings and the Alps in the
north. The museum has a collection of prints, paintings and coins. In
the 14th-century cathedral you can admire the works of several local
artists but the most famous of them is the Venetian baroque painter
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, who stayed in Udine several times on the
request of the Patriarch. His frescoes are visitable in the Patriarchal
Palace, the Cathedral and the little church ‘Oratorio della Purità’
located opposite the cathedral. In this last church he and his son
Giandomenico worked together during his last visit. It is no wonder that
Udine is also called the city of Tiepolo. The heart of Udine is called
‘Piazza San Giacomo’. This old market place is surrounded by various
cafes and shops. While sipping your cappuccino or aperitivo you can
enjoy watching the beautiful buildings and people. If you want to see
more of Tiepolo's work then you should absolutely visit the Patriarchs
Palace, now seat of the Bishop. In the gallery of Tiepolo you see some
of his masterpieces. It also hosts a floor completely dedicated to
religious wooden art. It is closed from 1 till 3 p.m and on Tuesdays.
Departure to San Daniele to have lunch in a typical Prosciutteria. You
will taste San Daniele ham with differents ageings and local products.
After lunch you will visit the factory of the special San Daniele ham.
Back to the Hotel. Dinner and overnight.
6 DAY AQUILEIA AND PALMANOVA
Breakfast
and departure to Aquileia, an important city of the Roman Empire and
then the main centre for the diffusion of Christianity in Northern and
Eastern Europe. It has been a UNESCO site since 1998 due to the
importance of its archaeological area and the beauty of the floor
mosaics that it safeguards. Among them, the largest and most well-known
attraction is the Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta, dating back to the
fourth century. However, added to this are other precious mosaic remains
from the Roman and early Christian ages, which make Aquileia a kind
of capital of the Western Roman mosaic. Free time and than the visit
continues to Palmanova, a nine-pointed star, which encapsulates the
military expectations and the Renaissance dream of an ideal city. It is
a pity that when visiting Palmanova it is not possible to make a
helicopter flight, because let's be honest this village shows itself
from the air at its best. Palmanova was built in 1593 by the Venetians
as a defensive bulwark against the invasions of the Austrians and
Ottomans in the late 16th century. Since 2017 Palmanova is on
the Unesco World Heritage List because of its defence works. The
Venetians didn't want to just build a fortress or castle , no a
completely city was constructed from scratch in the shape of a polygon
with 9 points with the most modern defence systems. They used moats,
bastions, ravelins and ramparts to keep their enemies away. The city was
ruled by the Venetians governors whose statues you can see in the main
square in the center of the town. Napoleone Bonaparte invaded this area
between 1797 and 1813 and left his mark on Palmanova because he added a
third ring of fortification called ‘lunette di Napoleone’ Napoleon's
crescents. Also it is said that before Napoleon's intervention Palmanova
was called Palma (the emblem of victory) and Napoleon decided to add
the word "nova" (new) to it.
If you have the change to visit
Palmanova on a Monday you are lucky because that is the market day and
the whole central square transforms itself into a lively place full
of various stalls offering all kinds of goods.
If you like shopping
you are at the right place because only a few kilometers from Palmanova
you have the Palmanova outlet full of Italian brands for good prices.
Back to your Hotel. Dinner and overnight.
7 DAY ADVENTURE TOUR TO POSTOJNA CAVE PARK AND PREDJAMA CASTLE
Breakfast
and departure to Slovenia. Postojna Caves are considered the
world's most captivating caves with magnificent cave formations and
diverse fauna. Postojna Cave is the only place where you can see the
most precious brilliant in the form of a cave formation and also meet
the baby dragons. Just like the world above the surface, Postojna Cave
boasts towering mountains, murmuring rivers and vast subterranean halls.
It is a real challenge for explorers and the cradle of speleobiology.
The water slowly dripping down the stalagmite deposits a thin layer of
flowstone, giving the Brilliant its shiny white colour. The
magnificent five-metre-tall bright-white stalagmite called Brilliant is a
symbol of Postojna Cave and the Slovenian Karst. Standing next to it is
an ornament-rich column. Take a ride on the underground train and enjoy
a 3.7-km-long journey on the world's only double-track cave railway.
The wonderful Murano-glass chandeliers hanging from the ceiling of
Postojna Cave's Dance Hall make for a fairytale atmosphere. Lunch in the
restaurant od the caves and in the afternoon the visit goes on with
Predjama Castle. A mere few kilometres from Postojna Cave, the Karst
world offers an unforgettable experience in the fairytale world of
knights. The impregnable medieval marvel has been perched in the middle
of a 123-metre-high cliff for more than 800 years. Behind the largest
cave castle in the world, there is a network of secret tunnels, from
where the knight Erazem of Predjama would set out on his plundering
expeditions. The romantic legend about the rebellious knight Erazem, who
withstood the imperial army's siege of the castle for over a year, is
an indispensable part of the castle's story. A secret tunnel, a girl’s
love and affection, and great artfulness – just about everything needed
for a compelling story. Natural elements seamlessly interwoven with
manmade ones, the result of man's work and nature's creativity has
created a pearl of medieval resourcefulness. The world's largest cave
castle, listed as one of the Guinness World Records, tells a picturesque
story about the times when comfort had to give way to safety, and when
the clatter of weapons would often drown out troubadours' songs. It is
so special and unique, it ranks among theten most fascinating castles in
the world, and so romantic that many couples choose it for their
wedding vows. Back to the Hotel, dinner and overnight.
8 DAY DEPARTURE
NEWS 2023 FRIULI AND SLOVENIA
8 days, 7 nights
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