Friuli Venezia Giulia Travel Guide

Friuli-Venezia Giulia is often skipped by tourists. It does not receive half as many people as nearby Veneto. This means that Friuli offers you a chance to discover a truly interesting region without too many other tourists around. To get to know one of Italy’s most versatile regions, a "small digest of the universe" as the writer Ippolito Nievo defined Slovenia.   This varied region is characterized by different landscapes which go from the smooth hills of Collio to the picturesque Trieste coastline, from the middle-European architecture of Trieste to the graceful Venetian architecture of Udine and by different cultures, heritage of various invasions which marked history. This variety can be savoured also by its rich cuisine together with its world known top white wines and its outstanding red ones.

Friuli-Venezia Giulia  is close to Venice, Austria, Slovenia and Croatia and, you can sense Venetian, Austrian and even Slavic influences. Trieste, the main tourist destination of the region, was Austrian for a long time (536 years) and Italy only incorporated it in 1918. Trieste was also the place where James Joyce taught his English Lessons, among others to Italian writer Italo Svevo (Ettore Schmidt).

Other interesting places to visit include Udine - it's not on most tourist itineraries in Italy, but it's a captivating town with graceful Renaissance architecture and many interesting works of roccoco pioneer Tiepolo. Udine also offers good onward railroad connections to Venice and Austria Austria.

The region has a number of good beach resorts as well. Grado and Lignano probably offer you best value for money of all Italian beach resorts on the Adriatic coast.