UDINE

Historical and geographical heart of Friuli, ideal starting point for any other destination in the region, Udine shows itself to the visitor as a discreet and refined city. Its old town, closed to car traffic, invites you to take a relaxing stroll with frequent stops in the numerous parks and gardens. The places that are definitely worth seeing are Piazza Libertà, the city’s “living room” in typical Venetian style, Via Mercato Vecchio, with its elegant shops, Piazza San Giacomo, where the locals gather in the surrounding cafés, or one of the many osteria, the traditional inns where a glass of wine (which they called “tai” here) is de rigeur. On a sunny day, when the sky is clear, from the Castle hill you can see the Alpi Carniche and Alpi Giulie, which creating a natural crown to the entire Friuli area. Art lovers should not miss a visit to the Cathedral and the Palazzo Arcivescovile (Archbishop Palace), where you can admire the masterpieces by Gianbattista Tiepolo, a painter that started off in Udine and became known as a young and gifted talent.