Was listening to RS radio this morning, not sure how old it was, but he was discussing food and wine in Friuli-Venezia Giulia. It sounds lovely. I'm trying to do some research today, but not finding a ton. Would love to hear from folks who might have explored this region. I have "Italy for Food Lovers" on my wishlist for Christmas as well.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33437 posts
I love the area and have travelled extensively around it. Problem is I eat to live so don't do fancy food - sorry can't help.
Posted by
back in the Americas
705 posts
A few years back, we visited friends in that area and we took a drive one day to visit Palmanova, Alquilea and Grado. All of these are on lower lands, closer to the sea. Palmanova is a small fortified town with walls in the shape of a nine point star. It is a World Heritage Site. Aquileia is an ancient Roman town. Today its population is about 3,500 but in its prominent past it had as many as 100,000 inhabitants. The highlight of that visit were the Roman ruins and the beautiful mosaic floors in the church. Nearby is Grado, right on the Adriatic. It was a Sunday in the spring and Grado was quite crowded with visitors and lots of indoor/outdoor restaurants. I saw very few foreign tourists at any of these towns, mostly locals. I have seen photos of Cividale del Friuli and it looks beautiful but I have not been there. We also did quite a bit of driving through the countryside and Dolomites. So pretty. A car would be helpful. Can't help with food or wine recs. With crowds at all the traditional Italian tourist sites, this is the kind of area that really appeals to me.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
15810 posts
Frico, Polenta, Prosciutto di San Daniele, cjarsons, jota.
Note that the Friulian dialect use the letter J a lot, which however is pronounced like a Y.
The Jacuzzi brothers (pronounced Yacuzzi), the founders of the famous homonymous hot tub company, came from this region, and in honor of their origins, opened a Jacuzzi factory (the largest of their Group in Europe) right outside their ancestral town (Casarsa).
Posted by
Washington DC
27608 posts
I haven't yet been to that region of Italy, but I've done some research. The regional tourist office has a regional sightseeing card, the FVGcard, that seems a good deal. It comes with either a 2-day or 1-week validity period. Prices are 25 euros and 39 euros, respectively. There are lower prices for young folks and seniors. https://www.turismofvg.it/en/fvg-card
Posted by
seattle
2085 posts
We did a few trips based on Italy for the Gourmet Traveler, including this region. We especially enjoyed visiting Udine. I can not remember specific places, though I do remember enjoying the wine if the region.
Posted by
Austin TX
14 posts
We were there for a few days this past spring and found it beautiful and the food delicious. We visited Udine, Cividale de Friuili, Cormons, and Possagno. We liked everything but particularly enjoyed hanging out in Cormons. We stayed at a winery which was great. You encountered few tourists and no Americans. Driving around was easy and the scenery beautiful.