#ig_udine

⁣ Canon Powershot SX730 HS ⁣ Taken on 18/04/2017.⁣ ⁣ Stones and pebbles decorate the romantic streets in Clauiano, a small village about 20km north of Udine and classified as one of Italy's prettiest villages.⁣ ⁣ The first settlements in Clauiano bear Roman footprints, but the village was in fact mentioned for the first time in 1031. Destroyed by the Turks, it was afterwards rebuilt shaping up as a borough made of 'pieris e claps', which in the local Friulian dialect means 'rocks and stones'. Hence the stones and pebbles!⁣ ⁣ Over time Clauiano has successfully managed to maintain its original medieval layout and character with houses built with stones and adorned with white window frames and elegant doorways bordered with white stones and wide porches—a typical feature in Friulian buildings.⁣ ⁣ Moreover, Clauiano has a number of masonry buildings dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries as well as an impressive villa which you can see in the next few photos of this set. It's called Villa Manin Guerresco and it was built in the second half of the 17th Century by the noble family Count Manin. Given it is surrounded by the vineyards and farmlands of the Friuli countryside, it serves as an ideal venue for dinners, weddings and for other unforgettable moments and events.⁣ ⁣ So, whether you are on the lookout for a quintessential Friulian village, or you are a photography or architecture enthusiast, or whether you're looking to spend a wonderful time in the Friulian countryside, Clauiano is a must-visit!⁣ ⁣ 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲:⁣ ⁣ There are bus services to Clauiano with 'SAF' on the Udine–Palmanova line. ⁣ ______________________________________⁣ ⁣ #ig_udine #friuliveneziagiulia #friuliveneziagiulia_love #fvglive #fvgphoto #fvg #thehub_friuli #italia #vivofriuliveneziagiulia #italy #ilikeitaly #ig_friuli_vg #yallersfriuliveneziagiulia #igersitalia #yallersitalia #clauiano #borghiitaliani #italianvillages #alluring_villages #borghipiubelliditalia #borghiditalia #italythroughmyeyes #throwbackthursday #beautifulplaces #beautifulmatters #friulilovers #friuli_in_grande #friulidascoprire #travelblogger #bbctravel (at Clauiano, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy) https://www.instagram.com/p/CCtpGheI-km/?igshid=15v43gfi4bkmc

⁣ Canon Powershot SX730 HS ⁣ Taken on 12/04/2017.⁣ ⁣ Northwest of Udine is Fagagna that rises on a hill offering beautiful views of the surrounding hills and plain.⁣ ⁣ The castle, which today is little more than a ruin, stands on a site that has been inhabited since Roman times, although the first official documentation dates back to the patriarchal period in 983 AD.⁣ ⁣ You can imagine, then, that this village – classified as one of the prettiest in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region – used to be full of ancient fortifications. Only a few elements have survived to the present day but are nonetheless worth visiting, including fragments of the city walls, the castle gate, the castle tower bearing a clock (known as the 'Clock Tower'), and the church of San Michele Arcangelo.⁣ ⁣ Furthermore, Fagagna is home to a number of events which attract visitors far and wide, the most famous of which is 'Corsa degli Asini' ('Donkey Race') which is held on the first Sunday of September and has been taking place since 1891.⁣ ⁣ 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲:⁣ ⁣ Fagagna can be arrived at by bus ('SAF') from Udine on the Udine–San Daniele line every day of the week. Bear in mind that there are far fewer bus services running on Sundays and festive breaks. Tickets can be bought on the bus or at Udine bus station. Timetables can be downloaded from saf.ud.it. ⁣ ______________________________________⁣ ⁣ #ig_udine #fagagna #throwbackthursday #borghiditalia #borghiitaliani #borghi_world #borghi_photogroup #borghidavisitare #borgodeiborghi #friuliveneziagiulia #fvglive #italia #italy #ilikeitaly #friuliveneziagiulia_cartoline #ig_friuli_vg #yallersfriuliveneziagiulia #ig_italia #yallersitalia #borghi_cartoline #alluring_villages #natgeophotos #divine_villages #exploremore #divine_dolcevita #italy_illife #italianvillages #wonderful_places #shotz_of_friuliveneziagiulia #treasureitaly (at Fagagna) https://www.instagram.com/p/CB3fw-roqp8/?igshid=bd6sjmmyvr1c

Canon Powershot SX730 HS Taken on 14/04/2017. Italy, as well as China, has the highest number of World Heritage Sites with 55 entries. Some of these have been tourist magnets like the Historic Centres of Rome, Florence and Naples; the Duomo and Leaning Tower of Pisa, and the Amalfi Coast and the Cinque Terre. But some are under-the-radar destinations — one of which is in Friuli Venezia Giulia. Aquileia (also spelled Aquileja) is an immense archaeological site just 10km from the Adriatic Sea. It was one of the largest and wealthiest cities of the Early Roman Empire and was a major trading centre linking the the Mediterranean to Central Europe. The archaeological remains of the once wonderful public buildings and private residences can still be seen today if you wander around the site. The symbol of Aquileia has to be the 'Basilica Patriarcale' ('Patriarchal Basilica') that you can see in the first photo. Completed in 1031, it is an impressive work of religious architecture that has magnificent 4th-century mosaics — scroll left and be amazed! Incredibly, the floor mosaic wasn't discovered until the beginning of the 1900s when the flooring that had been laid in for centuries was removed. It is breathtaking to see that the Basilica and Baptistry have been preserved well despite the Barbarian invasions and earthquakes over the centuries — but don't forget to delve down and visit the 'Cripta degli Affreschi' ('Crypt of Frescoes') that holds Byzantine-style frescoes from the 1100s. The paintings were absolutely amazing to look at that I just had to include some of them in this photo set. And to think this historical and artistic treasure trove doesn't pull in so many tourists! Just take a bus from Udine with 'SAF' on the Udine–Grado line! 🚍 ________________________________________ #aquileia #ig_udine #igersudine #myudine #udinetoday #italia #italy #ilikeitaly #igersitalia #igersfvg #friuliveneziagiulia #fvg #fvglive #ig_italia #yallersitalia #ig_friuli_vg #yallersfriuliveneziagiulia #unesco #worldheritage #art #history #mosaics #discoveritaly #neverstopexploring #travelgramitalia #travelblogger #traveldrops #beautifulplaces #best_italiansites #madeinitaly (at Aquileja) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_b6mb7Ic5j/?igshid=pp4cleu2b19c

Canon Powershot SX730 HS Taken on 15/04/2017. The way I see it, there are two types of itineraries: the meticulous and the spontaneous. I like to think that mine are the former, though over the years I've learnt to make room for the unexpected. That can be said for the small ancient hamlet of Castelmonte, which I'm so glad I visited! Castelmonte, literally meaning 'castle on a hill', up to its name in a geographical sense, as you can see in the first and last photos of my post. But there isn't a castle; rather, there's a castle-like sanctuary – supposedly the oldest sanctuary in Northern Italy – that houses a 15th-century painted stone sculpture of the Virgin Mary. And in fact, the village still goes by the wordy name of 'Santuario della Beata Vergine di Castelmonte'. Small village, long name! Nestled in the Julian Alps at 618 metres above sea level and just 8km from the Slovenian border, Castelmonte is overshadowed by more touristy towns nearby like Cividale del Friuli that's easy to get to on the Udine–Slovenia SS54 state road. I thought that was reason enough for me to take a small minibus from Cividale, wind my way up the hairpin turns and reach a little-known territory. I only had an hour to visit Castelmonte, but that gave me just enough time. There's the 12th-century sanctuary I mentioned before that has its own story to tell: a former Roman outpost that subsequently became a sanctuary, survived wildfires in the 15th-century and miraculously survived nearly unscathed after a barrage of artillery from Germany during the Second World War. Apart from that, there are old castle gates that still remain intact. Take a bus from Udine or Cividale with 'SAF' and see this remarkable village! ________________________________________ #ig_udine #italia #italy #ilikeitaly #castelmonte #friuliveneziagiulia #friuli #fvglive #viaggiainitalia #ripartiamodallitalia #ig_italia #yallersitalia #volgoitalia #ig_friuli_vg #yallersfriuliveneziagiulia #volgofriuliveneziagiulia #travelgramitalia #bestintravel #treasureitaly #village #borghiditalia #borghidavisitare #rsa_outdoors #natgeotravel #lonelyplanet #doyoutravel #huntgramitaly #moodygrams #illgrammers #gramslayers (at Castelmonte, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_SHAhcouur/?igshid=oo4oq312uvp4

Canon Powershot SX730 HS Taken on 01/11/2019. Yesterday I posted a photo of Camporosso in Valcanale that lies at the foot of the Julian Alps. In this post you can now see the Julian Alps – the point at which Italy, Austria and Slovenia meet – from much higher up — 1790 metres above sea level, in fact! The story behind these shots is incredible. When I arrived in Udine it was such a bright sunny day — not a cloud in the sky. I could see the mountain range from miles away. Then, as soon as I'd come out of the train tunnel that links Valcanale, the blue sky disappeared. Instead, I was greeted with thick, grey fog. This was the day I'd planned to go up the picturesque "Sentiero del Pellegrino" (" Pilgrims' Path"), a three-hour hike that winds through the enchanted forest of Tarvisio. I looked up to the sky and thought I had nothing to lose and that I might be treated to unforgettable stunning views of the Alps. And that's what exactly happened. I'm not sure whether I'd timed the walk well, having left at just before midday. But as I came out of the forest after a never-ending uphill trek, it wasn't until I'd come in sight of a lonesome guesthouse that the fog began to lift. It was an absolute godsend. 😄 The best was yet to come when I reached the mountain village of Monte Santo di Lussari and glanced down at the sea of fog below. What an unbelievable experience it was — all that puffing and panting really paid off! You'll be relieved to know that there's a cable car that takes you up to this marvellous mountain gem — I was 1 week off! It's such a small village, but loved so much by pilgrims, mountaineers and tourists all over. Definitely visit the 16th-century sanctuary that's become a symbol of European unity. ________________________________________ #montelussari #ig_udine #mountainscape #mountainsarecalling #mountainview #mountainlovers #alps #naturelovers #natgeolandscape #lonelyplanet #friuliveneziagiulia #italia #italy #outdoorphotography #ilikeitaly #beautifulmatters #wonderful_places #fog #ig_italia #fvg #fvglive #igersfvg #ig_friuli_vg #yallersfriuliveneziagiulia #yallersitalia #raw_italy #italy_illife #mountain_world #mountainlife #instatravel (at Monte Santo di Lussari) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_PnbHIoe5z/?igshid=sdsk08zq5o9x

Canon Powershot SX730 HS Taken on 03/11/2019 Another town worth visiting in Valcanale is Pontebba, roughly 20km west of Tarvisio (yesterday's post) but still close to the Austrian border. As a matter of fact, the stream crossing Pontebba used to constitute the border between Italy and Austria. Now there's a bridge that has become a meeting point rather than a separation between the two European cultures. Thanks to its wonderful location, Pontebba is a great place to be based at for those who want to discover the enchanting mountain valleys, go on pleasant trekking routes and, of course, glide down the many ski slopes either in the Tarvisio area or in Nassfeld Pramollo in Austria. As a result, Pontebba has modernised over the years, though the town itself is worth a wander, even on a pouring rainy day as I found out when I arrived in Pontebba. Luckily for me, I managed to get to the tourist office just in time before lunchbreak and I was given a list of historical buildings and churches to visit. The ones I can remember most vividly are: 'Palazzo Municipale' ('Municipal Palace'), a 20th-century magnificent-looking building that suffered heavy damage from the First World War; and the 18th-century 'Casa Micossi' that used to belong to the Micossi family who had arrived from Carinthia in the early 1500s. The most important monument in Pontebba has to be the 'Flügelaltar' ('winged altar') in the church of Santa Maria Maggiore. As you can see in this close-up shot, it is a wonderful carved, painted wooden altar dating back to 1517. What you may not notice is that it's got two movable side doors, like opening and closing a fairytale book. The sculptures of the saints and angels are just remarkable. Visiting Pontebba is a must! ________________________________________ #pontebba #ig_udine #fvg #fvglive #friuliveneziagiulia #ig_friuli_vg #italia #italy #ilikeitaly #art #lensbible #masterpiece #doyoutravel #treasureitaly #italy_illife #italy_hidden_gems #yallersfriuliveneziagiulia #volgofriuliveneziagiulia #ig_italia #yallersitalia #volgoitalia #tv_living #italy_ig #igersfvg #wanderlust #travelphotography #travelblogger #solotraveler #adventuretravel #flügelaltar (at Pontebba) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_PVpTRo2vw/?igshid=4ygrqlgbv4ee

Canon Powershot SX730 HS Taken on 03/11/2019. Every now and then we need to unwind, get away from the downtown hustle and bustle and spend quality time with mother nature. The valleys in Friuli Venezia Giulia are a real retreat, as I found out when I arrived in Valcanale, which was annexed to Italy with the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Leye in 1919. Before then, most of the valley had been part of the Duchy of Carinthia for centuries. That's why you'll come across quite a few Carinthian-style churches along this valley. Camporosso in Valcanale is probably best known as a ski resort, but you can find interesting monuments in the town centre, such as the 12th-century white Carinthian church of Sant'Egidio — one of the oldest in the valley. The church poking out from behind in this photo is Santa Dorotea, which contains fascinating frescoes dating back to the 15th century. You'll be able to see a snapshot of this wonderful artwork if you tap the "Affreschi" highlight in my stories. In addition, Camporosso is an excellent place to go hiking in the summer. In fact, many people go on a mountain excursion to Monte Santo di Lussari that lies 1,790 metres above sea level. That's pretty high! Fortunately there's a cable car that takes you up to the village during the peak season, i.e. November–February and June–August. You can get to Camporosso from Udine by train on the Udine—Tarvisio line. However, only a few services actually stop at Camporosso, so you can instead take a train to Tarvisio and then take a bus with 'SAF' to Camporosso. Buses depart from the bus station in 'Via Vittorio Veneto' and you can check the timetables on www.saf.ud.it. Tickets can be bought on the bus with a small additional fee. ________________________________________ #camporosso #valcanale #ig_udine #italia #italy #treasureitaly #ilikeitaly #friuli #friuliveneziagiulia #fvg #fvglive #fvgphoto #total_italy #ig_italia #ig_friuli_vg #yallersfriuliveneziagiulia #volgofriuliveneziagiulia #volgoitalia #yallersitalia #volgofvg #prettylittleitaly #travelblogger #thehub_italia #italy_hidden_gems #neverstopexploring #travelawesome #lonelyplanet #solotravel #discoveritaly #divine_villages (at Camporosso In Valcanale, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_M3RD3oK8P/?igshid=1jwo2kfbkyhg6

Canon Powershot SX730 HS Taken on 01/11/2019. So far on this travel blog I've been posting photos of my trips around 5 of Italy's 20 regions: Piemonte, Lombardia, Liguria, Calabria and Valle D'Aosta. Now I think it's time to put up pictures of another region — Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Tucked away in the far northeast of Italy bordering Austria and Slovenia, Friuli-Venezia Giulia is a small region made up of four provinces: Trieste (the region capital), Udine, Pordenone and Gorizia. But size doesn't matter, not in Italy. For this is a very richly diverse region in terms of landscape, culture, architecture and language. Hence why it's known as 'la terra dei contrasti' ('the land of contrasts'). To give you an idea, the province of Udine alone has sandy beaches along the southern shore, lovely grapevine-filled plains in the centre, and snowy mountaintops in the north. How cool is that! Today I'm starting off with Tarvisio, which is one of the most important ski areas and mountain resorts in Friuli-Venezia Giulia given that it's surrounded by the 'Alpi Giulie' ('Julian Alps'). As well as boasting the largest forest in Italy (barring National and Natural parks), the town itself is worth visiting. Here's a photo of Tarvisio – just a few kilometres from the Austrian and Slovenian borders – that I took in November last year over the All Saints' public holiday, showing two fascinating monuments in Piazza dell'Unità. The one on the right is Gothic with two baroque-styled side chapels, and the one on the left is a church tower with an octagonal plan that used to be part of a fortified church. I really didn't feel like I was in Italy when I got there by train from Udine. It was wonderful to hear Slovenian, German and Italian being spoken! ________________________________________ #tarvisio #ig_udine #friuliveneziagiulia #italia #italy #ilikeitaly #italycomestoyou #turismofvg #fvglive #igersfvg #yallersfriuliveneziagiulia #ig_friuli_vg #ig_italia #yallersitalia #discoveritaly #igersitalia #friuli #fvg #loves_madeinitaly #travelblogger #lonelyplanet #natgeotravel #throwback #whatitalyis #expedia #booking #forbestravelguide #vivoitalia #natgeotravel #italy_illife https://www.instagram.com/p/B_MnIp0I5a2/?igshid=2nmbszsdsw50