UDINE

Udine is a city in northeastern Italy, in the middle of Friuli-Venezia Giulia region. Udine is the historical capital of Friuli.

Looking at Udine, Friuli's capital city, from the hills where the historic castle stands, to the north you see the red roofs of the city and beyond to the crests of the hills and mountains that protect it, whereas to the south, less than an hour's drive away, there is the Adriatic Sea.
Imagine how it was in the 17th century, when Giambattista Tiepolo reached the height of his artistic maturity in this very city. His works can now be viewed in the Tiepolo Galleries (Palazzo Patriarcale), the cathedral and the church of the Purità. The series of old, brightly coloured, portico-lined piazzas between Piazza Libertà, "the most beautiful Venetian piazza on the mainland" and Piazza Matteotti (or Piazza delle Erbe) have all the atmosphere of an open-air sitting room, and are the very essence of the city.

Udine is surrounded by lovely countryside and authentic Friulian villages with a choice of farmhouse accommodation and trattorias and a network of bicycle, walking and pony trekking routes.To the north there are gentle rolling hills:

-in the Friuli Hills there are several picturesque castles and the town of San Daniele, the 'little Siena' of Friuli, home to the famous San Daniele ham

-in the eastern Friuli Hills famous D.O.C.G. wines are produced, such as Ramandolo and Picolit, and there are castles (Attimis and Faedis), Art Nouveau villas (Tarcento) and famous chair factories (Manzano)

-the magical NatisoneValleysare characterised by Slavic influences, emanating from Cividale del Friuli with itsLombard treasures

-in the Pre-Alps there are the delightful Mediaeval towns of Gemona and Venzone