Secret Italy: Trieste and Udine

After breakfast, we drive through the picturesque countryside to Trieste, the region's cosmopolitan capital overlooking the Adriatic Sea and the Julian Alps.

Upon arrival, we’ll embark on a walking tour of Trieste, known as ‘the city of cafés.’ We’ll visit Piazza Unità d’Italia, Europe’s largest seafront square, famous for its elegant cafés that once hosted literary figures like James Joyce and Sigmund Freud.

Your local guide will highlight Trieste’s architectural gems in its charming old town. A medieval castle overlooks the harbor, remarkably preserved from military conflict. At the foot of the hill, we’ll explore the ruins of a Roman theatre, discovered in 1938, which once featured a stunning proscenium facing the sea. Don’t miss the San Giusto Cathedral, renowned for its beautiful Byzantine mosaics.

After the tour, enjoy free time to soak in the café culture—try a strucolo de pomi (Triestine apple strudel) with a cup of Illy coffee, founded here.

Next, we follow the coastal road to Miramare Castle, built in 1860 for the Archduke Maximilian of Habsburg and his wife, Charlotte of Belgium. Set dramatically on a rocky promontory above the sea, this fairy-tale castle is a fine example of an aristocratic residence with remarkably preserved furnishings.

Entrance is included to the castle, so take a closer look at Habsburg life in the eclectic interiors or stroll through its immaculately landscaped park to admire the impressive variety of plants. If the beauty and serenity of the location haven’t taken your breath away, the stunning views over the gulf will surely do the trick.

This morning we drive through lush countryside to visit the Mosaic School of Friuli in Spilimbergo. Founded in 1922, this renowned training centre attracts students from all over the world. During our guided tour, we’ll dive into the nitty-gritty of this intricate artform and the various techniques used. We’ll walk the halls of the school’s gallery to admire the talented students’ finished works, creatively expressed in a kaleidoscope of colours, motifs and styles.

There’s free time after to discover the pretty little town of Spilimbergo. As you walk along cobbled streets between elegant buildings, you’ll feel as though you’ve stepped back in time. The town’s medieval castle comprises magnificent buildings in a fascinating combination of architectural styles – some buildings were set ablaze during upheavals in 1511, but fortunately much of its wonderfully painted façades were saved. There is also a 13th-century cathedral with frescoes, paintings and sculptures adorning its interior.

After time to explore, we return to Udine for the remainer of the afternoon.

After breakfast we drive to Cividale before our visit to Gorizia in the afternoon followed by a wine tasting, nestled in the green hills bordering Slovenia and split by the picturesque Natisone river, over which spans the town’s bridge – so-called ‘Devil’s Bridge’ after locals allegedly asked the devil for help to build it! Cividale was founded by Julius Caesar as ‘Forum Iuli’ – from where Friuli gets its name – and grew in significance as the capital of the first Lombard duchy in Italy.

To discover its fascinating history, we visit the Santa Maria in Valle monastery to see the unique Lombard Temple, an outstanding example of art and architecture from the High Middle Ages. The well-preserved walls and ceilings of this hidden gem are intricately adorned with Byzantine frescoes and stucco decorations, and its 8th-century sculptures are some of the finest to survive in Europe.

Then we drive to Gorizia, a unique town at the border with Slovenia once well-loved by the Habsburg bourgeoisie. Its red-roofed buildings are crowned by a medieval castle, and there are sweeping views over the beautiful countryside. Hemingway’s Frederic Henry begins his narrative near Gorizia in his beloved novel, A Farewell to Arms, set during the Great War. Today Gorizia is a lovely place to wander, with elegant arcades and Baroque buildings.

After time for lunch at your leisure, we continue to the critically acclaimed wine region of Collio Goriziano. This enchanting landscape of gentle hills is marked by hypnotic rows of verdant vines and dotted with grand villas and wine estates.

The unique microclimate, created by the area’s equidistance from the Adriatic Sea and the Austrian Alps, works perfectly with the marlstone soil to yield exceptionally fragrant grapes. Unsurprisingly, some of the world’s best white wines are produced here, so our tour would not be complete without a visit and tasting at one of Collio’s celebrated vineyards.

This morning, we explore Aquileia, once one of the Roman Empire's largest cities, with a peak population over 100,000. Now a quiet town, it features ancient ruins, making it the most complete early Roman city in the Mediterranean.

We'll have a guided tour of the Patriarchal Basilica, a UNESCO World Heritage site and significant Christian center in central Europe. Built on the ruins of a 4th-century church, its Romanesque-Gothic structure showcases stunning mosaic floors.

Our tour continues underground to the Crypt of Frescoes, adorned with 9th-century biblical scenes, and the Crypt of Excavations, where we’ll see remarkable artifacts from different periods, including mosaics, columns, and a baptismal font.

After a fascinating morning, we drive to a rustic restaurant in order to sample authentic Friulan fare made with fresh local ingredients.

Later we return to Udine with the rest of the day at leisure. There’s plenty to explore in this visual feast of a city, such as the hilltop castle, which houses a collection of excellent museums, including an art gallery with works by Caravaggio and Tiepolo.

For those who enjoy more recent art, the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art features an impressive 20th-century collection. Of course, art in Italy isn’t confined to just museums and galleries – Udine’s beautiful Venetian heritage can be admired in Piazza della Libertà, a Renaissance jewel with handsome sculptures and gleaming palaces.