Day 1
Meeting with participants, equipped with their own bicycle, in Udine at 9.00 a.m. and the tour on two wheels begins!
Firstly, we will cross the squares of the city with their Venetian charm and their ancient buildings. Piazza Libertà or
“Liberty Square” is defined “the most beautiful Venetian Square on the mainland, while Piazza Matteotti or Matteotti
Square (also known as Piazza delle Erbe/ Herb Square), is surrounded by porticoes and has the appearance of an openair living room where you can observe an array of ancient and colourful buildings that bear witness to the spirit of Udine.
On the hill, the castle towers over the city roof-tops with a view of the surrounding mountains and, towards the south,
the Adriatic sea. In the 1700’s, the renowned artist Giambattista Tiepolo reached his artistic maturity in this same city:
his masterpieces are on display in the Gallerie del Tiepolo (Tiepolo Galleries at the Palazzo Patriarcale), in the Cathedral
and in the Chiesa della Purità (Church of Purity). We will go along the bridleway towards Pradamano, Trivignano
Udinese to San Vito al Torre, the latter probably being part of some Roman garrison which relied on Aquileia. Also
belonging to the 18th century are the parish churches of Crauglio (Crauì in Friulian) and San Vito, but of particular
interest is Villa Steffaneo in Crauglio, dating back to 1640, of Venetian design. We will pedal through Campolongo,
Ruda (whose tranquillity is the ideal condition for the nesting of many bird species), Villa Vicentina, Isola Morosini,
until we reach the Fossalon locality. On our bikes we will enter the regional natural reserve of Valle Cavanata or
Riserva naturale regionale Valle Cavanata. The route will allow us to admire one of the most breath-taking
environments of Friuli Venezia Giulia. The scenic itinerary, from which on a clear day you can see the Istrian coast quite
well, has as its first stop the teaching centre called Casa Spina. We will later reach an observatory on the banks of the
Isonzo River, from where we can admire the last one hundred metres of the river, its mouth and its rushes, an area
along its banks called Canéo or reed bank. The last stop will be the fishing village situated in the locality of Punta
Sdobba, at the mouth of the river, a quaint village, where time seems to have stopped. Lunch will be served during one
of our visits, in the evening you will be accommodated in a hotel in Grado c/o Hotel Fonzari, with dinner and overnight
stay.
Day 2
At 08.30 a.m. departure by bike for Aquileia. Founded in 181 B.C., this small city has an archaeological area of
exceptional importance and is considered by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Excavations have brought to light the
ruins of a Roman forum and a Basilica, a sepulchre and mosaic floors. A multitude of findings from the Roman period
(statues, mosaics, coins, glasswork, terracotta pottery, urns, bronzes, a boat, a lapidary etc.) are gathered in the Museo
Archeologico Nazionale. The gorgeous Basilica di S. Maria Assunta, the mother church of the ancient Patriarchy, was
erected on a pre-existing building that dated back to the 4th century, and on which numerous expansions were carried
out in following centuries (most of which were destroyed during the barbaric invasions). What can be admired first and
foremost in this basilica are the famous Early-Christian mosaics (4th century) that constitute a milestone in the history of
Italian art. We will proceed to Cervignano, a place name that probably derives from the name of the family who
received this territory as a donation, Gens Serviliana, which was later modified into Cervignano. We will pass through
the borgo (borough) di Strassoldo, famous for its Castello di Sopra (Upper Castle), with its noble palace. At the centre
of the borough we can find the Church of Saint Nicholas that, among other things, conserves a stone cross dating back
to Lombard times, and is emblematic of the antiquity of the place. The garden of the castle is of enchanting beauty, built
in the second half of the 1700’s, it is adorned with a three-hundred-year-old Magnolia Passiflora, which dominates the
surrounding area with suavity. We will lunch with the tasting of local products at the Beltrame Estate and then
proceed to Palmanova. A masterpiece of Venetian military architecture, it is the model of a city-fortress that is truly
unique (star-shaped with nine perfectly symmetrical points around a central square). It was planned and built to defend
the regional boundaries from foreign threats, and above all the Turks. There will be a coffee-break in the city square.
Return to Udine passing through Clauiano. We will stop briefly in this hamlet, renowned as being one of the “most
beautiful boroughs in Italy”. In Clauiano there are piéris and clàps (rocks and stones) which reveal the history and
traditions of this borough: stones and rocks were prevalently used as building materials and represent the ornaments of
the majestic gateways, but they can also be found in the typical settings of farming life like in the hearth called fogolâr
or in the granary called foledôr. In the historical nucleus of the centre, the oldest buildings date back to the 15th century
and evolved mainly around the Church of St. George or Chiesa di San Giorgio.
The order of the visits may be modified in order to guarantee the excellent implementation of the program.
Participation costs range from
€ 135,00
(Minimum 15-maximum 20 participants)
Costs include: - accommodation in a 4-star hotel, in a double room with private bathroom, half-pension, drinks
included; - lunch in a restaurant or holiday farm on Day 1, drinks included / a wide variety of wine tasting in the cellars
on Day 2; - a guide specialised in bike tours for the whole length of the trip; - medical insurance.
Costs do not include: - transfers, the bike, tickets, sojourn tax at the hotel (not established at the moment), tips,
personal extras and anything not specified in the section: "COSTS INCLUDE".