Friuli Venezia-Giulia with its capital Trieste represents a true central-European cultural landscape, stretching between the Carnic and Julian Alps and the vast lagoons of the Adriatic coast. Under the shared auspices of the Venetian Lion of St Mark and of the double-headed imperial eagle of the Habsburgs, the threshold to the Balkans in the extreme north-east of Italy has always stood apart for its own particular artistic, historical and even linguistic heritage, shaped by Italians, Slavs and Germans. One of Italy’s five autonomous regions, it harbours many outstanding artistic treasures from Antiquity, the Middle Ages and the century-long rule of the Serenissima: exquisite Roman and early Christian mosaics in the former Roman metropolis of Aquileia, rare sculpture and goldwork in the Longobard stronghold of Cividale, and brilliant frescoes by Giambattista Tiepolo in Venetian Udine. Trieste, on the other hand, is an intriguing combination of Mitteleuropa and the Mediterranean, a slice of Vienna by the sea, as exposed to the southerly Scirocco and the north easterly Bora as it is to diverse cultural and political influences. Smaller towns such as San Daniele are home to splendidly decorated churches and painted palaces, while the varied countryside is dotted with rugged castles and elegant villas, little known even among Italians. In addition, the region offers delicious wines and culinary delights from funghi porcini to prize-winning prosciutto, complementing this tour’s many artistic highlights.
Dates:
01 - 07 October 2022
Prices:
All prices listed are per person
Twin/double share: from £2395
No flights price: £2195 - call for details
Double room for sole use supplement: £295
Deposit: £450