The province of Udine is the region’s largest, stretching from the Carnian and Giulian Alps in the north to the marshy coastlands in the south. In the center of the province is Udine, a city with numerous Venetian-style landmarks, including a blue-and-gold clock tower and a pink-and-white striped loggia. The winged lion of Saint Mark, symbol of the Venetian Republic, makes several appearances as well.
The northernmost part of Friuli borders Austria. To the west are the Carnia mountains, with their seven valleys and numerous picturesque villages such as Sauris, Ravascletto, Arta Terme, and Forni di Sopra. To the east are the Giulian Alps, an area also known as the Tarvisiano. The town of Tarvisio makes a good home base for visiting the nearby Laghi di Fusine and Monte Santo di Lussari.
Nestled at the base of the Carnian and Giulian Alps is the area known as Alto Friuli. This was the epicenter of a pair of devastating earthquakes in 1976. Cathedrals in the towns of Gemona del Friuli and Venzone were completely demolished and have since been painstakingly reconstructed. Venzone is the region’s only medieval-walled city and is home to an exhibit of mummies discovered beneath the Duomo. Nearby Bordano has gained recognition for having an unusually large number of native butterfly species, many of which may be seen in the Casa delle Farfalle, Europe’s largest tropical butterfly garden.
The center of the province is characterized by low, flat plains, with an occasional hill town rising out of the monotonous countryside. Of the hill towns, San Daniele del Friuli is perhaps the best known, as its famed prosciutto is savored throughout the region and beyond. Cividale del Friuli, situated on the banks of the emerald green Natisone River, has been a site of historical importance throughout many civilizations, including the Romans and Lombards. Between Cividale and the Slovenian border to the east is another of Friuli’s major wine zones, the Colli Orientali.
In the plains near the border with Pordenone province is Codroipo and the nearby Villa Manin, Friuli’s largest palazzo. Toward the southern coast is Aquileia, one of the largest Roman cities in ancient Italy. Later, with the rise of Christianity, a basilica was built here, its floor paved with a decorative carpet of mosaics. The coastline itself is marked by marshy wetlands that extend from Venezia to Trieste. Here, the quiet fishing village of Marano Lagunare sits peacefully alongside a protected nature reserve. Across the lagoon, the seaside resort of Lignano Sabbiadoro boasts the region’s largest beach.
