The Giulian Alps are also known as the Tarvisiano, named after the town of Tarvisio. Here, mountain peaks may remain capped with snow late into spring and summer. Ski resorts in Tarvisio and neighboring towns such as Sella Nevea and Camporosso draw crowds throughout the winter season, while hikers flock to these mountains during warmer months. One popular destination is the Parco Naturale dei Laghi di Fusine, which is composed of two glacial lakes, Lago Inferiore and Lago Superiore. Situated at the foot of Monte Mangàrt, the lakes offer spectacular views of the surrounding mountains.
Among the towering, snow-capped peaks of the Giulian Alps, one mountain stands out like a precious gem. Near the 5,870-foot summit of Monte Santo di Lussari, a pristine 14th-century sanctuary looks out over the forested valleys below. Legend says that in 1360 a shepherd knelt to pray atop this mountain and discovered hidden in the brush a wooden statue of the Madonna and Child. The patriarch of Aquileia soon ordered a small chapel built on that very spot. Over time, the Santuario di Monte Lussari has come to symbolize a spiritual union of the region’s three Alpine peoples—Latins, Slavs, and Germans. For centuries, pilgrims from neighboring countries have journeyed to this religious site. The year 1860, marking the sanctuary’s fifth centennial, saw at least one hundred thousand visitors.
Today, the mountain’s ski slopes attract equally sizeable crowds. A telecabina, or “ski lift,” carries passengers from the village of Camporosso at its base to Borgo Lussari at the summit, where they may glide down the ski run, dig into a plate of goulasch in one of the village’s rustic taverns, or simply admire the panoramic views across the Valcanale and Tarvisio basin.