Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Where Italy, Austria, and Slovenia converge in a blend of coffee, wine, and mountain air.
About Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Friuli-Venezia Giulia is Italy's most multicultural corner. In Trieste, the Austro-Hungarian coffee houses rival Vienna's, while the wine country around Collio produces some of Italy's finest whites just metres from the Slovenian border. This is a region of contrasts: the Dolomite peaks of the Carnic Alps give way to the gentle hills of the wine country, which slope down to the lagoons and beaches of the Adriatic. It's sophisticated yet unpretentious, and blissfully free of mass tourism.
Best Time to Visit
May to September for the best weather. The wine harvest in October is magical. Winter brings skiing in the Carnic Alps and the magic of Trieste's Christmas markets.
Local Tips
- Drink coffee like a Triestino.
Trieste has its own coffee vocabulary (a 'capo' is a macchiato). A local will take you through the historic literary cafés and explain why this port city is Italy's true coffee capital.
- Tour the Collio wine country.
The rolling hills along the Slovenian border produce extraordinary Friulano, Ribolla Gialla, and orange wines. A local knows the family cellars where you taste in someone's living room.
- Visit the border that isn't.
Gorizia and Nova Gorica share a square across the Italy-Slovenia border. A local can plan a cross-border day of Italian wine, Slovenian food, and a fascinating lesson in Cold War history.
Highlights
Meet the Local Experts
Your on-the-ground insiders. The ones who know the enduring favourites, the quiet corners and what’s worth your time.
Irene
Udine, Cividale del Friuli +5
My name is Irene, I have a master's degree in design but have been working in the restaurant industry for over 10 years. I'm half Slovenian, on my mother's side, while my father's work has allowed me to travel the world since I was little! I was born in Udine, in the heart of Friuli, but I've also lived in Berlin, Milan, and Modena. Yes, as a teenager, I wanted to escape my hometown because it felt too small, but as an adult, I wanted to return because I realized how special my entire region is, especially its borders! I have a special connection to Slovenia and consider Friuli a truly unique and strategic place for a wonderful vacation. My interests are varied: food, art, and the mountains are just the first that come to mind, and they're also the highlights of the area where I live! What I feel I can guarantee with my advice is definitely the authenticity of the experiences I offer! I'm also quite knowledgeable about western Sicily after almost 20 years of vacationing in Palermo.
Loris
Venice, Treviso +13
5.0(4)Hello fellow travellers! I’m Loris, experienced tour guide and travel designer from Bassano del Grappa, a small gem in northern Italy between the Dolomites and the Venetian plains. I’ve also spent several years in Treviso (the capital of Tiramisù) and Como, and these places are still my main reference when it comes to Italy: food, landscapes, and how locals actually move through them. Over the last years I’ve lived between a few European and Asian cities, but I keep coming back to Italy regularly and know it well beyond the typical highlights. I focus a lot on how places really work on the ground: where to stay depending on your vibe, how to avoid the obvious tourist traps, and how to stitch together experiences that actually feel like the place. I spend most of my time outdoors: sailing in the Mediterranean, diving, snowboarding in the Alps, hiking in the Dolomites; so trips I design tend to lean into an explorer vibe, surrounded by nature and hidden gems, and a bit off the usual routes. At the same time, I’m big on food, markets, and those simple local spots that end up being the best part of a trip. So, are you ready to pack your bags and embark on an incredible journey? Let's explore Italy together and create lasting memories, one meal and breathtaking landscape at a time!
Yelena
Trieste, Gorizia +1
I am Yelena, a guide in Trieste, Italy. I am in love with my job and my city and do not tolerate any hack work. I came to this profession with a lot of knowledge and great life experience, with desire and a burning look. And here is the paradox: I have liked it! I knew perfectly well that I could not live without traveling. I love Trieste very much and I want travelers to see this unique city through my eyes and fall in love with it.