The Central European charm envelops Gorizia, a border town, in the extreme northeastern part of Italy, where different ethnic groups and cultures meet, confront and blend seamlessly, naturally and always. At the time Gorizia was known as the “Austrian Nice”, a favorite destination for the upper middle class and not only for the Habsburgs; The city enjoyed a mild climate, offered a beauty of landscapes and gave a quiet and relaxed atmosphere that you could breathe while walking through the streets of its refined historic center, dotted with splendid green areas and flower gardens, public and private. Over time Gorizia has not lost this characteristic of a «garden city».
ITINERARY
You will be met at the airport and transferred to Gorizia or directly to the chosen residence, where you will check-in for the overnight stay. A glass of good Collio wine and a companion will be happy to welcome you and give you the first necessary suggestions. Whichever accommodation you have chosen, you will immediately breathe an air of great historicity that will make your stay in this borderland unique. You will have the opportunity to relax and freely view the Central European living room that is Gorizia by exploring the historic center along the recommended itinerary. This will be followed by a gourmet dinner in a restaurant in the charming Piazza S. Antonio located in the historic center of Gorizia. The square is bordered by the castle and the arcades of a 15th century Franciscan cloister.
Overnight.
After breakfast, you will meet your guide and explore the Castle and its village dating back to the 11th century. Among those who worked on the castle's defense structures was Edmond Halley, who discovered the famous comet that bears his name. A gentle walk from the Castle will lead you to the Duomo whose first written reference dates back to 1342 and then you will continue to via Rastello with its old shops. Finally, you will reach the magnificent Piazza Vittoria and a visit to the church of Sant’Ignazio will almost be mandatory with its wonderful decorative interiors in marble and carved with inlaid wooden furniture dating back to the seventeenth century. The church also preserves an altar designed in 1716 by the Venetian sculptor Lazzarini and an eighteenth-century fresco painted by Tausch on the pulpit entitled "Glory of Saint Ignatius".
Lunch break you will freely and at your discretion choose the place you most desire.
After lunch you will experience a special visit to the Coronini Cronberg Palace which today houses the homonymous foundation founded by its last owner, Count Guglielmo Coronini Cronberg (1905-1990). It is a historic building dating back to the end of the sixteenth century. The guide will accompany you through the fifteen rooms including the room where, in 1836, the last king of France Charles X of Bourbon died there. You will be taken back in time, thanks to the warm and evocative atmosphere of the rooms with sixteenth and seventeenth-century furnishings on the ground floor, the sumptuous eighteenth-century lounges, the imperial rooms and then the nineteenth-century furnishings of the century on the main floor. You will discover many works of art and precious objects as well as two busts by the German sculptor Franz Xaver Messerschmidt. The villa is surrounded by a wonderful five-hectare English park that can be visited.
After visiting Palazzo Coronini Cronberg, you will have the opportunity to relax, enjoying the parks of Gorizia or comfortably in your room in your residence. But in the evening for dinner, you will continue to live the Count's lifestyle by entering a charming and typical local restaurant and tasting a menu called “At the table with the Count”, specially prepared to make you live a unique experience of its kind. You will taste revisited ancient recipes, accompanied by local wines, in a rustic but sober atmosphere, served by very kind staff in typical Gorizia clothes from the early 1900s.
Overnight.
Breakfast
You will check out and you will be accompanied by your guide, with a very suggestive itinerary, on the Collio hills, to admire breathtaking views and you will observe hundreds of vineyards that cover these magnificent hills.
Along these roads you will arrive in Cormons, the heart of Collio. Here you will be welcomed at the Enoteca Consorzio Collio, guided by a local expert, you will discover some secrets of the tradition and history of Collio wines. You will undoubtedly have the opportunity to taste the wines and typical products of the Friulian peasant tradition. You will also have the opportunity to purchase some wines from the many varieties of Collio producers at the Enoteca recommended by the Enoteca staff.
Transfer to the airport.
