yestravel

We will be spending 3-4 days at the end of April in BUTTRIO which is outside of Udine. We know about San Danielle ham, but what other great food items can u recommend? Any villages that we should try and see? Thanks

doodlebeh

Yestravel, we occasionally visit my father's family in Friuli (Buia), so I have some experience with that area.

The prosciutto from San Daniele is just amazing, but other regional specialties to try are Montasio cheese, speck (smoked prosciutto), Gubana easter bread, grappa, polenta, and of course the local wines.

Much of area north of Udine was destroyed in the devastating 1976 earthquake, but many of the towns were rebuilt in their original styles. Villages (that I am aware of) that have historical interest are Cividale, Castelmonte, Gemona and Venzone. To the south, Aquileia has some Roman ruins and a great basilica with a beautiful mosaic floor.

I'm not sure how the weather will be in the mountains at that time, but once you get past the industrial area along the autostrada, there are some lovely alpine villages west of Tolmezzo. The drive up to Sauris is fabulous. Sappada is also a great stop. Not much to do up there but hike and take in the beautiful scenery of the Dolomites. They do make their own beer and prosciutto in Sauris though!

If you have a car, I highly recommend going to Slovenia to visit the Postojna caves and Predjama castle. Be sure to take the tour of the caves below the castle foundations!

yestravel

Great information --thank you so much.

alohatoall

We had one of the most memorable meals of our lives at the Trattoria-Gostilna Devetak in San Michele del Carso, a small village close to the Italian-Slovenian border. It's a family-run place, and the food and hospitality were fantastic. I think the 2 most interesting towns, at least from a historical perspective, are probably Cividale and Aquileia. Have a great trip!

zeppole

You will probably find this interesting:

http://www.fodors.com/news/story_2870.html

yestravel

alohatoall, thank u, very excited to discover a new region of Italy. we'll see if we can find the Tratorria and add the towns to our list.

zeppole, thanks, I had uncovered that article...perhaps u mentioned it earlier when I began researching the trip

doodlebeh

That's so funny that Lidia Bastianich mentions Sauris in that article. It's such a tiny little place in the middle of nowhere. As it turns out, I've eaten the local speck at Locanda alla Pace... superb of course. I've been wanting to go to their annual prosciutto festival in July for years. Some day [sigh].

yestravel

We just returned from our trip to N Italy and I wanted to thank u all for the suggestions u gave for this area. We loved it! We stayed outside Udine and visited Cividale, Castelmonte, Gemona, Venzone and Aquileia. Especially loved Cividale, but they were all great to explore. The Gubana bread was to die for -- like I needed more good italian food to discover... Enjoyed a day in Udine, nice town.

In our drive to Cortina we did stop in Sappada, but ended up missing Sauris. As metnioned the villages West of Tolmezzo were really nice.

We decided against going to Slovenia because of the need to buy the "pass" to drive there. Too much money for a day in Slovenia.

ekscrunchy

Please give us a report with lots of food detail; we get such limited info on this region.

yestravel

We did take notes this trip (mostly food stuff), so hopefully we'll pull something together to share the info. I cant recommend the area enough--just lovely.

zeppole

I'm less interested in the food than your impressions, including hazy memories, and whether your winged it or what. You'll be a real pioneer for giving us more info.

yestravel

I did post some info on what we saw and what we ate on a separate thread, TR, A Few days in the Udine area.

zeppole

thanks! I'll check it out. I didn't mean to sound like I wasn't at all interested in what you ate, but I think when I go that area I will try to find a place where I can book half-board and eat at the same hotel or agriturismo every night. But I'm interested in the adventure of going off the beaten track, plus the artistic and architectural standouts. Thanks!

yestravel

zeppole, have u been to Trento? I reallly liked the city and the architecture there. It has a beautiful piazza with a striking fountain with Neptune spouting in the center, nice duomo and the Castello del Buonconsiglio was interesting to visit also. There is also a street off the Plaza, Via Belenzani I belive, that had palatial Renaissance buildings - frescos on the walls and all. Another place a bit off the beaten track that we really liked.

zeppole

No I haven't been to Trento and if I don't go soon, a friend of mine has threatened to stop speaking to me!

I moved to Italy thinking it would be easier to see everything -- and the list only grows!

I've got major ambitions to tour much of off-the-beaten-track northeastern Italy, as well as all of Sardengna plus the Sicilian Islands, and then I also want to spend a few weeks in the Latium, and heading down to Paestum.

But first, I am committed to spending huge chunks of this fall/winter touring Emilia-Romagna, after a summer of fun in Liguria, going places nobody but Ligurians ever heard of.