cividale del friuli

We liked the small narrow streets with their high quality shops and traditional architecture. All very clean and sparkling in the clear light. The situation on the river, with the vineyards and other cultivated areas, and the higher wooded slopes, allows good walks.

historical small town on the banks of the Natisone river the river is very clean and ok to swim in. some very nice places to eat and drink in Cividale

The word 'charming' seems to appear in most reviews of Cividale, but it is the appropriate word without a doubt. It is a really lovely town to stroll around, from the old town down to the bridge and back again. The cathedral square seems to be the real centre. We visited on a Sunday when people were gathering for family lunches and enjoying the place. But Cividale is really famous for its extraordinary history, going way back into periods of history that many of us (British and northern Europeans) are rather ignorant of. It repays greater study. Some of the museums present the story very well. We would love to have stayed a little longer in Cividale. It's a special place.

We enjoyed Cividale. We visited the Tempietto Longobardo,beautiful. Great scenery from the bridge. Duomo very nice. We liked the Museo Archeologico Nazionale a great deal. A nice town with shopping & restaurants.

Beautifull small town, very cosy and charming. To see: the old part with a medival monastery and il duomo.

This village is charming, cozy, with beautiful landscape and view. Nice option to spend a day walking around.

Touristic attractions on the road to Adriatic sea tasting vines and beauties of ancient middle age town

Lovely small town the old part being quite atmospheric. Not a huge amount to see. As one might expect parking limited

What a town full of old buildings and history. Certainly worth a walk if you get the chance and walk by the historic houses

I've been there with my boyfriend on a lazy Sunday afternoon. The weather wasn't too good to take a walk, clouds all over the sky, low temperature but I was still impressed by that nice town. The center of the town is really well preserved and it deserves a visit. You won't regret it. It's really quiet so don't expect chaos and nightlife but instead be prepared to choose among beautiful and intimate little squares surrounded by ancient buildings and paintings,castles like houses, monasteries and bridges. Local cuisine based restaurants are all over and small cafès are various. Try some of the specialties of the area (wines and food) and you won't be disappointed.

What drew us to this town while arcing around Trieste,was the great art treasures. Its 55 km north-west of Trieste, as the crow flies,a prosperous,sleepy,immensely pleasant - and rarely visited - city of Udine calles itself,with good reason, "The city of Tiepolo" The Duomo contains works by the venetian master,as does the nearby small Oratario della Purita,where the ceiling is decorated with his "Assumption". There was a wedding being prepared while we were visiting, which gave a quality of excitement to the classic paintings arrayed throughout. By far the most numerous and magnificent frescoes are in the Gallery del Tiepolo,a section of the museum Dioscesario in the palazzo Patriarcale which has an engaging collection of religious sculpture from the 13th-18th centuries. In the so called Red Room,you can almost watch him discover discovering the fun that can be had with perspective,trompe l'oeil,the viewer's position in relation to image. To see the frescoes in this setting is very different then viewing ,Tiepolo among the crowds in Venice. The privacy and quiet also made it possible to the rebel in me ,as we lay down flat on the stairs,looking up at the incredibly beautiful ceiling. The pace and prettiness of Udine,made me fantasise about living here,visiting the Tiepolos every now and then,and in the evenings going out to eat at the agritoursimo farm-inns that dot the Friulian countryside,cooking and serving up extraordinary meals. but if you are eager to see another major wonder of the world of art,less than an hour south - you can proceed to Aquileia.

Bring your camera. Don't overlook the bridge over the river and the monastery. Plenty of shopping. Eat lunch or dinner in the plaza.

Was here in June for the first time with my partner who grew up and has family here.It is a lovely small medieval town with cobble stone roads, medieval buildings, great food and friendly people. I was in love with the Natisone River, went swimming in it twice, wish I had more time along the river banks. The crystal clear green-blue water is mesmerising and refreshing, be warned that there is a strong current, so if you are not a strong swimmer don't go too deep, make sure you can still stand up. Check out the National Archeological Museum, lots of artifacts from Roman and medieval times. Would love to come back again.

I have visited this medieval town twice,first time was in Aug.,2012, a week before its popular Palio di San Donato day which we did not know about it, so we missed the event. This year while we took our vacation in Lignano beach resort town, we made sure not to miss it. The Palio di San Donato medieval event is always held the last weekend of August. It's a day trip from Lignano. Trenitalia does not run the service to there, but a private local train line Ferrovia Udine-Cividale operates train hourly between Udine and Cividale during the business hours. You buy ticket from the tobacco shop inside the Udine Train Station. This UNESCO world heritage site is a jewel in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, it has a long history of Roman Empire ruling and the connections with the Celtic and Jewish settlements. Unfortunately not too many travelers to Italy have paid visit to it. The most important site to visit is the 8th Century Lombard (Longobard) Temple http://www.tempiettolongobardo.it, located in the Monastero Santa Maria in valle, the reason for the town to be inscribed into UNESCO W.H site. Other landmarks are: the original medieval house; the Celtic Hypogeum (managed by the cafe/bar shop next to it, you mus ask for the key from the bar and 5 euros donation is suggested); the Devil's Bridge, spanned over Natisone River, earned its name from the local folklore,gives very nice views to the distant mountains ; the old Town Hall(now a restaurant) and Duomo. Cividale is small enough to visit by foot. The cobble stone roads winding around within the 5 borghi(medieval villages). The best thing to do is to let yourself get lost from one borgo to another. Each borgo has its own coat of arm, I particularly like the Borgo Brossana coat of arm banner with 3 pigs.

Cividale del Friuli or "Cividat" as it is locally called, is a small, ancient Longobard capital. Its cobblestone roads and small area make it a great place to spend a relaxing day in a historically rich setting. There are a number of quiet (non-touristy) piazzas to enjoy a local prosecco or Tocai Friuliano. Places to see include the museum, which is housed in the former Longobard castle, the ancient cathedral and of course the Ponte del Diavolo (Devil's Bridge). These attractions are all within a small walking distance. The culture, cuisine and wine are rich and honest. There is no pretension here. A local trattoria served us their own unlabelled Tocai Friulano, which rivaled if not surpassed any commercial brands. I could stay the entire day just sitting in a trattoria sipping wine and sampling various local culinary delights, such as "la gubana", a regional cake laced with grappa! On Saturday, we walked through the local street market. From Cividat, you are centred to explore the Collio wine region and other towns such as Gorizia and Cormons. Stock up on local private-label grappas and wines that you cannot find anywhere else. A perfect place to decompress from the rest of the world.