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NewsItaly • 2013-12-03

Select the country and object's type Newsletter Friuli Venezia Giulia - november 2013

Julian Pre-Alps Natural Park: a top destination

The Julian Pre-Alps Natural Park is one of Italy’s top five destinations for accessible tourism. This recognition was awarded within the EDEN (European Destination of ExcelleNce) project, conceived by the European Commission to promote models of sustainable tourism development, whose theme in 2013 was accessibility as the aim to favour tourism for everyone. But there’s more: the Park’s geomorphological characteristics, for example, make it an ideal destination for ice climbers thanks to the presence of the spectacular Fontanone di Goriuda. In cold winters, this waterfall gets iced down to the base creating an incomparable vertical wall of ice having a width of about ten metres and a depth of two. The huge cave behind it allows to go round the iced flow and admire the waterfall and the valley from an unusual perspective. The fauna, too, is an extraordinary element that characterizes the Park: big carnivores, ungulates and some species of birds will be the protagonists of a Winter school for university students aimed at recognizing the signs of the presence of these animals. Furthermore, tours and snowshoe walks open to everyone to admire the snow-covered mountains, see the ibex in their courtship or the golden eagle in its nuptial parade, enjoy the Christmas atmosphere of the small villages with their markets.

The planned towns of the Bassa friulana area: the history of European town planning in a few kilometres

The history of Europe’s town planning in a few kilometres: the Bassa Friulana area preserves an incredible town-planning heritage consisting of the three towns founded in different ages, but all essential in European town development. The first is Aquileia, which was the ninth town of the Roman Empire and the fourth in Italy for population and importance, to the extent that it was provided with a theatre, an amphitheatre and a Circus Maximus, obviously in addition to the essential civilian structures. Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to the importance of its archaeological remains. Following its kardo maximus one will soon reach Palmanova, the fortress town built by the Republic of Venice in 1593, being inspired by the criteria of the ideal Renaissance town and by the military architecture models of that time. Palmanova, too, aspires to be listed as a UNESCO site, in the serial site dedicated to Venetian fortifications. Midway, by making a detour, you will get to the least known of the three towns, which however is of great interest for the history of European architecture and town planning: Torviscosa, which belongs to the group of the “planned towns”, settlements dating back to the 1930s and characterized by rationalist architecture. It was founded in 1938 by an important Italian company - SNIA Viscosa, from which its name derives - next to the new industrial plant for cellulose processing. Therefore, it is a “company town” that preserves its original structure according to which it was divided into functional areas: the working spaces, the civilian public spaces, the working-class village, the managers’ houses, the clerks’ houses, the leisure facilities.

As a whole, the three towns constitute an unusual and peculiar itinerary, which can be further enriched with some interesting examples of rural settlements of medieval origin in the surrounding territory, useful for a comparison between “spontaneous architecture” and “planned towns”.

The Paralympic Ski World Cup in Friuli Venezia Giulia, waiting for the 2017 World Championships

Friuli Venezia Giulia in 2014 will host two great international events for Paralympic athletes: in Piancavallo on 9th and 10th February there will be the IPC Alpine Skiing European Cup, while Tarvisio will host the finals of the IPC Alpine Skiing World Cup 2014 – 9th Memorial Hans Erlacher from 24th to 27th February. These two sporting events are part of a project, started in 2003, which will culminate in 2017 with the organization of the Paralympic Alpine Ski World Championships in Friuli Venezia Giulia.

Due to their technical characteristics and to the care with which they are tended, Friuli Venezia Giulia’s ski runs are considered by athletes and experts some of the best of the world, and now they are completely accessible as well. Champions and medal winning athletes are training on these ski runs also for the imminent Winter Paralympic Games, which will be held in Sochi, in Russia, in March 2014.

Sorgente di Laugiane Restaurant & Apartments, a novelty for the winter season in the Carnic Alps

Opened at the beginning of December, Sorgente di Laugiane Restaurant & Apartments is the great novelty for the winter season in the Carnic Alps. It is situated below the summit of mount Zoncolan, directly on the ski runs of one of Friuli Venezia Giulia’s winter sport areas. It can be easily reached by skiing, walking or snowshoeing, but for those who do not ski there is also a free snowcat or snowmobile shuttle service available at all times, as Sorgente di Laugiane welcomes its guests for elegant dinners and parties also after the ski lifts have closed.

Music, snow parties, dj sets, themed parties will enliven the stay of the guests at Sorgente di Laugiane, a young, dynamic and funny facility. Its charm is further enriched by the possibility to stay in one of its four wonderful apartments with elegant finishes and a luxury suite atmosphere, or to enjoy the pleasant experience of high-altitude wellness in the cosy, exclusive spa with sauna, steam bath, relaxation area, emotional shower, solarium.

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