Italy’s tasty and tourist-free treat
SETTING off on my scooter, I’m more Mr Bean than Roman Holiday. But with no traffic to worry about, I stop wobbling and start enjoying the scenery.
This is the slice of Italy beyond Venice that few Britons know about. Which is a pity because the region of Friuli Venezia Giulia has lots to offer: cultured small cities, grand landscapes, welcoming people.
My first stop is the Collio wine region, close to the mountains and the border with Slovenia. A scooter comes in handy here, even if it does mean holding back on the wine-tasting.
In Cormòns, I’m lucky enough to taste some of the fabulous, herby prosciutto. Here, the hams are so famous, there’s a waiting list to buy one.
Luckily, I still have room for dinner at my guesthouse — Al Cjant del Rusignul, also a restaurant, with a mix of Mediter- ranean, Alpine and Slavic influences. Udine is the area’s second biggest city. It used to be ruled by Venice, and there are lions of St Mark — that city’s symbol — carved on palazzos, loggias and arch- ways. I spend hours pottering round the centre, with its cafe-lined squares, historic architecture, the odd canal.
The restaurants are refreshingly untouristy. Of the ones I visit, Ai Frati, a simple trattoria in a former friary, is a winner for cooking and atmosphere.
For a change of scene, hop on the train to Cividale del Friuli, to see the Lombard temple’s 1,300-year-old wall paintings.
My final outing is to Aquileia, one of the world’s largest cities in Roman times. Some of the best-preserved mosaics in Europe were found here 100 years ago.
It’s amazing they stayed hidden for so long — but then you could say the same about Friuli Venezia Giulia.