Friuli Venezia Giulia is one of the five autonomous regions of Italy, located in the northeast of the country and bordering Austria and Slovenia. Most of Friuli Venezia Giulia is composed by the historical region of Friuli, joined by a small portion of Venezia Giulia. The region features Slovene and German minorities, while Friuli has its own unique language, Friulian. This is due to its status as a melting pot of peoples and cultures as a border region connecting Italy to Central and Eastern Europe, a characteristic which dates back to the Roman age. Since the 15th century most of the region was ruled by Venice and was thus heavily influenced by Venetian culture. After a period of Austrian rule, Friuli joined Italy in 1866, while Venezia Giulia, including Istria, only became part of Italy after World War I. Most of Venezia Giulia was awarded to Yugoslavia after World War II, and so only the cities of Trieste and Gorizia stayed as Italian. Today Friuli Venezia Giulia offers a wide range of attractions to tourists, with the beautiful beaches and summer destinations of the region’s south contrasting with the snowy mountains and ski resorts to the north, and joined by various cities full of history, arts, and culture.
Destinations in Friuli Venezia Giulia
Province of Gorizia
Province of Pordenone
Province of Trieste