Trieste is the capitol cities, raised its popularity as “free port” in the Habsburgic Austrian Hungarian Empire between the 18th and 19th centuries become a multicultural city where Italian, Slovenian, Austrian, Hungarian, Yiddish, German and Greek could enjoy pleasant conversation in one of its elegant grand cafes. Places that brought inspiration to many Italian artist and internationals like Hemingway and Joyce. Today atmosphere would still let you taste that not so distant past.
The rest of the region will amaze you. Here you will find World Heritage sites like Auileia with its Villa Del Casale with 4th century mosaic in a 12th century Basilica, The Porto Fluviale and the museum. Follow your instinct and go for a stroll start by exploring the coastline from Duino to Sistiana, move along and be prepared to admire the sea from the top of the Carnic Alps starting from Sauris you will have a path that will bring you till the Dolomites where you can feed your hunger for winter games.
Al the cultures that met in this region could not confront also into the kitchen tradition. Friuli’s is a cuisine that not only tells the story of the land and the seasons, but also hundreds of years of shifting borders and cultural exchange. Deep and proud tradition for coffee, ham, cheese, wine, spirits, legumes soups sweets and much more. White wine is treated as a religion in here and seeps from a light wine for meal to strong distilled spirits called Grappa. San Daniele ham is one of the world most famous cured ham and Montasio cheese. The whole region will blow over for its production and by travelling here you will try it yourselves.
Apulia (or Puglia in Italian) has been recently elected the top “new” destination in Italy. It took a while for this southern region to gain one of the top spot as generally in Italy the key destinations only include Rome, Florence and Milan. But since the last 5 or 10 years what has changed, most of all, are the locals. People here realised that spreading the culture of your own land, not only enrich the individuals but would also represent an enormous potential of income for the country as such but also for the individuals. Just by applying the natural welcoming nature of the local people to some entrepreneurial spirit and that was it.
Your holiday here in Puglia can start by exploring the Salento region and enjoy the relaxing atmosphere of its many Italian best beeches. While there do not ignore your senses, and embark in journey that will bring you trough the stony olive groves that extend between dry-stone walls bordered with oleander.
Overlooked by the Gargano promontory from which it takes the name, the Gargano National Park will offer many stunning destination from the Tremiti Island to many natural cave passing trough many hiking, bicycle or horseback trail all surrounded by a beautiful crystal clear sea water of the Adriatic sea.
Last but not least you will have to visit the many cities and all of what they have to offer, Lecce with its distinctive baroque style is called the Florence of the south. Easternmost town Otranto. Characteristic and fairy-tale architecture in the UNESCO world heritage of Alberobello. The seaside town of Polignano. The beautiful maze like white city on a hilltop Ostuni. Or the another UNESCO site of the port of Brindisi.