A family of 4 – 2 parents and their children aged 13 and 15 respectively – planned a road trip to northeastern Italy – more specifically Friuli Venezia Giulia, i.e, a beautiful off-the-beaten-path region located at the border with Slovenia and Austria.
The call
Anastasia contacted us at the agreed time − we had reserved a time slot on the website − and asked us several relevant questions about our needs and interests. In about 20 minutes, we created together our bespoke holiday in Friuli Venezia Giulia.
We explained that Italy was one of our favourite holiday destinations. We had already explored most of it and wanted to discover something new, authentic and away from the hordes of tourists. Anastasia gave us a presentation of Friuli Venezia Giulia – i.e., a secret region located at the border with Slovenia with a turbulent past and effervescent present. We thought it would be an ideal destination.
We wanted a mixture of culture, nature and relaxation. The best would be to spend a part of our journey visiting beautiful cities and historic landmarks, some time by the sea, and the rest of our holiday in the mountains.
Concerning the lodging, we preferred staying at small family-run hotels and cosy guesthouses. Booking one double room for us and one twin room for the kids would be ideal. We would also need to rent a car to get around.
Anastasia took note of all our preferences. She also suggested a few additional activities like guided city tours, touring a prosciutteria in San Daniele and tasting one of the best prosciutti in the world, and also kayaking in Sacile, the so-called “Garden of the Serenissima”.
The reservation
Anastasia emailed us a detailed description of our tailor-made itinerary and a quote the following week. It included all the elements we discussed and agreed upon during our call. She also sent us useful advice concerning flight options from the UK to northeastern Italy.
As a result, we approved and signed the quote document electronically. We also paid a deposit. As soon as we booked our flight tickets, we forwarded the details to Anastasia so that he could arrange a smooth car hire at the airport. We were looking forward to our holidays in northern Italy!
Panoramic aerial view of Trieste, Friuli Venezia Giulia
The preparations
Two weeks before departure, we received a personalised road book setting out our comprehensive itinerary. It also included among other things additional stops along the route that we could enjoy, travel advice, recommendations for local restaurants, and local culinary delights.
Thanks to a specific reference number sent by Velstana, it was also available on the internet and on an easy-to-use app – that can also be used in offline mode – that we could download for free on our iOS and Android devices.
Family Holiday in Friuli Venezia Giulia
Trip details
Day
1
Arrival in Northern Italy
We landed at Marco Polo Airport in Venice in the early afternoon. We picked up the rental car that Velstana booked and prepaid for us. We headed towards the off-the-beaten-path region of Friuli-Venezia-Giulia. After a 45-minute drive, we arrived in the gorgeous town of Sacile, dubbed the “Garden of the Serenissima”. Sacile looked a lot like Venice but there were much fewer tourists. Velstana arranged for us a guided tour and this was a great idea! Afterwards, we had a delicious dinner with a beautiful view of a canal. We spend the night in a small boutique hotel situated in the centre of Sacile.Read moreHide
Day
2
Pordenone and tasting of the best prosciutto in the world
After a hearty Italian breakfast, we left Sacile behind and made our way towards another lovely town called Pordenone. We had not heard anything about this place before but it turned out to be one of the most beautiful medieval towns in Italy! We spent all morning strolling the narrow streets while admiring the local architecture. After lunch, we departed for San Daniele, a small town that gained world fame thanks to its unique prosciutto. Thanks to its location, it benefits from a unique microclimate, i.e., where the warm and salty breezes from the Adriatic Sea meet the cold winds that descend from the Alps. This phenomenon contributes significantly to the unrepeatable taste of prosciutto. Velstana booked us a prosciutteria tour and ham tasting. The whole family enjoyed this experience a lot! We stayed overnight in a cosy guesthouse located not far away from San Daniele.Read moreHide
Day
3
Two gems of FVG: Cividale and Udine
We woke up early and hit the road right after breakfast. That day we had two beautiful towns to explore. First, we visited Cividale del Friuli – a small but gorgeous town. In the afternoon, we went to Udine, a larger town which was akin to Venice but without the canals! We spent the rest of the day discovering all the wonders of its historic centre.
Day
4
The capital city, Trieste, and a gigantic cave
We departed for Trieste, the main city of Friuli Venezia Giulia and one of the two most important ports in Italy. The city was stunning! Trieste lies at the intersection of Latin, Slavic and Germanic cultures. It is a place where Central Europe meets the Adriatic Sea. It is a truly underrated gem! We had a 2-hour private guided tour that enabled us to get to know the history of this place much better. After the tour, we enjoyed a cup of delicious coffee in one of the numerous cosy cafes. Coffee has always played a significant role in the identity of the city. Subsequently, we explored Grotta Gigante, i.e., an enormous cave. Our children - and even us - were all so impressed by those incredible views! Nature is the most peculiar architect.Read moreHide
Day
5
Exploring the surroundings of Trieste
That was our second day in Trieste. We followed Velstana’s recommendations found in our personalised road book and explored the surrounding area. Not far from Trieste, we visited the stunning Miramare castle. The castle used to be a summer residence of famous Empress Sissi, Elizabeth of Austria. What a magical place by the sea! We also went for a gentle scenic walk on the Rilke Trail along the Adriatic coastline. The views were gorgeous. We spent the rest of the day unwinding at a cove recommended by Velstana in our road book.
Day
6
Grado
We headed towards another coastal town, namely Grado. We fell in love with this place as soon as we arrived! We spent a couple of hours exploring the beautiful historic centre and then relaxed on a sandy beach lapped by the warm Adriatic Sea for the rest of the day.
Day
7
Boat excursion and unique archaeological site
In the morning, we had a motorboat excursion in Grado's lagoon, which we enjoyed a lot. It was a very nice way to discover Grado and its islets from a different perspective and watch numerous birds inhabiting the lagoon. In the afternoon, we went to Aquileia, once a prosperous Roman city and today a crucial place from an archaeological point of view.
Day
8
Exploring the mountain
We stayed all morning long at the beach of Grado for swimming, snorkelling and sunbathing. Aftewards, we left the coastline behind and headed towards the mountains of Friuli Venezia Giulia, and more specifically the town of Tarvisio. In our roadbook – that by that time had become our best friend – we found many exciting things to do and sights to see. We started with one of the most iconic places in the region, discovering Mount Lussari. It is a very special place as it is home to a sanctuary of the Virgin Mary. For centuries it has been a destination for pilgrimages of Italian, Slavic and German believers. And the views from the mount were amazing!Read moreHide
Day
9
Hiking day
In our roadbook, we found several recommendations for hiking and walking trails in the region. We chose to go to Fusine Lake. The place turned out to be incredibly beautiful, just like in a postcard! We spent most of the day there. We came back to Tarvisio where we had a delicious traditional dinner for our last evening in Friuli Venezia Giulia.
Day
10
Time to go back
Time flies when you are having fun! That was already the last day of our amazing holiday. On our way back to Venice Airport, we stopped in Palmanova. The town was a star-shaped Venetian utopia built in the 16th century. The idea was to construct an ideal city. It was a curious experience to walk along the star-shaped walls and to stroll the narrow streets of Palmanova. We made our way to the airport where we returned the rental car and caught our flight. We were looking forward to new memorable adventures with Velstana!Read moreHide
Pricing and services for this family holiday: € 995 per person
Included:
3- and 4-star hotel accommodation or at cosy guest houses – 2 rooms or 1 big family room
Breakfast included
Car rental for 9 days, including third-party liability insurance and standard coverage in case of damages and theft (CDW and TP)
Private guided tour of Sacile on day 1
Private guided tour of Trieste on day 4
Boat excursion for 4 people on day 7
Prosciutteria tour and ham tasting for 4 people on day 2
1 unique, personalised roadbook setting out all your trip information including a detailed description of the day-to-day itinerary, suggested stops along the route, suggestions for hiking and walking routes, insider tips, practical advice, suggestions for local restaurants, traditional food to try, etc.
Excluded:
Flight tickets
Car fuel and security deposit
Some locally payable car-rental-related charges, including optional excess reduction
Meals, other than those listed as included in your itinerary
Entrance charges and costs, when you are exploring at a leisure
Personal expenses
Travel insurance
The abovementioned sample prices are for guidance only and are not binding. The total cost of your holiday will depend on a number of factors, including time of year of travel and choice of accommodation and transport. The actual cost of your holiday is as set out in the Booking Confirmation.
