GORIZIA
TIP
The local wines, Collio and San Floriano, are well known and worth trying. Some wineries are open for wine tasting since they used to do that before it became fashionable. The winery of San Floriano, a few kilometers out of the town, was one of them.
OTHER DAY TRIPS
Aquileia
Miramare
Palmanova
Trieste
Venezia (Venice)
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Cultures converge
Most of the city lies within Italian territory, and a small section is in Slovenia, which was the northernmost part of Yugoslavia. For a long time, Gorizia was under Austrian rule, but it always had a heavily Slavic (mainly Slovenian and Croatian) population. Up to this day, road signs are in Italian and Slovenian. At the time of World War I, the inhabitants of this region wanted to join the rest of Italy. They saw the war as their chance and the whole area was the theater of heavy fighting for four years. Some of the major sites of this war lie in or around Gorizia. Some trenches are still visible and 100,000 soldiers are buried in the cemetery of Redipuglia alone.
The city
The medieval castle (open to the public), the Gothic chapel of Santo Spirito and the ancient “borgo” (quarter) leading up to the castle constitute the original nucleus of the city. From the rampart of the castle there is a nice view of the hills around Gorizia. Many of those hills, of course, are not in Italy. In the center of the town is the Baroque church of Sant' Ignazio.
The castle
Sitting on a hill high above Gorizia is the city’s famous castle. In fact, the word “Gorica” means high ground. It’s a steep walk to each the castle doors. Once inside, you enter a medieval world where weaponry rule the day. Its furnishings, much like its history, span through the Renaissance with a collection of paintings, furniture and arms. But the real draw here is in the architecture.
The cuisine
The local cuisine shows Austrian influence, especially when it comes to the desserts. The local "potizza" is similar to gubana or strudel. The locals eat sausages, potatoes and fava beans, but fewer and fewer restaurants feature them.
Getting there
Gorizia is best reached by APT buses from the Grado bus station. If you drive, go through Monfalcone. But make sure you bring your passport. It’s easier than you may think to find yourself at the border.
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