Friuli and Venice Adventure Tour
From hiking to paddle boarding, from cycling to cooking classes, discover the wonders of Friuli Venezia-Giulia in an unparalleled way.
June 15 - June 25, 2024
From June 15th to June 25th, we will dive into the most magnificent landscape traveling from the Adriatic Sea to the breathtaking Alps.
We will visit historic landmarks and learn about the different people that lived in this area, from the Romans, the Middle Ages, up to the Austrian-Hungarian empire just a little bit more than 100 years ago.
And of course, do not forget: this area is famous for some of the most amazing Italian wines, the diversity and variety of its very unique cuisine. We will visit several wineries and eat in very special places, those places that only the locals know.
We will land in Venice and then move to the places where I grew up, very near and dear to my heart.
I cannot wait to show you around!
Day 1: Venice
Arrival at Venice airport, boat transfer to your hotel. Meeting with our associate who will help you with the check-in operations at the hotel. Weather permitting, short walk in the centre, dinner and overnight stay.
Day 2: Venice's historic downtown
We will start the day with breakfast at the hotel and a full day dedicated to exploring the magical city of Venice, including the famous St. Mark's Basilica and Rialto bridge.
During our visit we will stop at a few Bacari, the typical Venetian bars where we will enjoy a few glasses of wine with a some typical snacks.
Return to the hotel at the end of the day to get ready for dinner at traditional Venetian style restaurant.
Day 3: The land of Prosecco
Breakfast, check-out of the rooms and transfer to the mainland where our coach will be waiting for us and will take us to Trieste.
Along the way, a stop on the Prosecco hills for a wine tasting in a local winery and a typical lunch over the famous hills of Prosecco.
After the stop, departure for Udine, we'll settle in our hotel, dinner and overnight stay.
Day 4: Udine- Tarvisio
Breakfast, check-out from the hotel and walk in the historic city centre. Lunch in a local restaurant and in the afternoon transfer by coach to Tarvisio, a renowned tourist center and the easternmost town in Friuli Venezia Giulia, on the border between Slovenia and Austria. Hotel accommodation, dinner and overnight stay.
Day 5: Tarvisio - Montasio - Fusine lakes
Breakfast at the hotel and departure by coach towards the valley of Montasio. Surrounded by the Julian Alps, it is a breathtaking window overlooking the majestic hills of Canin mountains. A magical place to regenerate in complete harmony with the most natural landscape.
For those who feel up for it (and weather permitting), there will be the possibility of a light hike of about 2 hours that will lead us to the Brazzà Mountain Refuge, where the view of the surrounding peaks will be even more magical.
Lunch in a mountain hub famous for the production of the famous Montasio cheese.
On the way back, we'll make a few stops to visit one of the most famous corners of this area of the region: the Fusine lakes, two mirrors of clear water at the base of a basin. Two basins of glacial origin, connected by an underground system of waters that turn into ice in winter in one of the coldest corners of Italy. Join your tour guide with a walk and time available for a coffee.
Return to hotel, dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Monte Lussari - Trieste
Breakfast at the hotel, check-out of the rooms.
Today we will take a ride up the mountain to reach one of the most exciting villages of the area: Lussari. Free time available to enjoy the splendid panorama and the atmosphere of this magical place.
Lunch in a typical tavern and afterwards descent to the valley and departure by coach towards Trieste.
Hotel accommodation, walk in the historic center with your guide and aperitivo in a historic tavern in the city centre.
Return to hotel, dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Trieste - Miramare
Breakfast at the hotel and morning dedicated to a guided tour of the historic city center. We will start from Borgo Teresiano, one of the oldest and most historic neighborhoods in the center of Trieste. It was built from an idea of Maria Theresa, first empress of Austria, around the middle of the 18th century. What was a new elegant district would then constitute the new hub of the city's trade and represents thanks to the orderly intersection of its orthogonal streets, one of the first examples of modern urban planning.
During our visit we will not miss a stop for a coffee, a true city ritual as Trieste has a long history of coffee roasters.
Lunch in the city and departure by private vehicle towards the famous Miramare Castle, perhaps one of the most immortalized locations in the entire region; built between 1856 and 1860 as a residence for Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian of Habsburg, later Emperor of Mexico, and his wife Charlotte of Belgium. The Archduke personally followed both the design of the residence and the layout of the vast park (over 55 acres), an English and Italian garden, full of rare plants, sculptures and ponds, which descends with large steps towards the sea . The interior consists of over 20 rooms: of particular value are the "Massimiliano Rooms", including the bedroom, furnished like a ship's cabin, and the "Throne Room". In the late afternoon free time and/or cooking class with Luca Manfè and dinner. Overnight at Hotel
Day 8: Paddle-boarding on the Adriatic Sea
Breakfast at the hotel and departure by private coach towards the splendid bay of Sistiana, where you will have the opportunity to have a unique experience to best savor the splendid Adriatic coast. Accompanied by a certified instructor, you will go on a StandUpPaddleboarding excursion, possible for all levels of experience.
In case of bad weather the SUP outing will be replaced with a light trek on the RILKE path, which overlooks the bay. Lunch on the Trieste's Carso area with tasting of local products and visit to the incredible giant cave.
Dinner and overnight stay in Trieste.
Day 9: Trieste – Collio - Gradisca
Breakfast in the hotel, check-out of the rooms and departure towards the Collio region to a local wine maker with visit of the winery, wine tasting and lunch. Afternoon we will stop at the best grappa distillery in the World: Nonino distillery. Visit followed by a grappa tasting.
We will then check-in at the hotel in Gradisca to the get ready for our fabulous dinner at 'The Cacciatore", a very famous restaurant with One coveted Michelin Star.
Day 10: Gradisca – Grado - Aquileia
Breakfast and departure for Aquileia, an important city of the Roman Empire and then the main center for the spread of Christianity in Northern and Eastern Europe. We will reach Aquileia from Grado, with a nice bike ride (e-bike) on the famous Apple-Adria bike trail that starts from Grado and goes North for almost 300 miles reaching the town of Salzburg in Austria. Our bike ride will be around one hour.
Aquileia represents an extraordinary opportunity for knowledge and offers an unforgettable visit experience. It has been a UNESCO site since 1998 due to the importance of its archaeological area and the beauty of the floor mosaics it houses. The most important mosaic treasured inside the Basilica dates back to the 4th century.
Lunch at a local winery. Weather permitting we will organize a charming picnic sitting between the vineyard's rows.
In the afternoon, return to Grado for a nice boat ride in the lagoon.
At the end return to Gradisca, dinner and overnight stay.
Day 11: Gradisca - Venice Airport
Breakfast at the hotel, check-out of rooms and transfer to Venice Marco Polo airport in time for your flight. We recommend departure after 11.00am to avoid a very early departure from the airport. Distance from Udine to Venice Airport is 1hour 20minutes.
Hotels
Venice: Hotel Papadopoli – A MGallery Collection ****
Udine: Astoria Hotel Udine ****
Tarvisio: Hotel il Cervo ****
Trieste: Doubletree by Hilton ****
Gradisca: Hotel Trieste ****
Participation fee:
$5,450.00 per person for a double room
Single travelers in single room $6,150.00
Minimum age required is 18 years old.
Fee includes:
- Overnights in 4 star hotels
- Transportation with private coach or boat as per schedule
- Meals as per schedule
- English speaking local tour guide
- Entrance fees
- Resort/travel taxes
- Luca's cooking class. Luca will also join every excursion with the group.
Fee doesn't include:
- Flight to Italy.
United offers nonstop flights to Venice from Newark.
Delta offers nonstop flights to Venice from JFK.
- Insurance
- Paperwork to enter the country
- Anything not included in the program
- Dinners on your own
- Extras
Reserve your spot
Terms of Payment
- Once the tour is confirmed, 30% of the total
- The balance is due 45 days prior departure date.
Cancellation policy
- Up to 60 days prior departure, 10% fee
- 59-45 days prior departure, 30% fee
- 44-21days prior departure, 70%
- 20- 10 days prior departure, 90%
- 9-0 days prior departure, 100%
Name change on the reservation
- free up to 15 days prior departure
- $50 fee after 15 days prior departure
Dietary resctrictions
The organization will undertake to guarantee the requested diet where possible if the same is reported at the time of booking and or no later than 45 days before departure.
Disclaimer
The tour was designed by Hub Viaggi (your tour operator) in exclusivity for Luca Manfè (your host). All reservations, accommodations and trip arrangements are through Hub Viaggi.
Read the General Conditions Contract