Friuli Venezia Giulia

Located between Central Europe and the Mediterranean, just a few hours from Venice, Borgo Eibn Mountain Lodge is located in Friuli Venezia Giulia, in Italy’s far northeast. Austria and Slovenia are bordering neighbours, and the region offers travellers alpine mountains courtesy of the Dolomites, the Carnic and the Julian Alps, windswept contours of the Carso plateau and pristine Adriatic coastlines. 

Ski, beach life, wilderness and urban hubs traverse these lands which take in the four provinces; Trieste, Gorizia, Pordenone and Udine. Trieste is the capital dusted in former Habsburg splendour and known as the ‘little Vienna on the coast’, Gorizia in the north is filled with Slavic heritage of medieval castles and aristo heritage in places like Cividade del Friul. Udine is more at home in Venetian grandeur and another cultural anchor of its past it the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the archaeological and cathedral of the ancient Roman city of Aquileia. Friuli Venezia Giulia is a serious wine region, home to some 35 white wine varieties including Friulano, Ribolla Gialla and Malvasia, as well as air-cured raw ham from San Daniele and home to the Italian coffee guru, Illy Caffe, founder Ernesto Illy. There is a measured spoon of cultural romantism associated with Friuli Venezia Giulia, a place where the ancient tongue of Friulano can often be heard on the streets. It is here that writers Hemingway, Rilke and Joyce all found inspiration from the mountains to the coastline – creativity most probably helped by the region’s legendary grappa production.