Friuli Dolomites: snow and traditions in Italy

Snow and wines, walkings and cooking: discovering Carnia and Friuli, a border land with a bursting nature. Here you can ride snowy mountains on a sleight pulled by dogs or rest in a hut to taste dishes of ancient and genuine flavors.

Snow and relax in fairy landscapes. Excursions on a sleight and walkings in the woods with snow-rackets. The most valuable wines of the region drunk in a hut, in a little old world inspiring authenticity and kindness. We are in Friuly in Italy and more precisely in Carnia, its Northern area on the border line with Austria and close to Slovenia. A land, also called "Green Alp", that offers the visitor a mix of ancient traditions and marvellous views.

Carnia is about 1.000 square meters large and lays close to the Natural Park of Friuli Dolomites. It includes five valleys: the main is the Tagliamento Valley, the others are Lumiei, Degano, Valcal and But. A small territory which can count upon a very rich natural patrimony: over 2.000 vegetal spieces (among them a thousand mushrooms and about fifty orchids) and many animals such as roebucks, marmots, chamois, deers, royal eagles and some bears who appeared again recenty after people thought they had disappeared from this environment. This area also offers ski resorts characterized by a family athmosphere, just as in Forni di Sopra. All this together with a valuable oengastronomic tradition: wines, cheese, cjarsons and the tasty Sauris hams.

Historical chief town of Carnia is Tolmezzo (about 10.000 inhabitants). It lays about 30 km from Udine in a wide dell at the confluence of But and Tagliamento. Framed by the peaks of Carnic Alps, Tolmezzo boasts a beautiful historical centre, hardly damaged by the earthquake in 1976 but accurately rebuilt in a few years.

Arta Terme is popular for its thermal waters, ideal to find a new form; in Paluzza you can visit the Territory Museum in the beautiful Torre Moscarda and the adjoining botanic garden; in the neighbouring hamlet Treppo Carnico you can see the Pinacoteca De Cillia, one of the most significant art and culture collections in Carnia. It was established in 1975 thanks to De Cillia's donation of 50 oil canvas by popular modern painters of Friuli Venezia Giulia. A gastronomic itinerary must include Sauris, where they produce a delicious ham with a typical sweet and slightly smoked flavor which is seasoned 12-16 months long. The geological Museum collects a patrimony unique in Europe which records the steps of a 400 million years evolution in the Carnic Alps.

Second as for importance is Forni di Sopra (20 km. far from Ampezzo), 900 m. height but real mountain resort. The houses are decorated with wall paintings and in village centre you can take lifts to the slopes where "malghe" and huts offer juicy mountain specialities. Queen of this district is Varmost, about 4 kilometers of sunny slope in front of Cimacuta mountain. And if you look for singular emotions you can practice sleddog: the typical dog-sleights of Northern countries: here there is a 15 km long slope, ideal both for beginners and for those who want to refine this technique.

Vacanze in montagna: le Dolomiti del Friuli tra neve e tradizioni

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