Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway: Udine

From the heights of the snowcapped Dolomites to the verdant Valle del Cibo, I recently had the delicious pleasure of visiting a number of the finest food and drink producers in northern Italy, taking in lots of pretty countryside along the way and getting to known some of the friendliest people I’ve ever met.

My journey’s initial dash through the Dolomites eventually led to a couple of days staying put in one place long enough to stretch my legs and catch my breath. The compact and cosy town of Udine turned out to be a lovely place to do both!

After getting my fill of San Daniele delights, I headed about 20 kilometers over to Udine for a couple of days checking out it and its pastoral surroundings. Udine is the hub and historical capital of the small Friuli Veneza Giulia province of the same name. With a sizeable university, it’s a lively setting with an interesting mix of people and pretty decent nightlife. If you’ve been to your share of checklist-y must-see Italian destinations (such as … oh let’s say … Florence) or you simply get a kick out of veering from the beaten path in an attempt to see what real life in a foreign country is like then Udine is a brilliant town to keep in mind.

Friulguide

I spent a morning touring Udine with professional Friulguide guide, Giovanna Stringher. Her English was great, her manner was friendly and polite, and her knowledge of the city from a long time local perspective and from a studied historical one was impressive. Granted I knew little about Udine to begin with, Giovanna nonetheless was able to teach me all sorts of fascinating things. Over the course of our morning she was able to connect the dots from prehistoric to Celtic to Roman to Venetian … to modern day Udine without ever once coming across as dry or textbook-y.

Giovanna showed me such lovely churches and frescos as well as wonderfully panoramic views of the Dolomites. She turned me on to the works of Tiepolo, the city’s lovely chapel of St Nicholas (now the Museo del Duomo di Udine) and its charming and rather surreal frescos depicting the miracles of St Nicholas, and introduced me to the regional tradition of having a tajut (a “cut” glass of wine).

Whether you go with a guide or not, do not miss a chance to admire Udine’s cathedrals and (even more so) its Museo del Duomo.

To find out more about Giovanna’s tours and her “gruppo guide turistiche autorizzate” go to turismofvg.it/code/28597/Friulguide.

Eat

I’m pleased to report you can eat and drink well in Udine. From the few eateries I visited, I got the impression the dining scene here is a bit more laid back than in many Italian cities. But – do not fear – they take their cuisine just as seriously as anywhere. The food in this northern nook of the country is hearty and rustic (think polenta more than pasta) and the wines are of exceptional quality – especially the local speciality, Friulano, from the rolling hills of nearby Collio Gorizia. I loved the two dinners and one lunch I had while in Udine.

Here are a few quick notes about them.

Ai Frati: A great old (and by old I mean ancient) trattoria with an open hearth at its centre, a causal vibe round the downstairs bar and more formal seating in the upstairs dining room, Ai Frati serves traditional Friuliano dishes such as frico and an excellent assortment of local wines. trattoriaaifrati.it

Osteria Pieri Mortadele: Super chilled out with a bit of a rock ‘n’ attitude, I had a lot of fun at Pieri Mortadele. But there was no goofing around when it came to ordering a great wine or a massive plate of charcuterie. Home of the most massive ball of mortadella I’ve ever seen (it was literary the size of a grown man) I could see myself hanging out at this friendly osteria all the time if I lived in Udine. pierimortadele.com

Hosteria Alla Tavernetta: A rather more upscale and refined take on Friulano cuisine is on offer here, along with plenty of modern European dishes and steaks as well. Judging from the other diners there during my Wednesday night visit, this seems to be the place to go in Udine for birthday celebrations, romantic interludes, wowing clients from out of town and any assortment of special occasions deserving an elegant setting and a nice meal. allatavernetta.com

Stay

I stayed two nights at the three star Ambassador Palace hotel near the city centre. My bed was mega comfortable – firm and large. Maybe it was exhaustion from all the road travel or maybe it was all the fantastic local wine I was trying while in Udine, but it’s worth noting I slept straight through to morning without waking both nights I was there – something I rarely do especially when I’m on the road. Breakfast was plentiful and decent. I was able to walk everywhere I wanted to go in town. Clerks were polite and friendly. WiFi was free.

Find out more at ambassadorpalacehotel.it.

For more about Udine and other Friuli Venezia Giulia destinations go to turismofvg.it.

I would like to thank the fine folks at boutique digital agency, The 7th Chamber, for helping sponsor this trip.