Happy Birthday Grado! The bathing establishment of the Sunny Island is 120 years old

It is known as the “Sunny Island” or “Golden Island” because its three kilometres of beach are all to the south, always exposed to the sun, and also because, thanks to its peculiar microclimate, this resort is always sunny. But there are also other reasons for staying here: Grado is renowned for its air rich in iodine, for the properties of its thermal waters and for the beneficial effects of its sand; for its picturesque Venetian town centre, a maze of alleys (calli) and small squares (campi) enriched by Roman archaeological remains and by an early-Christian basilica; for its trattorie that offer the gastronomic specialities of the coast and the precious wines of the hinterland; for the events that enliven the summer season and that provide entertainment to everyone, youths, elderly people and families. Grado has an ancient and interesting history: born as “gradus”, that is to say, the harbour of the near Aquileia, some centuries later it gave shelter to the inhabitants of Aquileia who ran away from Attila, and afterwards it was under the influence of Venice, whose fate it followed. In the 19th century it passed under the rule of the Austrian Habsburgs, becoming their favourite holiday resort, and on 25th June 1892 Franz Joseph inaugurated the bathing establishment, which this year turns 120 years old.
Special events are scheduled to celebrate this anniversary, on the occasion of which the “Anno del bambino” (Children’s year) has been established as well: new playgrounds, reserved areas, reading and puppets, clowns and stilt walkers, sports and entertainment and much more to be enjoyed by children and their families all summer long. All this at special prices!

Historic castles in the hills exceptionally open to the public

The tourist offer of Friuli Venezia Giulia’s hills is enriched by a new opportunity: from April to October 2012 the historic castles of the territory will exceptionally be open to the public and can be visited thanks to the project “Strada dei castelli e dei sapori” (Road of castles and flavours). For the whole period, on Saturdays and Sundays at least one castle of the Friuli Collinare area will be open to the public with guided visits included in the price of the admission ticket. An excellent opportunity to discover the history and treasures of these castles being accompanied in the visit by experts who will reveal their hidden secrets. It will be possible to visit the Fortalice of Villalta and the Casaforte La Brunelde, walk on the walls of the castle of Cassacco or listen to the tales of the mysterious facts occurred at the castle of Arcano, be charmed by the beautiful landscape around the castle of Susans and admire the Tagliamento river from the rocky promontory on which the castle of Ragogna stands. And to make your day “tastier”, enjoy the San Daniele ham, the smoked trout and the Picolit and Ramandolo wines.
The Friuli Collinare area proposes castles and flavours, but also wonderful landscapes, history, culture and events. Bicycle or horse riding tours, golf, fishing and bird watching can be alternated with cultural visits to the museums dedicated to history and to the territory, to frescoed churches and even to the prestigious Guarneriana library in San Daniele, which preserves rare printed texts and precious illuminated manuscripts.

Sir Richard Francis Burton between Monfalcone and Persia – Part eighteen: famous authors in Friuli Venezia Giulia

The thermae of Monfalcone (Aquae Dei et vitae)
[Trieste, 1881]
At this stage my readers, perhaps, will be disposed to ask “And where may Monfalcone be?” – a legitimate curiosity which shall be satisfied by the inquirer being ciceroned from Trieste to “Falcon’s Mount”.

A great traveller and a man of culture, an orientalist and explorer who knew many languages and the British consul in Trieste from 1872 until his death in 1890: sir Richard Francis Burton was a really exceptional man. After many years spent on adventurous journeys and explorations, the last part of his life was relatively quiet and, for this reason, Burton could devote himself to writing, which was another of his passions. He lived for a while in Opicina, the hamlet of Trieste linked to the city by the famous panoramic tramway, which today is a tourist attraction: it seems that it was here that he found inspiration to translate The thousand nights and a night and other texts of Oriental literature. But, besides the translations of his favourite texts, he was also interested in the territory in which he lived, which he explored and studied leaving articles and short essays. Among them, one is dedicated to the spa of Monfalcone, a hot water spring that surfaces, from a remarkable depth, through Karst conduits. Used by the Romans, the thermae were situated in front of the Timavo sources, not far from Aquileia, and are mentioned in the famous Tabula Peutingeriana. They were used until the 20th century, although with interruptions and among various vicissitudes, and are currently being reclaimed with the realization of a new tourist, boating and spa facility.

Enjoy sports in Trieste

A full month, and even longer, among competitions, workshops, exhibitions and meetings dedicated to sport enthusiasts: great events are scheduled in Trieste in June for young and less young sportspeople, former sportspeople, supporters… in conclusion, for everyone!
Start on May 15 with the opening of the exhibition dedicated to Nereo Rocco, the football player and then coach from Trieste known as “el paròn” (the master) because of his apparently surly disposition and his habit to speak to his players always in Triestine dialect. “Nereo Rocco. La leggenda del paròn” (Nereo Rocco. The legend of the master) is the title of the exhibition, open until July 31 in the characteristic setting of Trieste’s Porto Vecchio (Old Harbour), where you will go through the life and career of this great athlete among articles, personal objects, photographs, but also period films made available by RAI, in a thrilling multimedia exhibition.
On 9th and 10th June there will be basketball: the NBA Schools Cup, a 3 vs. 3 tournament that is currently involving 75,000 students from 2,500 Italian schools, will end in Trieste with a two-day final. The event is promoted by the Agenzia TurismoFVG (Friuli Venezia Giulia’s Tourist Board) and organized directly by the Italian section of NBA and also includes various events that will take place in the wonderful Piazza Unità d’Italia, Italy’s largest square on the sea. There will be tournaments for children, for former basketball stars, for disabled people, free throw competitions and cheerleader performances during halftimes.
Finally, rugby, but this time for older players: between 14th and 18th June in Piazza Ponterosso, in the city centre, the eleventh EGOR, the over-35 European rugby festival, will take place; it started in the Netherlands in 1992 and, since then, it has been held once every two years in various European cities. Fifty teams and about 3000 players are expected in Trieste: they will be engaged in various non-competitive matches, because EGOR mainly focuses on the values of friendship and fun. Furthermore, there will be two workshops, a party, an exhibition and many tours to discover the territory.

Four-star Camping Village Pino Mare

The Village Pino Mare, a campsite of Lignano Riviera that provides four-star quality standards, has everything necessary for an unforgettable holiday with one’s family or friends, on a site or in a mobile home: situated in 150 hectares of rich vegetation, in the same pinewood that charmed Ernest Hemingway, it overlooks a private beach lapped by a calm and clean sea, which over the years has been awarded the Blue Flag many times. The richness of nature is respected by the attention to the environment: the campsite complies with the EMAS (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme) Regulations, employs technologies and systems for saving water and energy resources, manages correctly the waste produced, takes care of the green areas and of the beaches, keeps the bathrooms and the common facilities constantly clean.
The facility includes a large water park with water games and a solarium, a restaurant that offers fish specialities, many other common services (bar, pizzeria, self-service restaurant, supermarket, newspaper kiosk, Internet point, Wi-Fi Internet access). Several sports facilities: football pitches and tennis courts, table tennis tables, fitness area, playground for children. Days and nights at the campsite are rich in activities, music and entertainment on the beach and by the swimming pool, themed parties and events.