Day Trip in Friuli, Northern Italy

This morning I left from Brazzano, close to Cividale de Friuli located on the foothills of the Julian Alps towards the north on ss13 passing sleepy historic villages and Tarcento to reach Tolmezzo before heading north on ss355 into the Karnik Alps of Friuli. At the village of Ovaro I turned to the west on ss465 into the picturesque and very curvy Val de Pesarina to reach the Ciampigotto Pass and stunning eastern Dolomites. Whow !. What a road, what a view. Whow.

At the village of Vigo I turned south a little before heading back east on ss52 passing over the Mauria Pass following the Can de Soccieve mountain range, through the beautiful valley till the village of Medis turning south onto seemingly endless hairpin switchbacks on a narrow one lane road what is ss552 leading up to and beyond the Rest Pass passing by Tramoni Dam lake with its very large hydro electric plant. Awesome and tight road with 1st gear swichbacks. Watch out for gravel and oncoming traffic. Thankfully no trucks, RV's of busses allowed on this tight stretch of road.

At Medono the Karnik Alps finally come to an end and the ride is continueing through a flatter although rolling hill landscape passing through Medono and Spilimbergo on ss463 I ride on to San Daniele with its historic city center that invites for a stroll around.

From here on out its almost flat but one historic village comes after another, such beauty along ss51 and ss15 finally arriving back in wine country near the Slovenian border riding through sweeping hills with small wineries, picturesque villages, old churches and little Castles at almost every corner. Before reaching historic Chividale de Friuli and Brazano I take a detour into Slovenia near historic Dobrovo to fill up on gasoline as it is way, way cheaper in Slovenia than it is in Italy. The whole day was around 340 km and 6 1/2 hours almost continous riding.

I placed some images onto my #knorkemopete instagram account.

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www.andreaswmatthes.com living in Friuli, Northern Italy