Overview
The “city in the trenches” on the border between the Latin and Slavic worlds
A melting pot of Romance, Slavic and Germanic cultures on the border with Slovenia, Gorizia has several historical sites. We recommend visiting the Castle, an 11th-century fortification subsequently extended in the 17th century, and the Palazzo Coronini Cronberg in the town centre, in the old village of Grafenberg. Surrounded by a picturesque, romantic park, the building has 15 furnished rooms.
To understand the spirit of this “city in the trenches”, visit the Museum of the Great War of Gorizia, in the evocative basements of the 16th-century Dornberg and Tasso Houses. It offers an invaluable testimony to the war events of 1917, covering the defeat at Caporetto, the victory on the Piave and finally the Italian-Austrian armistice of 1918.
Three kilometres from the city is the Luciano Viatori botanical garden, also called the Azalea Garden, as 500 varieties of azaleas flourish there, alongside rhododendrons, rare roses, camellias and magnolias. The garden is easy to explore thanks to a well-designed system of paths and wooden walkways, for an enchanting hour-long walk. The ideal time to visit is in spring, between March and June, when the flowers bloom.
