Gorizia

Travel Guide

The surprise was the Sala della Musica (Music Room), a veritable treasure trove of historic musical instruments from woodwind to stringed going back to the 10th century. It was fascinating, not least of all to view a forerunner of the bagpipes that the Irish and Scots have claimed for decades. Their piece de resistance however, is a bone flute, claimed to be the oldest musical instrument in the world. They have a local musical group that plays, it must be something special, but we will never get to hear them.

A MUSICAL CASTLE
We’d checked the distance and the castle seemed achievable from our hotel. Well, Lorraine thought she could walk it, though I had my doubts if she’d survive the climb. Along the flats in the middle of town it was easy but then there came the hill and a statue of Carlo Michelstaedter, a radical Italian philosopher of Jewish extraction whose one and only work was conceived as an undergraduate thesis, but he never saw it in print because he committed suicide in 1910, aged 23.
We troll past a shop with exotic foodstuffs and can’t help but notice some bottled Buderim ginger featured in the window. Just below it was another sign on some wrapped lollies “senza zucchero zenzero AUSTRALIA”, which meant I could buy my sugar free dried ginger right here. It’s a small world.
It was slow and overly warm getting up from there but we took it easy and Castello di Gorizia came into view. Dating back to the 11th century it’s clearly the highest point for miles around.
The chapel-sized Church of Santo Spirito seems like a ticket office on the way to the main attraction. In a park on the opposite side of the road there’s a bust of Gabrielle D’Annunzio, a famous and prolific Italian writer and WWI hero who was hugely influential in the Fascist movement, inspiring Mussolini. He was noted for self-promotion.
From the 11th century Gorizia was an independent county until Austria took over in 1500 and it became a major cultural centre. It was only after the fallout from WWI, when it suffered badly, that it came to be in Italian hands. This once castle-of-the-counts has now been done up as a tourist attraction but it holds a surprise, at least for those of us who hadn’t done their homework properly.
The solid walls are much covered in plant life these days and the parapets are quite impressive from below and when you enter through the gateways the cobblestone walkways add an air of authenticity as you climb their steep angle. Only the base is original though. It went through many rebuilds from the 13th to 16th century and was bombed during WWI before being restored for the final time. The restoration is evident in the variance of the colours in the stonework.

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Things to do

Best Western Gorizia Palace Hotel

Corso Italia 63 Gorizia GO

Book a stay at this business-friendly hotel in Gorizia. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and breakfast (surcharge). Popular attractions Castle of Gorizia and Casino ...

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Grand Hotel Entourage Palazzo Strassoldo

Piazza S. Antonio, 2 Gorizia GO

Stay at this hotel in Gorizia. Enjoy free breakfast, free WiFi, and room service. Popular attractions Castle of Gorizia and Casino Fortuna are located ...

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Hotel Là di Moret

Via Tricesimo 276 Udine UD

Book a stay at this luxury hotel in Udine. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a full-service spa. Popular attractions Refoscollection - The Garden of Refosco ...

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La Finestra sul Corso Gorizia

Corso Italia 142 Gorizia GO

Stay at this aparthotel in Gorizia. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a garden. Popular attractions Castle of Gorizia and Casino Fortuna are located ...

Villaggio Residence Punta Spin

Via Monfalcone,10 Grado GO

Book a stay at this family-friendly campground in Grado. Enjoy 2 coffee shops/cafes, breakfast (surcharge), and parking (surcharge). Popular attractions Grado ...

Villaggio Cà Laguna

Via Monfalcone n. 6 Grado GO

Book a stay at this family-friendly campground in Grado. Enjoy free parking, an outdoor pool, and free water park access. Popular attractions Grado Golf Club ...

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Popular places to visit

Castle of Gorizia

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You can spend time studying the exhibits at Castle of Gorizia during your travels in Gorizia. Make time to visit the cathedral and casinos while you're in the area.

Cippo Granatieri di Sardegna

Find out about the history of Gorizia with a stop at Cippo Granatieri di Sardegna. Discover the area's countryside and casinos.

Church of St Ignatius of Loyola

Church of St Ignatius of Loyola is just one of the places to see in Gorizia, so why not enjoy the other things to explore during your travels? Make time to visit the cathedral and casinos while you're in the area.

Oslavia Military Memorial

Find out about the history of Oslavia with a stop at Oslavia Military Memorial. Make time to visit the casinos and cathedral while you're in the area.