Discover Italy: Great Travel Tips - Scenic Drives - Motorcycle Tours - Art Cities - Food & Wine

Aquileia is a beautiful town located in the province of Udine, in region Friuli Venezia Giulia. Built as an important Roman colony in 181 B.C., it boasts a long history and lots of artistic and architectural attractions, archeological sites, and ancient Roman-age streets and squares.

Do not miss the Roman ruins and the Paleo-Christian mosaics (pic n°6) in the breathtaking Basilica Santa Maria Assunta of Aquileia (pic n°4) or the many amazing castles scattered on the hills around Strassoldo.

But, this time, the main reason you are here is to discover the famous Aquileia Wine Road, a beautiful route that starts from Aquileia and crosses thirteen municipalities in the gentle plains, among them Cervignano del Friuli, Strassoldo, Palmanova till it reaches Clauliano, the last town of this wine road.

Around this route, there are centuries-old vineyards (pic n°1). Thanks to the close proximity to the Adriatic Sea and the excellent quality of the soil, this area has been dedicated to viticulture since the Roman Age, and this ancient tradition has survived until today.

The wines produced here have unique aromas and flavors. The most popular ones are Refosco, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malvasia Istriana, Riesling, Friulano, and Traminer, but several other red and white wines came from this territory (pic n°2).

Thanks to the many wineries, restaurants and holiday farms (kind of Rural Hotels with restaurant, called "Agriturismo" in Italian) along the road, you will be able to taste the unique cuisine of this region based on the local products and enjoy the many delicious wines.

This area is also famous for its jam, honey, different kinds of cheese, duck-based products, cold cuts, fruits and vegetables (peaches and white asparagus above all). So this wine tour is a perfect one for those who love nice and genuine food, excellent wines in an environment full of ancient history.