Cividale del Friuli
A UNESCO World Heritage town with extraordinary Lombard heritage and a dramatic river gorge.
About Cividale del Friuli
Cividale del Friuli is a small town with an outsized historical importance. Founded by Julius Caesar as Forum Iulii (giving the entire Friuli region its name), it later became the capital of the first Lombard duchy in Italy. The Tempietto Longobardo—a tiny 8th-century chapel with haunting stucco figures—is one of the most important early medieval monuments in Europe and earned the town UNESCO status. The town sits on a dramatic gorge of the Natisone River, spanned by the Devil's Bridge, and its streets are lined with medieval and Renaissance buildings. The surrounding hills produce excellent Schioppettino and Refosco wines.
Best Time to Visit
April to October. The Mittelfest performing arts festival in July brings international acts to atmospheric venues. Autumn is ideal for wine touring in the surrounding Colli Orientali.
Local Tips
- See the Tempietto Longobardo.
This tiny chapel holds stucco figures from the 8th century that are hauntingly beautiful. A local can explain why this modest room is one of the most significant early medieval artworks in existence.
- Cross the Devil's Bridge.
The iconic stone bridge over the deep Natisone gorge is Cividale's most photographed spot. A local knows the path down to the river for swimming in the emerald pools beneath the bridge.
- Taste Schioppettino wine.
This rare indigenous grape was nearly extinct before local producers revived it. A local can arrange tastings at the small vineyards in the hills above Cividale where this peppery red wine is making a comeback.