Things we did in Udine Italy

Manhole Udine Italy
Manhole Udine, Italy. Photo by Chili.

Things we did in Udine, Italy | Udine was that one stop between Hermagor in Austria and Trieste in the very east of Northern Italy, we planned in advance. Although the city never ranked high on our do-to-list, we did not regret to stop by for a few hours.

Legend has it that Attila – the leader of the Huns – built a artificial hill when besieging Aquileia around about 500 A.D. Attila must have instructed his troops to bring soil in their helmets in order to establish a hill, because the landscape was obviously too flat. He erected an observation tower on top of this hill, which is now the Castle spot.

Things we did in Udine

Archade Udine Castle
Things we did in Udine. Archade leading to Udine Castle. Photo by Chili, model is La Chirp.

Of course we had to take a walk up to Il Castell di Udine – a castle built in the 15th century and located right in the center of Udine’s old town.

Other landmarks you certainly can’t miss: the Piazza della Liberta. This square is Italy at its purest. It kept us busy snapping snaps, led by Loggia del Lionello. The building is a fine example of Venetian Gothic architecture. It reminded us of similar buildings in Florence (Loggia dei Lanzi) and Munich (Feldherrnhalle). We also said ‘Hello’ to Hercules, the Statue of Peace, the Statue of Justice and to the Lion of St. Mark.

Udine Piazza del Liberta
Udine Piazza del Liberta. Photo by Chili.
Statue of Peace Piazza del Liberta Udine
Statue of Peace, Piazza del Liberta, Udine. Photo by Chili.

Then there was Udine Cathedral – an impressive church, located at Piazza del Duomo. This structure is packed with gorgeous artwork, inside and outside. The catholic cathedral has been standing strong and almost unchanged since its construction in the late 12th century. Inside the Baptistery of the cathedral there is a small museum dedicated to the history of Udine in general and the Duomo in particular.

Next stop: Piazza Matteotti (and its Church ‘Chiesa di San Giacomo’). Besides Piazza della Liberta this is the other main town square you should not miss. For us, similarities with piazzas in Florence or Verona were striking.

Caffe Diemme

We did refuel at the Caffe Diemme on Via Rialto 2. Veeery nice place. Old but also kind of hip. They served yummi salad and coffee. The interior is super nice. We didn’t want to move anymore once we settled at our table.

Caffe Diemme Via Rialto
La Chirp at the Caffe Diemme, Via Rialto 2. Photo by Chili.

This year’s visit to Udine was not our first appearance in Italy. Check out our articles from previous journeys to this incredible country ->

Venice on a Budget

Florence on a Budget

Verona not yet crushed by tourists

Agriturismo Terra Rossa, Pistoia

Disappointing Travel Destination: Naples, Italy

Underwater Veggies in Noli’s Bay

Top 10 Cities of the Year (including Venice, Florence, Rome)

Book a property Italy
Book a property in Italy here.

Things we did in Udine, Italy | By Chili and Chirp | © International Destinations | Visit our Travel Alphabet.