Sacile in the province of Pordenone was known at one time as the 'Giardino della Serenissima'. A place to relax, seek calm and simply wander aimlessly amidst the beautifully built palazzi, flowered streets and rich, green environment created by the Livenza river.

This period of splendour and culture flourished when the town was in Venetian hands in the 16th century. It lasted until Garibaldi's men hit the scene in the mid 1800's and was momentarily gone for ever during bitter fighting of the First World War.

The Piancavallo Cellina Livenza tourism authorities describes the town as being a series of small 'borghi'.

If you have a sail boat or a motor cruiser and are looking for a port in the Adriatic, then below is a definitive list of all the options available to you in Friuli Venezia Giulia.

There are 130 km of coast and berths for 15.000 craft in the most northernly zone of the Mediterranean sea.

Choose from the fabulous lagoons of Marano and Grado or the Roman town of Aquileia, declared “Patrimonio dell’Umanità” by UNESCO.

Also look out for the 'Barcolana', the traditional mid-October regatta appointment in the Gulf of Trieste where 2000 sail boats compete in this annual event. www.barcolana.it

A recent marketing hook used by the Trieste Tourism Promotion Board, 'Trieste Awaits You', rings truer than many.

Putting to one side the first 2000 years of its history, only the last 300 has seen Croats, Slovenians, Austrians, Hungarians, Dalmati, Albanians, Greeks and French all making their presence felt before the end of the First World War saw the city become part of Italy for the first time.

A lot of history is packed into the capital of the country's smallest province and the capital of the Friuli Venezia Giulia. But perhaps the most significant year of all was 1382.

Following a terrible siege and the subsequent War of Chioggia the city was left isolated and exposed to its Venetian neighbors. Despite pleas to many princes and nobles the elders had no choice. They pledged allegience to Duke Leopold of Austria.

The mountainous territory of Carnia is the part of Friuli which straddles the border between Austria and Slovenia. According to the local tourism authorities the territory offers a crowd free winter snow experience with low ski pass prices, guaranteed snow due to its unique geography and thermal baths to ease the muscles.

Have a ski preference? Here's a handy guide for mushers, downhillers and snow show ramblers.

DOWNHILL SKIING

The main centres are Forni di Sopra, Ravascletto and Sauris with the best runs stretching form Varmòst to Forni di Sopra and Zoncolan to Ravascletto. For beginners try the pistes of Sauris.

The curative effects of the waters of Arta Terme in the Carnia hills have been known for a very long time, but only in the last 150 years have they been commercialized. Officially, the waters are classed as 'minerale sulfuree fredde' which may mean the hot baths are very cold indeed.

Near to the town is Zuglio, or the ancient Roman colony of Forum Iulium Carnicum built in the 1st century AD. Not much more is known about its origins, but for sure the area acted as a forward camp for easy access to the northern Alps and the Austrian valleys offering a route east to Slovenia.

The ancient market of 'La Santa della Luce' or 'saint of the light' returns to the thermal town of Arta Terme in the Carnia hills every 26th December.

The Colli Orientali del Friuli or the eastern hills of Friuli are home to over 100 wine producing businesses and over 80,000 hectoliters of D.O.C. is produced from the region every year. How much is that. Well, an awful lot.

The carnival of Sauris in the mountainous Carnia territory of Friuli Venezia Giulia typically takes place in the second half of February. Sauris is, in fact, the highest town in the region and it is very cold at this time of the year. Perhaps that's why the original German inhabitants chose it as their new home from home.

The carnival is one of the oldest in the Alps and the language, traditions and architecture of this past are still present, not least in the name of the carnival 'Voshankh'. It is characterised with wooden masks and walks in the local forest with lanterns along snow filled paths.

A community of Slavs made their home in the Resia valley almost a thousand years ago. Despite the passing of the years the dialect of the area is still considered non-Fruilani and contains idioms and phrases not used elsewhere.

Without Aquileia there would be no Venice. The fall of the Roman Empire and the subsequent arrival of the Huns forced the citizens of Rome's second most important city to seek refuge in the lagoons.

This is the annual autumn appointment to encourage the public to discover the magnificent stately homes and gardens in Friuli Venezia Giulia. Normally taking place in the first week of October, the event is backed by the l Consorzio per la Salvaguardia dei Castelli Storici del Friuli Venezia Giulia.