Nova Gorica – Gorizia City Walk

Thursday, 3 August -17.00 – 19.00

Saturday, 5 August – 09.00 – 11.00

Strolling through the host cities of the Congress, Nova Gorica in Slovenia and Gorizia in Italy, you will get to know the interesting history of this area and see the main attractions of both cities. While Gorizia can boast of long and rich history, old town centre and important historical buildings, Nova Gorica is famous for being the youngest Slovenian city designed only after the Second World War by foremost Slovenian post-war architects. Once divided by a border, the two cities will host a unique cross-border OIDFA Congress in 2023 and be the cross-border European Capital of Culture 2025.

Price per person: 10.00 € for minimum 15 pax

Vipavski Križ, Slovenia Thursday, 3 August, 2023 15.00 – 19.00

For this excursion we head out to the picturesque Vipava Valley. High mountains on one side, low vineyard slopes on the other mark this beautiful area, sometimes called Slovenian California due to the mild climate. Our focus will be on the hilltop town Vipavski Križ. Centuries of rich history are behind this town. ‘Small town with big stories’, they say. The town is divided into two parts: we will walk through a maze of narrow streets, where you can almost see into peoples’ kitchens and then walk to the ”administrative“ part, marked by a castle and Capuchin monastery, where we will visit the elaborate library with medieval books and manuscripts. The end of the visit of this picturesque town will be in a cool castle wine cellar, where we will sample one of the typical wines of the region – Zelen.

Price per person: 43.00 € for minimum 40 pax

Price per person: 50.00 € for minimum 30 pax

Price per person: 57.00 € for minimum 25 pax

Price includes: transportation from Nova Gorica pickup point, English speaking local guide, entrance to the monastery and wine tasting

Price excludes: personal expenses

Cividale del Friuli, Italy Friday, 4 August, 2023 15.00 – 19.00

After crossing the Slovenian-Italian border, we take a short drive through the Friuli Plain to reach the town of Cividale del Friuli. Located under the Alps on the banks of the Natisone River, the town has a rich trading history. Walking across Devil’s Bridge will take us into the old medieval town, with nice piazzas (squares), old osterias (inns) and of course, lots of old architecture. In the cathedral we will visit the Museum of Christianity and the Cathedral’s Treasury. We will learn about Langobards and see a collection of liturgical vestments, chasubles, which are decorated with lace and embroidery. After some free time for wandering around the town, we will return to Nova Gorica.

Price per person: 39.00 € for minimum 40 pax

Price per person: 47.00 € for minimum 30 pax

Price per person: 50.00 € for minimum 25 pax

Price includes: transportation from Nova Gorica pickup point, English speaking local guide, entrance to the Museum of Christianity and Cathedral’s Treasury

Price excludes: personal expenses

Gorizia, Italy  Saturday, 5 August, 2023 9.00 – 13.00

The city of Gorizia is technically the older sister of Nova Gorica, with only the state border dividing them. Now the border is not really there and ’old‘ Gorizia is just a stone’s throw away. We will start with a visit to the main square Piazza Vittoria, for which locals still use the name Travnik (Meadow), as it once was a meadow. The area is now marked with some of the main houses of the city, as well as the Cathedral. We will continue along Rastel Street, once the centre of trading in this border city. Above the city is Gorizia Castle, currently undergoing extensive renovations, but just beneath is the Fashion Museum with a rich collection of laces and other textiles from different styles and periods. Our final stop will be at the Palace Coronini Cronberg, which was the last home of Charles X, the last French Emperor. Now the palace boasts an amazing collection of interior designs and is surrounded with beautifully arranged gardens. Of course, special attention will be paid to the rich collection of lace.

Price per person: 49.00 € for minimum 40 pax

Price per person: 58.00 € for minimum 30 pax

Price per person: 62.00 € for minimum 25 pax

Price includes: transportation from Nova Gorica pickup point, English speaking local guide, entrance to the Fashion Museum and Palace Coronini Cronberg

Price excludes: personal expenses

Štanjel, Slovenia Sunday, 6 August, 2023 9.00 – 13.00

Staying in Slovenia we will visit one of the ’trademark‘ Karst towns, Štanjel. Looking from the top of the hill, this walled town offers a castle, old stone houses and the beautiful Ferrari Garden made by famous local architect and inventor Maks Fabiani. The town also offers art and historic exhibitions, including an exhibition about two lace tablecloths: the first one was made in 1920s for the Queen of Italy based on a lace pattern designed by Maks Fabiani, the second was made in 2017 as a homage to the famous architect, based on the lace pattern designed by Italian lace teacher and historian Rosita D’Ercoli. Štanjel, with its scenery and art collections, attracts tourists, newlyweds, and art lovers as it has so much to offer.

Price per person: 44.00 € for minimum 40 pax

Price per person: 53.00 € for minimum 30 pax

Price per person: 58.00 € for minimum 25 pax

Price includes: transportation from Nova Gorica pickup point, English speaking local guide, visit to Štanjel with exhibitions and the Ferrari Garden

Price excludes: personal expenses