This year Gorizia in Italy and its Slovenian twin, Nova Gorica, share the unique honour of being the first-ever cross-border European Capital of Culture.
A year-end gastronomic festival
Under the slogan “GO! Borderless,” the two cities celebrate cultural unity with more than 400 events, from concerts and art installations to culinary festivals and open-air performances, with the focus on connection, coexistence, and creativity. The year-long celebrations began with the spectacular “From Station to Station” procession of music, theatre and dance that symbolically erased the border. And to year-end “Taste Without Borders” brings together the region’s finest wines and local dishes in a gastronomic festival that perfectly captures the spirit of Gorizia’s cuisine, with Italian flair meeting Central European traditions.
Historic sites like the Parco della Rimembranza
Gorizia is a place where history, art, and gastronomy truly know no borders. The nearest airport is Trieste–Friuli Venezia Giulia Airport, just 30 kilometres away and the new high-speed rail link brings the city closer than ever to Venice, Bologna, Florence and Rome. The medieval Castle of Gorizia dominates the skyline and has panoramic views across the Isonzo Valley. The nearby Parco della Rimembranza park commemorates the fallen of the First World War while, across the invisible border, the peaceful Kostanjevica Monastery and its ancient library will appeal to lovers of culture.
Local delicacies include the ruby-red radicchio
Gorizia’s architecture reflects its Austro-Hungarian past and can be admired in elegant palaces such as the Palazzo del Tribunale, while the local gastronomy echoes that crossroads of influences present throughout the city. Don’t miss the celebrated “Rosa di Gorizia,” a ruby-red radicchio unique to the area, or traditional dishes like “frico,” a cake of cheese, potatoes and onions pan-fried until crispy,“jota,” a bean and sauerkraut soup, and “presnitz” a pastry with nuts, chocolate and spices.
