The northern Italian city chosen for Italy’s Capital of Culture 2027 may seem like a surprising choice.
Refined, unpretentious and creative
Why is it surprising? Well, to start Pordeonone is not a major Italian art city, being seen as more industrial, but don’t be deceived, it does have a strong cultural identity - which many overlook. Then it is relatively unknown internationally despite being refined and unpretentious and creative. Pordenone is a place with frescoed palazzi, literary festivals and Alpine horizons can be found within a few walkable streets. And it was chosen to spotlight a dynamic, lesser-known cultural ecosystem rather than one of Italy’s great cities that already have more tourism than they can handle.
Known as The Painted City
Pordenone’s historic centre has the Corso Vittorio Emanuele II with arcades and painted façades that have earned the city the nickname La Città Dipinta (The Painted City). The Gothic loggia of the Town Hall and the elegant Duomo of San Marco give this Friuli city a Venetian accent. Palazzo Ricchieri’s Civic Art Museum traces local creativity from the Middle Ages to modern times, while the former Convent of San Francesco hosts exhibitions and cultural events throughout the year.
Book and film festivals
The Pordenonelegge book festival turns the city into an open-air salon each September, drawing major Italian and international authors, and film lovers flock to Le Giornate del Cinema Muto, the world’s leading silent film festival, where restored masterpieces flicker back to life. In 2027 these events will expand into a wider programme of installations, performances and community projects designed to connect locals and visitors.
Walking, cycling and skiing
Nature is never far away. The Noncello riverbanks are ideal for relaxed walks and cycling, and just an hour away you are in the Parco Naturale Dolomiti Friulane, a UNESCO-listed wilderness of jagged limestone and pristine trails, or on the turquoise waters of Lake Barcis. Winter brings skiing to Piancavallo, while summer invites hiking, kayaking and relaxing at long lunches.
The delights of the table
Friuli’s cuisine favourites go from the Montasio DOP, the region’s iconic alpine cheese, to the sweet Prosciutto di San Daniele DOP, both to be paired with a glass of Friulano or Ribolla Gialla from the nearby Colli Pordenonesi. In 2027 Italy and the world will look to this corner of the Friuli region and discover compact, cultured and surprisingly cosmopolitan Pordenone.
For information: https://www.pordenoneturismo.com
