Palmanova really stops you in your tracks: if you’ve ever seen it from the air, you’ll understand why. Laid out in the Friulian plain like a giant geometric drawing, about 12 miles south of Udine and roughly 68 miles by road from Venice, this extraordinary little town in northeastern Italy is literally shaped like a nine-pointed star, and if you think it sounds like something from a Renaissance daydream, that’s because it essentially is.
The town lies close to the Adriatic sea, and to the borders of both Slovenia and Austria – in other words, we are in full border country: keep it in mind, because it will turn out to be rather central to its story. Thanks to its location near those borders, the area is a real blend of Italian, Alpine, and Central European characteristics, all visible in its architecture, cuisine, and local traditions.
