Food
GASTRONOMY WITHOUT BORDERS
The Valcanale – Canal del Ferro, whose historical events represent an extraordinary and fascinating baggage, have preserved, and in some cases reworked, traditions belonging to the Latin, German and Slavic ethnic groups not only in the cultural, economic and social spheres but also in the gastronomic sector. The centuries-old genuine encounter between the mountain culinary tradition, represented by Friulian-Carnian, Carinthian and Slovenian cuisine and the flavors of the Mediterranean, reveals its best fruits here.
The presence of unspoiled nature and an ancient forest, among the largest and most intact on the peninsula, have conditioned local food habits with the presence of game and mushrooms, berries and alpine cheeses. Alongside such typically Central European aspects, it is surprising to find, particularly in the Tarvisio area, fish and Mediterranean dishes as a result of the simultaneous substantial presence of many Italians of southern origin and the consequent important demand from the neighboring Austrians and Slovenes, who have always been lovers of Italian wines and dishes.
LOCAL SPECIALTIES
Don’t be surprised, there are many dishes that have extra-territorial significance, finding representation in the culinary traditions of Carinthia, Slovenia and Friuli. Goulash, frico, game ragout, barley dishes, minced lard, cured meats and cheeses that encapsulate the scents of the meadows and pastures of our mountains. And also strudel, plum-filled dumplings, Christmas cookies, reindling (in Austrian dialect) or schartl (in Slovenian dialect) and tarts with small fruits (raspberries, blueberries and blackberries). Carnic, Carinthian, and Mediterranean cuisine achieve balances and nuances in Valcanale, representing a hard-to-match choice of flavors and details. Traditions, therefore, are not mixed in an indecipherable offer, but are enhanced for each of their own characteristics.
LOCAL PRODUCTS
The local products of the Tarvisio area have intense flavors and genuine ingredients, among them are dairy products, mostly made from cow’s milk, eggs from free-range hens, organic dog, organic productions of fruit and vegetables, honey, preserves and jams, sausages and salami. Among all of them, the most renowned product is definitely Montasio, a large, cooked, semi-hard cow’s milk cheese, named after the mountainous massif in our wonderful Julian Alps.
Points of Interest
DISCOVER TARVISIO ON FOOT OR BY BICYCLE
The pristine Thousand-Year Forest of Tarvisio will surprise you with its 24,000 hectares, distinguished by a great variety of natural habitats, a sought-after flora with valuable endenisms, as well as a fauna including even the large European predators. Even the famous resonance spruce, from which important stringed musical instruments are made, lives among these forests in which valuable mushrooms also grow, a clear testament to the high naturalness of this area. Don’t miss the opportunity to visit one of the most fascinating places in the region: the Fusine Lakes, two emeralds set among the Julian Alps. The Conca di Fusine and its two lakes of glacial origin can be visited both in winter and summer, thanks to a loop trail that allows you to circumnavigate them both. But there is another lake about ten kilometers from Tarvisio that deserves to be seen: Lake Raibl or del Predil, which with its very clear blue-green waters reflects the peaks of the Cinque Punte (1919 m.). Among the most striking itineraries is also the Orrido dello Slizza walk, which, thanks to an easy nature trail, makes it possible to visit the spectacular “canyon” characterized by deep blue pools. Finally, a special mention must go to the Alpe Adria Cycle Route, whose section runs from Grado to Salzburg, which represents an exemplary case of reconversion of the old railway line route, which now makes it possible to comfortably cross the entire Valcanale valley by bike, but not only that, it is possible to reach neighboring Austria and Slovenia for a borderless ride.
DISCOVER THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF TARVISIO
The Tarvisio area is a place rich in history and traditions, documented in the small museums and permanent exhibitions where you can indulge in cultural moments.
There are several historic buildings to turn your attention to as you walk through the streets of the town, such as the 16th-century Palazzo della Forestale, the Carinthian-style Spaliviero “palazzetto” and Casa Candoni formerly Villa Josefine dating back to the 19th century. You may also come across additional historical monuments such as the Holy trinity column, the Roman tombstone located behind the church, the portrait bust of Kajetan Schnablegger or, marrying from the center of Tarvisio you can visit the Habsburg soldier’s monument in Tarvisio Boscoverde, the Avilia Lada Stele in Camporosso, the Sella Predil battery in Cave, the Great War theme park with the heroes’ cemetery in Valbruna, and finally Fort Hensel in Malborghetto.
As far as museums are concerned, the main attractions are the Museo della Miniera e Parco Geominerario in Cave del Predil, which allows visitors to take a journey through the history and current affairs of mining by visiting the tunnels used until about 1990 for the extraction of lead and zinc, the Alpi Giulie Military History Museum located in Cave, which will allow visitors to retrace the history from the Napoleonic wars to World War II; the Antiquarium in Camporosso, in which Roman archaeological artifacts are preserved; and the Ethnographic Museum in Malborghetto, concerning rural and peasant life in the valley.
Among the sacred buildings not to be missed is the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Lussari, located on the summit of Mount Lussari, a renowned meeting place for peoples and pilgrimages from Carinthia, Slovenia and Friuli, which can be reached on foot via the Pellegrino Path, an evocative hiking trail that from the valley floor climbs the mountain through the thousand-year-old Forest of Tarvisio, or by cable car departing from Camporosso.
Also not to be missed are the parish church of Saints Peter and Paul, in Tarvisio, dating back to the 15th century, the church with Baroque elements of the Blessed Virgin of Loreto in Tarvisio Bassa, the church of Sant’Egidio in Camporosso (the oldest in the valley), the church of San Nicolò in Coccau, the 15th-century church in Fusine, and the church of Sant’Anna in Cave del Predil.
Do not miss the opportunity to participate in the important sports, cultural and artistic events that are organized every year and that will allow you to see the area from a different point of view.
