Tuesday 29 September - Saturday 3 October 2026
The Border Lands of Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Located within the north-eastern borders of Italy, is the undiscovered region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Bound by Austria, Slovenia, the Veneto, and the Adriatic, its long-standing domination by Austria has resulted in a remarkable fusion of architectural styles and culture to savour and explore. Nowhere is the legacy of the Habsburg Empire more apparent than in Trieste and its environs. Under the Austrians, its great Adriatic Port and adjoining coastline rose in importance, and the city became a progressive and prosperous international melting pot until the 20th century when it was riven by borders, and often contested. The city was returned to Italy in 1954, but its history has gifted us an eclectic blend of ethnic, linguistic, and cultural varieties. Based in the border city of Trieste, our tour will highlight the charming cities and Roman settlements of this lesser-known region of Italy.
TUESDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2026
We will depart our local pick-up point by coach and travel to Gatwick Airport where we will check in for our flight to Venice with EasyJet, due to depart at 12.20 and arrive at 15.30 local time. Please note that flights are not included in the tour price and that the schedule may be subject to change by the airline.
We will be met on arrival by our local coach and guide, and travel to Trieste. A city with a rich and tumultuous past, Trieste is framed by the Mediterranean Sea, lush grassland and the mighty Dolomites to the north. We will check into the centrally located 4 star Hotel Continentale for 4 nights’ bed and breakfast accommodation. After some time to freshen up, a welcome dinner will be served in the hotel restaurant.
WEDNESDAY 30 SEPTEMBER 2026
After breakfast at the hotel we will meet our local guide for a morning of visits in Trieste. We will begin with a visit to the Civic Museum of the Risiera di San Sabba National Monument. The Risiera di San Sabba, a rice mill built in 1898, was used from September 1943 by the Nazi occupation force as a prison camp, and was the only concentration camp in Italy with its own crematorium. It was declared a National Monument in 1965 and is today one of the most important sites of remembrance in Italy.
Following our visit we will transfer to the cathedral hill by coach. The Cathedral of San Giusto stands on the hill of the same name, in the heart of the ancient Roman city of Tergeste. We will return to the centre by coach, where there will be a coffee break in one of the city’s many historic cafes. We will continue with a walking tour of the historic centre, ending in a convenient location where there will be free time for lunch.
Trieste
This afternoon there will be an optional visit to the Revoltella Museum, which houses over 350 paintings and focuses on the works of significant 20th century Italian artists. The remainder of the afternoon and evening will be at leisure, with independent arrangements for dinner.
THURSDAY 01 OCTOBER 2026
After breakfast at the hotel, we will travel by coach to Udine, a city and commune in north-eastern Italy in the middle of the Friuli Venezia Giulia region. We will visit the 16th century Castle of Udine, housing the Civic Museum of Udine which includes the Gallery of Ancient Art and the Archaeological Museum.
Our visit will also include the Duomo and the Oratorio Della Purità, which display superb frescoes by G.B. Tiepolo and his son Giandomenico. We will continue to the Diocesan Museum which houses the Tiepolo Galleries. There will be free time for lunch in Udine. This afternoon we will continue to the town of Cividale del Friuli. Visits will include the Duomo and the Tempietto Longobardo. Cividale’s 16th century, Venetian-Gothic cathedral sits on an ancient 8th century church and its treasures include the lacquered woodenstatue of Cividale hero Marcantonio da Manzano and a medieval altarpiece. Commissioned by Patriarch Pellegrino II, the altarpiece consists of 123 embossed and gilded silver plates depicting the Madonna and Child surrounded by 25 saints. The Tempietto Longobardo was originally the chapel of a palace, accommodating the representative of the Lombard king, before being donated to a Benedictine monastery. It houses the finest 8th century sculpture to survive in Europe. We will return to our hotel in Trieste for an evening at leisure, with independent arrangements for dinner.
FRIDAY 02 OCTOBER 2026
After breakfast at the hotel we will transfer by coach to Miramare Castle, on the Gulf of Trieste. The property was built between 1856 and 1860 by order of the ill- fated Emperor Maximillian of Ferdinand, of the House of Habsburg, and was designed by Austrian architect Carl Junker.
Castello di Miramare The castle reflects the artistic interests of both the era and of the archduke himself, with an eclectic mix of Gothic, medieval and Renaissance elements. The castle is surrounded by a large atmospheric Italian and English style-garden with valuable botanical species, sculptures and lakes. There will be free time for coffee following the visit. We will continue to Grado. Located in the midst of the Adriatic’s northernmost lagoons, in Roman times, Grado was the first port of entry for ships headed upstream to nearby Aquileia. It is an elegant seaside town with a charming historic centre. We will return to the hotel by coach. A farewell dinner will be served this evening in a local restaurant in Trieste.
SATURDAY 03 OCTOBER 2026
This morning we will check out of the hotel after breakfast and travel to the former Roman settlement of Aquileia. On arrival we will visit the Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta where we can view the largest mosaic floor of the Western Christian world. Following our visit there will be a refreshment break in a local café, prior to our onward journey to Venice airport. This afternoon we will take our return flight back to London Gatwick from Venice airport, due to depart at 15.50 and arrive at 17.05 local time. Please note that flights are not included in the tour price and that the schedule may be subject to change by the airline.
Our local coach will be on hand for the return transfer to your original pick-up point. As this tour has been planned many months in advance the final itinerary may vary slightly from the above.
Please note that this tour involves a reasonable amount of walking and participants must be able to walk at a pace to keep up with the group. It is therefore unsuitable for those with mobility issues.
TOUR PRICE
£1,595 per person sharing a twin/double room (excluding flights)
£365 single room supplement
PRICE INCLUDES
Return coach transfers to/from London Gatwick
4 nights' bed and breakfast accommodation in Trieste
Welcome dinner in the hotel restaurant
1 dinner in a local restaurant
Refreshments on days 2 and 5 as per the itinerary
The services of a local guide throughout
All coach transfers in Italy as per the itinerary
All booking and entrance fees as per the itinerary
VOX audio headsets
Gratuities
HOTEL DETAILS
Hotel Continentale (4 star)
Via San Nicolo' 25, 34121, Trieste
www.continentalehotel.com
If you are interested, please email or call Nancy Bettelley: nancybettelley@hotmail.co.uk or 07931 444816
FINANCIAL PROTECTION
Our ATOL Number is 3622. All the flights and flight-inclusive tours in this brochure are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. When you pay you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked is listed on it.
Please see our booking conditions for further information or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.atol.org.uk/ATOLCertificate
MINIMUM NUMBERS The price of the tour is based on a minimum of 25 paying participants.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
It is a condition of booking that each tour participant carries full travel insurance and it is your responsibility to ensure that you have adequate insurance for this tour. We have arranged a scheme with specialists Brokersure Limited who are fully authorised and regulated by the FCA (firm reference number 501719) full details of which can be found on the FCA website www.fca.org.uk. Please call Brokersure on 0330 880 3625 for a quote.
SUGGESTED INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS
We intend to use the following flights with EasyJet:
29 Sep 2026 - Gatwick/Venice - 12.20 (15.30) EZY 8295
03 Oct 2026 - Venice/Gatwick - 15.50 (17.05) EZY 8296
All flights may be subject to schedule change by the airline.
The tour price shown excludes airfares as these can vary on a daily basis. Heritage Group Travel can book flights on your behalf and will pass on the airfare cost plus an administration fee of £10 per person. We anticipate flights to be in the region of £300 per person. Should fares excessively exceed this amount we will contact you. In the unlikely event that the tour does not materialise your deposit will be refunded in full. Please indicate on the booking form if you prefer to make your own travel arrangements. We ask that you please do not book your flights until you have received confirmation that your booking has been accepted and the tour is going ahead.
PASSPORT & ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
British Nationals should be in possession of a valid 10 year passport. In early 2026, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) will be launched for entry to Schengen area countries (most of the EU) if using a UK passport. No action is required by travellers at this point. We will update all participants closer to the date of travel.
BOOKING & FINAL TRAVEL DETAILS
To reserve your place on the tour, please send your completed booking form and deposit of £500 per person as soon as possible and no later than Friday 13 February 2026. Please note that as places on the tour are limited, bookings will be accepted on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. You will receive a confirmation of your booking combined with an invoice for the finalbalance. The final travel details (itinerary, hotel details, flight ticket and luggage label) will be available approximately 10-14 days prior to travel. The final balance is due byTuesday 07 July 2026.
Charlotte House,
12 Charlotte Street Bath, BA1 2NE
Tel: 01225 466620