The point of departure is the train station at San Giorgio di Nogaro on the Venezia-Trieste line; upon leaving the station take the sottopassaggio [underpass] on the right that takes you to the southern part of the village; from here take Via Marittima as far as the intersection and cross over the very wide SP [provincial road] 80. From here continue as indicated on my GPS map as far as Via Ponte Orlando; this quickly becomes unpaved and follows through fields and with woods to the right (the Marano Lagoon is not far from here); once past the woods turn left and after a bit, again on the left, you will arrive at the village of Malisana; from here continue to Torviscosa, a modern town built around the Snia Viscosa industrial complex, where synthetic fibers are produced (now called Caffaro Industrie).
From Torviscosa take the overpass over the railroad tracks and crossing the statale [state highway] 14 one reaches the long straightaway that take ones to Bagnaria Arsa; where the straight road ends, turn right and after a short distance on the left (with an arrow for Palmanova) you will find the road that takes you to Palmanova.
Palmanova is one of the most famous fortified cities of the world; constructed at the end of the sixteenth century by the Venetians to defend la Serenissima [nickname for the Venetian republic] from the neighboring Austrian Empire, it has city walls in the form of a 9-pointed star and at its center a large hexagonal piazza; one gets into the city by entering through three gates positioned at 120° in relation to each other.
Leaving the city by the Porta Udine (northwest) you continue to Felettis and Gonars and from here continue on an old road that is relatively low in traffic and which cuts through many villages: Castions di Strada, Talmassons, Bertioli being the primary ones.
After Bertioli you arrive at Passariano, a district of the comune [municipality] of Codroipo, known primarily for being the site of one of the most imposing of the Venetian villas: Villa Manin. You should cross the large amphitheater-shaped piazza in front of the villa to appreciate the panoramic view of the villa and the piazza. From here take the small road to the right which leads quickly to Via 24 Maggio, a long straightaway with a bike lane on the right, which leads into the center of Codroipo; here there is a train station on the Venezia-Udine line.
Latest visit: 2013-06-29
San Giorgio di Nogaro - Codroipo 51 km
