A MUSICAL CASTLE
We’d checked the distance and the castle seemed achievable from our hotel. Well, Lorraine thought she could walk it, though I had my doubts if she’d survive the climb. Along the flats in the middle of town it was easy but then there came the hill and a statue of Carlo Michelstaedter, a radical Italian philosopher of Jewish extraction whose one and only work was conceived as an undergraduate thesis, but he never saw it in print because he committed suicide in 1910, aged 23.
We troll past a shop with exotic foodstuffs and can’t help but notice some bottled Buderim ginger featured in the window. Just below it was another sign on some wrapped lollies “senza zucchero zenzero AUSTRALIA”, which meant I could buy my sugar free dried ginger right here. It’s a small world.
It was slow and overly warm getting up from there but we took it easy and Castello di Gorizia came into view. Dating back to the 11th century it’s clearly the highest point for miles around.
The chapel-sized Church of Santo Spirito seems like a ticket office on the way to the main attraction. In a park on the opposite side of the road there’s a bust of Gabrielle D’Annunzio, a famous and prolific Italian writer and WWI hero who was hugely influential in the Fascist movement, inspiring Mussolini. He was noted for self-promotion.
From the 11th century Gorizia was an independent county until Austria took over in 1500 and it became a major cultural centre. It was only after the fallout from WWI, when it suffered badly, that it came to be in Italian hands. This once castle-of-the-counts has now been done up as a tourist attraction but it holds a surprise, at least for those of us who hadn’t done their homework properly.
The solid walls are much covered in plant life these days and the parapets are quite impressive from below and when you enter through the gateways the cobblestone walkways add an air of authenticity as you climb their steep angle. Only the base is original though. It went through many rebuilds from the 13th to 16th century and was bombed during WWI before being restored for the final time. The restoration is evident in the variance of the colours in the stonework.

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Top Gorizia Business Hotels

Lobby

Best Western Gorizia Palace Hotel

Gorizia

United States

Eric

AED 356 total

includes taxes & fees

21 Dec - 22 Dec

Exterior

Apartment Honey Bee with Sauna

Kobarid

Canada

tommi

AED 355 total

includes taxes & fees

23 Nov - 24 Nov

Restaurant

Hotel Lipa

Šempeter-Vrtojba

United States

Anonymous traveler

AED 466 total

includes taxes & fees

4 Dec - 5 Dec

Exterior

Hotel Aurora Duino

Duino-Aurisina

United States

mark

AED 401 total

includes taxes & fees

18 Dec - 19 Dec

Bar (on property)

Casale in Collina

Capriva del Friuli

United States

Karl

Daily buffet breakfast for a fee

Hotel Major

Ronchi dei Legionari

Canada

Giancarlo

Property entrance

Villa Dragoni

Buttrio

United States

William

Exterior

Park, Hotel & Entertainment

Nova Gorica

United States

juan

AED 614 total

includes taxes & fees

4 Dec - 5 Dec

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Top Gorizia Hotel Reviews

Astoria Hotel Italia

Astoria Hotel Italia

10/10 Excellent

"Great location, great staff, easy parking, good breakfast!"

Hotel Là di Moret

Hotel Là di Moret

10/10 Excellent

"Totally accessible hotel. Plus it is chic and convenient. Rooms were great and fully equipped. We had dinner there and it was amazing. Cocktails come with snacks -delicious. Best of all the hotel has a small friendly and well behaved dog! I didn’t use the pool but it looked nice. Apparently “footballers” use this place-I can see why they have a nice gym and spa-can you say massage! Last we were here to see family and it was easy to get on the highways from here. Friendliest staff!"

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