Opera Experience

Alimonda Castle – Sagrado (GO)

Alimonda Castle, built in 1885 in Sagrado by the Trieste brothers Francesco and Nino de Alimonda, was born as a home for sick people, using innovative techniques such as electrotherapy. Opened in 1888, it attracted prominent figures and contributed to the economic development of Sagrado. After several changes of ownership and maintenance difficulties, in 1982 the Municipality of Sagrado acquired the castle, using it as a school until 1986. Today it is being redeveloped. The design, possibly by Isidoro Piani, reflects an eclectic, harmonious and innovative style typical of the late 19th century. The garden is an oasis of tranquility, with its paths and views of the hills and vineyards, offering a peaceful atmosphere where nature and history blend harmoniously.

Azienda Agricola Zorutti Wines

Azienda Agricola Zorutti is a family business located in the heart of Collio, specializing in the production of high quality wines. Thanks to the ideal microclimate and soil, the company cultivates native and international grape varieties, focusing on sustainable methods and winemaking that respects local traditions. Azienda Agricola Zorutti stands out for its attention to the environment and quality, offering a wide range of wines that best express the character of the area. A visit to the winery is an opportunity to discover the culture of Friulian viticulture and taste unique wines that are the result of a passion for the land.

Castagnevizza Monastery

The Castagnevizza Monastery is a fascinating complex located in the heart of the Gorizia Collio, nestled in a serene landscape rich in history. Founded in the 13th century, the monastery has spanned the centuries while keeping its spiritual and cultural character intact. Its simple but impressive architecture is enriched with frescoes and details that reflect the eras of renovation and historical changes that have passed through it. One of the most significant features of the monastery is that it houses the tomb of Charles X of France, the last king of the Bourbon dynasty. After his abdication and exile, Charles X found refuge in this very location, where he died in 1836. His tomb, located inside the monastery, is a place of great historical and symbolic interest. In addition to its historical importance, the monastery is also a place of peace and spirituality, ideal for those seeking a refuge surrounded by nature, far from the daily chaos. Its panoramic location offers breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside, creating an atmosphere of tranquility and contemplation.

Cathedral of Gorizia

The Cathedral of Gorizia (Cathedral of St. Hilary and Tatian) is dedicated to the city’s patron saints, St. Hilary, bishop of Gorizia, and St. Tatian, martyr. The cathedral is located in the historic center of Gorizia and is an important religious and cultural landmark for the city. With its imposing facade and an interior rich in works of art, it is an important testimony to the city’s religious and cultural history. Built in the 13th century, the cathedral has undergone several renovations over the centuries, but has kept its solemn beauty intact. Inside you can admire frescoes, altars and sculptures that tell the story of local faith and tradition. Today the Cathedral of Gorizia is a place of prayer and meeting for the community, but also an important tourist destination, attracting visitors for its architecture and for the quiet it offers in the heart of the city.

Church of St. Anthony in Medea

The Church of St. Anthony in Medea is a charming place of worship in the heart of the town of Medea, in the province of Gorizia. Built in the 17th century and renovated over time, the church has a sober Baroque facade and a simple but richly beautiful interior with frescoes decorating the walls and ceiling. The high altar, depicting St. Anthony of Padua, the church’s patron saint, is one of the most striking features. Every year, numerous faithful gather there to celebrate the feast of the saint. Immersed in greenery and surrounded by an enchanting hilly landscape, the church offers a panoramic view of the surrounding rolling hills, vineyards and fields that characterize Collio. The tranquility of the place and the natural setting make this shrine a spiritual and cultural landmark, ideal for those seeking a place of peace, reflection and beauty.

Church of the Blessed Virgin of Relief – Cormons (GO)

The Church of the Blessed Virgin of Relief, known as the Church of St. Anne, was built in 1636 by Baron Luca Del Mestri to replace the Church of St. Peter, demolished in 1525. The façade, in late Renaissance style, has undergone changes over the centuries, including the demolition of a portico in 1889. The interior preserves a 17th-century Baroque wooden high altar and statues of St. Peter and St. Anne.

This evocative place, nestled in the quiet of Mount Quarin, offers a breathtaking view that sweeps from the city of Cormòns to the plains and lagoon of Grado, providing an unparalleled experience of tranquility and beauty.

Dobrovo Castle – Brda (Slovenia)

Dobrovo Castle stands in the heart of the Slovenian Collio (Brda). Built in the 17th century by the Counts Colloredo, it was later acquired in 1789 by Giovanni Battista II Catterini. At the end of the 19th century, Spanish Count Silverio de Baguer renovated it and set up a rich museum collection, which was partially donated to the Provincial Museums of Gorizia before the Great War. During the World Wars, the castle suffered looting and was used as a military hospital.

Renovated by the Goriški muzej between 1979 and 1991, the castle now houses museum and exhibition spaces. The structure, with angular towers and a symmetrical Renaissance-style layout, has a Baroque character accentuated in the window openings and central axis. The interiors include frescoes by Clement Del Neri (1894) and other works in the main rooms.

Kulturni Center Lojze Bratuž – Gorizia

The Kulturni center Lojze Bratuž has been an important cultural landmark in Gorica for more than 60 years. Founded in 1952 with the aim of providing the Slovenian community with a community center, it was officially opened on February 25, 1962 as a theater hall and cultural center. Over the years it has hosted numerous organizations and activities, including choirs, theater groups, and sports associations.

In 1996, the center was completely renovated to the design of Gorizia architect David Faganel, reopening with a modern and elegant structure. Today it houses a theater hall, an art gallery, a convention hall and various spaces dedicated to culture and conviviality.

The Kulturni center Lojze Bratuž continues in its role as a cultural, educational and recreational center of local, national and international significance, cooperating with numerous Italian and European organizations.

Lantieri Palace

Lantieri Palace

Lis Neris

Lis Neris was born and grows in the heart of the Collio, in San Lorenzo, where the southern slopes merge with the glacial plateaus of the Isonzo Valley. This area, rich in history and tradition, is dominated by a landscape in which small villages mingle with vineyards that tell of a passion for viticulture. The Lis Neris winery has always maintained a deep bond with the territory, a relationship of knowledge and respect that is reflected in its wines. Each bottle is an authentic expression of terroir, that combination of natural, climatic and cultural factors that give wine its distinctive character. It is this unbreakable bond with the land that allows Lis Neris to produce wines that tell the story of a special corner of Friuli, where each wine encapsulates the identity and personality of its terroir.

Locatelli Palace

Palazzo Locatelli, an elegant 18th-century Palladian-style residence, is home to the Municipality of Cormons, the town’s Enoteca and the Civic Museum of the Territory.
The building’s name derives from the Locatelli family of Bergamo, who built it and lived in it from the mid-18th century. The facade, decorated with the family coat of arms, highlights the historical importance of the building.
Beyond the entrance, which leads to the Italian garden, is the Museo Civico, with works by Alfonso Canciani. On the main floor are frescoes from the second half of the 19th century by the artist Antonio Picco.
Architect Podrecca’s intervention in the 1980s further enhanced the palace.

Shrine of St. Mary Queen of the Peoples in Preval – Mossa (GO)

Preval is a corner of outstanding natural beauty, nestled among the rolling hills that separate the Soča River from its right tributary, the Judrio River. This area, located between Italy and Slovenia, straddles the border, offering a natural spectacle that ranges from the vineyards and forests of the surrounding hills to the majestic peaks of the Julian Alps, which dominate the horizon. The Sanctuary of Santa Maria del Preval, dating back to the 13th century and evidenced by both archaeological remains and archival documents from the 1300s, is a place of deep spirituality. The atmosphere that envelops this shrine is made even more evocative by the silence of the surrounding nature, creating a perfect balance between sacredness and scenic beauty. The sanctuary itself is a haven of peace, with its sober and harmonious architecture that fits perfectly into the mountainous setting, offering visitors a unique experience where history and nature come together in a timeless embrace.

Spessa Castle

Spessa Castle, located in the heart of the Gorizia Collio, is surrounded by the greenery of its centuries-old park and golf course. Its origins date back to the 13th century, with traces of Roman settlements. For centuries, it was home to noble families from Friuli, including the Dorimbergo, Rassauer and Della Torre Valsassina families, who owned it for more than 300 years.

In 1773, Giacomo Casanova visited the castle, praising the local wines in his Memoirs. Today, in the medieval cellars beneath the castle, red wines are aged in barriques and are connected to a World War II military bunker. Nineteenth-century renovations, designed by architect Ruggero Berlam, gave the structure a neo-Gothic feel.

Strassoldo Palace

In the 16th-century Strassoldo Palace, named after one of Gorizia’s oldest patrician families, the Court of the French Royalty, who had come to Gorizia, then considered the “Austrian Nice,” settled in 1830. After the King’s death, the Duke of Angoulême Louis Anthony Count of Marnes accepted the royal title and the Palace became the meeting place for numerous French guests.
The building underwent renovations during the 17th century, and in the last quarter of the 18th century it was expanded to its present size; it has a remarkable 18th-century facade.
The interior spaces were modified as follows: a well, still well preserved, remains visible in the center of the courtyard; the main elevation is regulated by a small central attic with three windows; the family coat of arms is set on the tympanum; and the main floor was accessed via the sixteenth-century four-flight, square staircase located on the left side of the hallway.
Today, the building that overlooks St. Anthony Square is home to the Entourage Hotel and the operational headquarters of Go! Borderless Opera Lab .

Synagogue of Gorizia

Derived from the expansion of an oratory that had existed since 1699, the synagogue of the Ashkenazi, i.e., German, rite was inaugurated in 1756.
Its present appearance, with its double entrance portal, rose window and tables of the law in Hebrew characters, is the result of the restoration carried out by architect Emilio Luzzatto in 1894, following the demolition of the houses that separated the synagogue from the street axis. In the 1950s, the redevelopment of the neighborhood gave a new appearance to the building, which found itself isolated from the adjacent buildings, with which it had previously formed a single front on Via Ascoli. In the entrance courtyard a plaque commemorates the Gorizian Jews deported by the Nazis in 1943. Next to it is a stylized menorah, i.e., the candelabra symbolic of Judaism, the work of Simon Benetton.
The synagogue hall, which is accessed by climbing the staircase located in the atrium on the first floor, has retained its 18th-century structure, with its wooden balcony gallery and tabernacle (Aron hakodesh) supported by four twisted columns of black marble, inside of which is the scroll of the Holy Scriptures (Torah).
In 1959 the synagogue was closed to worship because of the small number of Jewish families in the city, and in 1969 it became a simple section of the one in Trieste. Donated to the municipality after restoration in 1984, it is now run by the “Friends of Israel” association.

Transalpine Square

Transalpina Square is a symbol of connection between Italy and Slovenia, located on the border between Gorizia and Nova Gorica. Once separated by the physical border, today the square represents a place of cultural fusion and encounter, with the Italian train station on one side and the Slovenian train station on the other.

The square, the beating heart of cultural and social exchanges, is a landmark for both communities. On the occasion of GO2025 Gorizia/Nova Gorica European Capital of Culture, it becomes a place to celebrate the collaboration between the two cities, with events that cross the border and strengthen cultural ties.

A concrete example of how borders can be transformed into opportunities for integration and exchange.

Villanova Estate

Tenuta Villanova in Farra d’Isonzo is an enchanting farm nestled in the heart of Collio, where tradition, nature and passion for wine meet in perfect harmony. Surrounded by vineyards hugging the hillsides, the estate offers breathtaking scenery, a corner of paradise that provides moments of peace, beauty and, above all, an encounter with the true spirit of Collio. Founded in 1499, Tenuta Villanova is the oldest winery in Friuli Venezia Giulia, with a tradition intertwined with the land. For centuries, the estate has carried a vocation for quality that has been passed down through generations. The estate’s architectural complex testifies to the deep connection with the land. The vineyards enjoy an ideal microclimate that, together with the particular “ponca” of the soil, gives the wines a unique freshness and aromatic richness, typical of Collio DOC wines.