The best cycling routes around San Vito Al Torre

The original 18th-century building was significantly remodeled after the damage from the Great War. Today it is also accessed via a beautiful staircase built in 1815.

The Ara Pacis Mundi monument is a temple dedicated to the memory of those fallen and lost in war.

Documented at least since 1274 as "Castrum Zazilet", but in all probability much older, the Saciletto castle, strategically positioned to control the ancient road that led from Aquileia to Cividale, was repeatedly contested between the patriarch and the counts of Gorizia due to its relevant strategic position for the patriarchal dominion in lower Friuli. Source: consorziocastelli.it

Even in winter, this dirt road offers a truly extraordinary array of colors. At the foot of the hill where the Ara Pacis of Medea stands

The first reliable information about the castle dates back to 1589. Since 1760, it has been sold and enlarged, altered, and restored several times. During the 20th century, the building passed into the hands of several families, was divided and used for various purposes: as an Austrian gendarmerie, a chair factory, a kindergarten, and, during the First World War, as the site of a field hospital, in whose courtyard several tents were set up to care for wounded soldiers from the trenches of the nearby front. The three families who lived there in 1946 have now grown to six, and the south wing is currently used as a holiday home. Source: https://www.alcastellodiaiello.com/aiello/storia-del-castello-de.php

In recent years, Aiello has positioned itself as "the village of sundials." Numerous sundials, installed by a group of enthusiasts on the walls of houses and public buildings, are now affixed to various walls on buildings in the village or are displayed throughout the village. On the last Sunday in May, the "Festival of Sundials" is held, featuring exhibitions, music, and entertainment.

A fortified building has been documented at the castle site since 1263. It was purchased by the Patriarch of Aquileia in 1303 and destroyed in 1309. In 1491, the building was sold to Bernardino di Floriano Antonini, who had it converted into a residential building. At the beginning of the 20th century, Enrico Paolo Salem, who had acquired the building in 1923, had the core of the complex completely rebuilt in the Romanesque style. Today, it is fully restored and serves as a private residence. Source: Wikipedia

The medieval village of Šmartno is one of the most beautiful villages in the central Brda region. Built on Roman foundations, it is now considered an architectural gem and cultural monument. Behind its walls, it leads back to the rich and picturesque stories of the past and reveals the charm of Brda hospitality. The village of Šmartno is located in the geographical center of Brda, with views stretching from Nanos in the east to the Carnic Alps in the northwest, and from the vast Friuli region to the Adriatic Sea. The village, surrounded by walls and fortified with defensive towers, was first mentioned in 1317. In the first half of the 16th century, a medieval fortress was built on the remains of a Roman outpost around the church. The village served as a border fortress until the mid-18th century, when the Venetian threat was over. The houses in the center are grouped around the Church of St. Martin, the largest parish church in Brda, after which the village was named. The church's bell tower was originally a fortress tower. The bell, featuring the motif of the Three Kings, dates from 1857. The Baroque church features three marble altars, one of which is particularly rich. The presbytery and the Stations of the Cross were painted by Tone Kralj.