This is a beautiful stage with ups and downs, through woods and old sleepy hamlets, such as Celante di Castelnuovo, high up until Clauzetto, the “balcony of Friuli”, from where you can see as far as the Adriatic Sea. In addition to the natural beauty of the area, tradition also has an important place. The Church of San Giacomo has been a place of pilgrimage since the mid-18th century, attracting people from as far away as central Europe. Pilgrims came to pray in the presence of the relic of the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ, which was believed to have miraculous powers.

Soon the woods open up again and a surprise awaits you: the ancient parish church of San Martino, with its frescoes and inscriptions, and an altar by sculptor Pilacorte, a reminder of this region’s links with distant lands, a testimony to trading and exchanges, to man’s perpetual wandering.

Continue on to Vito d’Asio, the birthplace of the fictional Jacopo Ortis (the Italian equivalent of Goethe’s Young Werther), a village with traditional houses and cobbled streets. Then head for the mountains for even more panoramic views and natural splendour.