This small medieval town in northeastern Italy has 8th-century Lombard architecture, a Celtic bridge crossing the Natisone River, and stone-paved streets lined with local bakeries.
Cividale del Friuli sits in northeastern Italy's Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, where the Natisone River cuts through limestone cliffs. In this medieval town, you can walk across the 15th-century Devil's Bridge, examine intricate stone carvings in the 8th-century Lombard Temple, and descend into ancient Celtic chambers carved into bedrock. The stone streets lead to squares where osterias pour glasses of local Tocai friulano and Refosco wines.
Getting to Cividale del Friuli
Trains run every hour from Udine to Cividale, taking 20 minutes. Local buses connect the town to both Udine and Gorizia. Once in town, you can walk between all main sites within 15 minutes.
Exploring the Medieval Center
Begin at Piazza Paolo Diacono, the town's main square. Local vendors still sell cherries and produce from the Collio region here, continuing a centuries-old practice that earned it the name "women's square." Walk through the surrounding lanes to find medieval houses and craft workshops, including a preserved blacksmith's shop that opens on select days.
The Devil's Bridge and River Gorge
The Devil's Bridge crosses the Natisone River at its deepest point, where limestone walls drop 22 meters to the water. Built in the 15th century and rebuilt in 1918 after World War I damage, the bridge gives you clear views of the Julian Alps. Cross it to reach the Church of San Martino, home to an 8th-century altar decorated with Lombard stone carvings.
Underground Celtic Chambers
To visit the Celtic hypogeum, pick up an entry key from Bar Ipogeo on the main street. The chambers consist of three interconnected rooms carved into solid rock, with ceiling heights varying from 1.5 to 2.5 meters. Archaeological evidence suggests these spaces were used for Celtic burial rituals before becoming Lombard prison cells.
Museums and Religious Sites
The National Archaeological Museum displays Roman jewelry, Lombard weapons, and stone sculptures inside a 16th-century palazzo. Next to the Cathedral, step into the Christian Museum to see the Ratchis Altar, where 8th-century craftsmen carved biblical scenes into stone panels. Inside the Tempietto Longobardo, part of the former Monastero di Santa Maria in Valle, look up at the original stone decorations and stucco work from the Lombard period.
Local Food and Wine
The medieval center contains several osterias where you can taste Friulian dishes. Local winemakers produce white Tocai friulano with almond notes and red Refosco dal peduncolo rosso with dark berry flavors. Many wine bars in the center organize tastings where you can sample both varieties alongside regional cheeses.
