Friuli Venezia Giulia

Updated October 2026 · Sources: PromoTurismoFVG, Friulian Dolomites Park, Julian Prealps Park, Region FVG, RFI

Find a place to stay in Friuli Venezia Giulia

Friuli Venezia Giulia has real mountains, but fewer crowds, in the north and north-west of the region, where Italy meets Austria, Slovenia and the Veneto. It does not have the endless ski circuits of the Dolomites. It has six ski areas run by a single regional body (PromoTurismoFVG), with cheaper lift passes, and a summer of lakes, forests, nature parks and valleys where people still speak languages other than Italian. This guide covers three places we describe in detail (Tarvisio, the Fusine Lakes and Sappada) and, in brief, the other mountain areas of Friuli.

The geography is simpler than it looks. In the north-east are the Julian Alps around Tarvisio, with Mangart and the lakes. Along the border with Austria and the Veneto lie the Carnic Alps: Carnia, with Ravascletto and Monte Zoncolan, Forni Avoltri, Sappada and Sauris. South of the Julian Alps are the Julian Prealps, with the Resia Valley and Monte Canin, home to Sella Nevea. In the west, in the province of Pordenone, are the Friulian Dolomites (a UNESCO site) and the Carnic Prealps, where you find Forni di Sopra and Piancavallo.

In winter the region suits families, beginners and anyone who wants to ski without paying Dolomites prices: in 2026/27 a one-day adult lift pass costs 55 € in high season for non-residents of the region. In summer it is the place for walking, cycling or sitting by a lake without the crowds of the best-known spots. From Trieste airport the ski areas are roughly 110 to 133 km away.

TarvisioFusine LakesSappada

The three places with their own page are in the north-east of the region or on the border with the Veneto. We start in the Julian Alps around Tarvisio and end in Carnia, at Sappada.

Tarvisio

Tarvisio (Tarvis in German, Trbiž in Slovenian) sits at 754 metres in the Canal Valley, in the corner where Italy, Austria and Slovenia meet. It is the biggest ski area in the region: 24 km of pistes running from Monte Lussari (about 1,800 m) down to the town, with snowmaking on the whole descent. In summer the gondola goes up to the Lussari village, and trails, the Alpe Adria cycle path and trips to Lake Predil start from here. It is the right base if you do not want to be isolated and like having Austria and Slovenia close by. Everything on Tarvisio.

Fusine Lakes

The two lakes, at 924 and 929 metres, lie at the foot of Mangart, about ten kilometres from Tarvisio. The loop around them is easy: 5.4 km, about 2 hours, 104 metres of climbing, with boardwalks and forest sections. For a longer day you can climb to the Zacchi hut in about 1 h 30. In winter the road is usually cleared and you walk round the lakes, watching for ice. It suits families, photographers and anyone after a quiet day rather than sport. Timetables, parking and tips on the Fusine Lakes.

Sappada

Sappada is at 1,245 metres, in the far north-west of Friuli, next to Cadore. Until 2017 it was in the province of Belluno, in the Veneto; since 16 December 2017 it has been in the province of Udine. It is a German-speaking language island with 15 hamlets of timber houses, the Rollate carnival and the Sappada/Forni Avoltri ski area: 15 km of pistes between 1,245 and 2,024 metres, plus cross-country. A good choice for families and for anyone who wants a real village, with the source of the Piave a few kilometres away. Details on Sappada.

Beyond the three pages above, the Friulian mountains have other areas that locals and visitors from the Veneto know well. We do not have a full guide for them yet. Here are the most important, with official figures.

Forni di Sopra and the Friulian Dolomites

Forni di Sopra is in the upper Tagliamento valley, in the heart of the Friulian Dolomites. The ski area has 13 km of pistes with snowmaking everywhere, between 907 and 2,067 metres, five ski lifts and three conveyor belts, 14 km of cross-country trails (2 lit) and a snow park. In summer the village is a starting point for the Friulian Dolomites Nature Park (park website), which covers eight municipalities, including Cimolais, Claut, Erto e Casso and Forni di Sotto, and belongs to the UNESCO Dolomites system. It suits families and walkers who like wild valleys.

Sauris

Sauris is a village where people speak a dialect of German origin, between Carnia and Cadore. In 2022 it was named one of the best tourism villages in the world by the UN tourism organisation. The two parts of the village, Sauris di Sotto (about 1,200 m) and Sauris di Sopra (about 1,400 m), are close to an artificial lake at about 977 metres. It has a small 3 km ski area, good for children, which belongs to the same area as Forni di Sopra. It is known for its smoked Sauris ham. Choose it for quiet, food and walks.

Ravascletto and Zoncolan

Ravascletto is in Carnia, at the foot of Monte Zoncolan (about 1,750 m). The ski area has 23 km of pistes, from 952 to 1,970 metres, with 1,018 metres of vertical drop and snowmaking on the whole descent. It is the second-biggest in the region after Tarvisio. For cyclists, the Zoncolan is one of the hardest climbs in the Giro d’Italia: from Ovaro it is about 10 km long with an average gradient close to 12%. Suits skiers who want Carnia and fit cyclists.

Piancavallo

Piancavallo is in the province of Pordenone, the south-western ski resort of Friuli: pistes between 1,280 and 1,805 metres, about 14 km of downhill and 12 km of cross-country, a large beginners’ area and an ice rink. It is the area closest to the Venetian and Friulian plain (about 117 km from Trieste airport), so it works well for a day trip. In summer there are trails, mountain pastures and a botanical path. Suits families and people coming from Pordenone, Treviso or Venice.

Sella Nevea and Canin

Sella Nevea is in the Julian Prealps, under the Canin massif (2,587 m). The ski area is small, 10.5 km of pistes between 1,140 and 2,133 metres, the highest top station of the six areas, with 3 lifts. It is a place for skiers who also want ski touring and freeride rather than for families with small children. In summer it is a network of trails, via ferratas and huts.

Resia Valley

The Resia Valley is about 18 km long, in the Julian Prealps near the Slovenian border. People speak Resian here, a language of Slavic origin that UNESCO classes as endangered, and part of the valley is in the Julian Prealps Nature Park, set up in 1996. It has no major ski slopes: it is a place for hiking, nature and folk music. Suits anyone looking for something authentic and quiet.

The six areas are run by PromoTurismoFVG: Tarvisio, Sella Nevea, Piancavallo, Forni di Sopra–Sauris, Ravascletto–Zoncolan and Sappada–Forni Avoltri. Sizes from the official pages:

• Tarvisio: 24 km of pistes, 754–1,756 m. The biggest.
• Ravascletto–Zoncolan: 23 km, 952–1,970 m.
• Sappada: 15 km, 1,245–2,024 m.
• Piancavallo: about 14 km, 1,280–1,805 m.
• Forni di Sopra: 13 km, 907–2,067 m.
• Sella Nevea: 10.5 km, 1,140–2,133 m.
• Sauris: 3 km, for children and beginners.

The numbers are small compared with the Dolomites, but the lift pass costs less: in 2026/27 the one-day adult pass is 55 € in high season (19 December 2026 to 14 March 2027) and 38.50 € in low season; young people born 2008 to 2019 pay 18 €. The one-day pass is valid in all the PromoTurismoFVG areas. At Tarvisio the season is planned from 5 December 2026 to 29 March 2027, snow permitting; official 2026/27 dates for the other areas are not yet published, so check the PromoTurismoFVG website before you go.

For cross-country: Forni di Sopra has 14 km, Piancavallo 12 km, Sappada about 15 km of loop and stadium, plus the Carnia Arena at Piani di Luzza (10 km). For something different, Sella Nevea is the place for ski touring and freeride.

In summer the Friulian mountains are quieter than those of Trentino and South Tyrol. Some verified classics:

• Fusine Lakes: 5.4 km loop in about 2 hours, easy.
• Lake Predil, near Tarvisio: the region’s second natural lake, with a lakeside walk; swimming is possible in summer.
• Monte Lussari: the gondola from Camporosso ran from 30 May to 27 September in summer 2026; on foot from the valley it takes about 2 h 30.
• Val Sesis and the Piave source at Sappada, with the 8 km road open in summer.
• Zoncolan, for cyclists, and the Alpe Adria cycle path from Tarvisio towards Grado (175 km from the border).
• Friulian Dolomites Park, for trekking from Forni di Sopra, Claut and Cimolais.
• Resia Valley, in the Julian Prealps, for walks away from the crowds.

Some of these routes depend on seasonal lifts, car parks and roads: dates change every year, so check the page of each place.

• Families with children: Sappada for the village and Nevelandia; Piancavallo for its beginners’ area, Sauris for easy slopes; the Fusine Lakes for an easy walk.
• Expert skiers: Tarvisio and Ravascletto, with the longest pistes; Sella Nevea for off-piste.
• No car: Tarvisio, which has a station on the Udine–Tarvisio line and a link to Villach.
• Budget: the Friulian areas, with lift passes from 55 € a day in high season.
• Nature and quiet: the Fusine Lakes, Sauris, the Resia Valley, the Friulian Dolomites.
• Culture and traditions: Sappada for carnival and timber architecture; Sauris and the Resia Valley for their languages.

For skiing and for trips to Austria and Slovenia, the best base is Tarvisio, with a station, the pistes and links to both countries. For a traditional mountain village with timber houses, choose Sappada. For nature and silence, stay in Fusine in Valromana or in one of the smaller villages (Sauris, Forni di Sopra, the Resia Valley): you will mostly find apartments and small family-run places. For a quick trip from Pordenone or Venice, Piancavallo.

By car, the A23 links Udine and Tarvisio (about 95 km, just over an hour). To reach Sappada from Udine it takes about 1 h 40 (94 km, through the Degano valley), or from the Veneto take the A27 to Pian di Vedoia and then Cadore. The Fusine Lakes are about 105 km from Udine.

By train, the Pontebbana line links Udine to Tarvisio Boscoverde in about 1 h 15, with services to Villach as well (about half an hour); until 12 December 2026 there are works and some trains are replaced by buses. For Sappada the nearest station is Calalzo di Cadore, with a direct bus.

By air, the main airport is Trieste: about 133 km from Tarvisio and Sappada, 117 km from Piancavallo, 119 from Sella Nevea, 110 from Ravascletto and 130 from Forni di Sopra. For Sappada, Treviso (about 139 km) and Venice (about 154 km) are also close. For the Fusine Lakes, Ljubljana is about 98 km away and Klagenfurt about 73 km.

Photos from Wikimedia Commons: Naturpuur (CC BY-SA 4.0), Johann Jaritz (CC BY-SA 4.0), Cecilia Famà (CC BY-SA 4.0), Rollroboter (CC BY-SA 4.0), nikola_pu (CC BY-SA 3.0), DimiTalen (CC0).