Gorizia, alongside Nova Gorica, shines as the European Capital of Culture 2025, celebrating its cross-border identity through the GO!2025 project, which has already sparked a 64% surge in international visitors in the early months of the year, drawn by a vibrant programme of events, exhibitions, and performances weaving together shared history, borderland culture, and breathtaking landscapes. Among the most popular exhibitions, the Andy Warhol showcase at Palazzo Attems Petzenstein has welcomed 80,000 visitors, while Gorizia’s Castle has hosted over 14,528, yet the city harbours hidden gems, far from the clutches of overtourism, where its authentic soul can be discovered in serene tranquillity. While many flock to the Castle and Duomo, few venture to the Solkan cycle bridge, suspended over the Isonzo River, or the rolling Collio hills, where the Wine and Cherry Route beckons with vineyards, wineries, and authentic flavours off the beaten track.
Boris Visintin, a local tourism expert and Director of the Best Western Gorizia Palace, unveils these overlooked treasures, highlighting Gorizia’s cultural and touristic renaissance: “With GO!2025, the city has become a destination to be fully embraced, thanks to initiatives like our Discover Gorizia package, offering authentic experiences, local tastes, and journeys through Collio and culture. Our hotel, in the heart of the city and a stone’s throw from Nova Gorica, with 64 modern rooms and cycle-tourist amenities, is the ideal starting point, with a team that guides guests with passion, turning every stay into an unforgettable memory.” Seven curiosities reveal Gorizia’s true essence: Piazza della Transalpina, half Italian and half Slovenian, once divided by the Gorizia Wall erected in 1947 and dismantled in 2004 with Slovenia’s EU entry, now stands as a symbol of unity, marked by a line of stone tiles.
The Solkan cycle bridge, part of a new trail linking Gorizia and Nova Gorica, offers an immersive experience amid nature and history, perfect for cyclists of all levels. The Wine and Cherry Route, established in 1963 in the Collio—Italy’s first DOC area—invites visitors to wine tastings and authentic culinary delights. The Kostanjevica Monastery, home to over 75 rare Bourbon rose varieties, bursts into colour each spring during the Rose Festival, encircling the crypt of Charles X, France’s last Bourbon king. The Smuggling Tour at Pristava’s immersive museum revives the post-war šverc era, with an escape room capturing the thrill of clandestine border crossings. Via Rastello, birthplace of Luigi Spina, who in 1962 dug the Tunnel of Freedom under the Berlin Wall to aid 29 escapees, is marked by a plaque celebrating his courage. Finally, the Tricorno Park, a natural divide between the Adriatic and Black Sea watersheds, offers spectacular trekking trails immersed in pristine nature. Visintin concludes: “This heritage will continue to astonish beyond 2025, with new paths and events for those eager to discover Gorizia with fresh eyes and a leisurely pace.”
