Suzanne's Cycling Site
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Closer to the Sea
Friday September 7, 2018

Again Hotel Meditur doesn't disappoint us - the breakfast is top. A look outdoors - warm, cloudy, occasionally a few drops of misty rain. The Harleys are out there, too, saddled up and revving their motors. It's no longer far to the coast, approximately 75 km, a day's ride. But we leave it open how far we will cycle. We want to spend some time in Udine and in Palmanova, as well.

It's only 12 km to Udine, a city with a population of about 100,00. The path through Udine's suburbs is signposted and we are often directed on to sidewalks where bicycle symbols have been painted, all a bit improvised, it could be improved upon. Nevertheless, the effort is there to accommodate cyclists.

We only take a superficial look at what the historic center has to offer. We mainly hang around the Piazza della Liebertà and take pictures. When we leave Udine, there is no dedicated bicycle path. The route weaves its way through fields and small towns, avoiding roads with traffic and often taking us on gravel paths. As we approach the coast we are gradually, imperceptibly losing elevation.

Soon we reach Palmanova. I had already seen Palmanova on the map and its unusual street pattern is intriguing. It is a concentric city with the form of a star, with three nine-sided ring roads intersecting in the main square. Here I quote what I find to be interesting information from Wikipedia:  Palmanova is an example of a Renaissance planned town, a fortress city designed to defend against attacks from the Ottomans. Built according to humanist and military specifications, Palmanova was supposed to be inhabited by self-sustaining merchants, craftsmen, and farmers. However, despite the pristine conditions and elegant layout of the new city, no one chose to move there, and by 1622 Venice was forced to pardon criminals and offer them free building lots and materials if they would agree to settle the town.

We like it here and decide to stay the night. We don't want to reach the coast quite yet. This also gives us time to investigate the town a little more and later enjoy an aperol spritz on the Piazza Grande. The Italians are so cultivated, they serve all kinds of little snacks with your aperol, grissini wrapped in delicate paper-thin slices of prosciutto di San Daniele, things like that. We spent a long time over our aperols people watching, and then decided to call it a day.
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The friendliest hotel
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Stop - I just reached 5000 km!
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5000 km since April 2017
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Piazza della Libertà, Udine
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Piazza della Libertà, Udine
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The "Loggia del Lionello" (Piazza della Libertà), Udine
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Piazza della Libertà
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Looking back to the city gate as we leave Udine.
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Back roads on our way to Palmnova
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Fields of millet
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We are about to enter Palmanova. Its wide, low and strong ramparts were built to protect the city within the walls.
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A map of the historic park surrounding the town, showing walking and mountain bike paths
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Palmanova's Piazza Grande
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The panorama shot shows about one third of the Piazza Grande.
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We see some organized bicycle groups coming through.
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We finish the day enjoying our aperol spritz while watching life on the Piazza Grande.

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  • Home
  • Bicycle Tours
    • 2021 >
      • Autumn in the Allgäu
      • Austria Again
      • A Dip into Tyrol
      • Wertheim and Beyond
      • We got as far as Wertheim
      • Bavarian Getaways
    • 2020 >
      • Out and About in Bavaria >
        • Day 1: Gauting - Bad Tölz
        • Day 2: Bad Tölz - Bad Kohlgrub
        • Day 3: Bad Kohlgrub - Landsberg
        • Day 4: Landsberg - Gauting
    • 2019 >
      • The Season Has Begun
      • Pedaling and Shooting in Bavaria >
        • Day 1
        • Day 2
      • More Pedaling in Bavaria >
        • Day 1
        • Day 2
      • Cycling the Inn in Austria >
        • Day 1 Gautig to Tölz
        • Day 2 Tölz to Jenbach
        • Day 3 Jenbach to Innsbruck
        • Day 4 Innsbruck to Rietz
        • Day 5 Rietz to Landeck
        • Day 6 Landeck and Home
    • 2018 >
      • A Two Day Outing
      • A nine-day tour in Lower Bavaria >
        • Day 1
        • Day 2
        • Day 3
        • Day 4
        • Day 5
        • Day 6
        • Day 7
        • Day 8
        • Day 9
      • The Romantic Road >
        • Day 1 - Füssen to Peiting
        • Day 2 - Peiting to Klosterlechfeld
        • Day 3 - Kosterlechfeld to Gersthofen
        • Day 4 - Gersthofen to Donauwörth
        • Day 5 - Train Ride Home
      • Continuing on the Romantic Road >
        • Day 1 - Donauwörth to Raustetten
        • Day 2 - Raustetten to Dorfgütingen
        • Day 3 - Dorfgütingen to Creglingen
        • Day 4 - Creglingen to Hochhausen
        • Day 5: Hochhausen to Uettingen
        • Day 6 - Uettingen to Würzburg
      • Alpe-Adria Tour 2018 >
        • 1. Alsace or the Alps?
        • 2. We're Off: Munich to Bruckmühl
        • 3. Mountains Aready? Bruckmühl to Übersee
        • 4. Almost Salzburg: Übersee to Freilassing
        • 5. On the Ciclovia Alpe-Adria: Freilassing to Golling
        • 6. A Short Ride: Golling to Werfen
        • 7. A Patch of Blue Sky: Werfen to Sankt Veit
        • 8. Holed up in Sankt Veit
        • 9. The Big Climb: Sankt Veit to Unterkolbnitz
        • 10. Inching Our Way: Kolbnitz to Spittal
        • 11. Flat and Dry: Spittal to Arnoldstein
        • 12. Buongiorno Bella Italia: Arnoldstein to Chiusaforte
        • 13. Best Bike Path Ever: Chiusaforte to Tavagnacco
        • 14. Closer to the Sea: Tavagnacco to Palmanova
        • 15. Last Day on the Road: Palmanova to Grado
        • 16. Grado and How We Got Home
    • 2016 >
      • To Berlin and Beyond
    • 2013 >
      • Eight Wheels in Transit
    • 2011 >
      • From Passau to Vienna
    • 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006
  • Day Rides
    • Rides 2023
    • 2022 Rides
    • 2021 Walks and Rides
    • 2020 Bicycle Days
    • 2019 Rides >
      • Bicycle Days 2019
    • 2018 Rides >
      • Bicycle Days 2018
      • 2018 Monthly Challenges
      • Cycling in Circles
    • 2017 Rides and Challenges >
      • Late to the Party
      • The Munich Kaffeeklatsch
  • Bicycle Memories
    • 1981: Bicycling with Daniel
    • 1981 - Passau to Vienna
    • 1982 - Provence with Daniel
    • 1985: Believe It or Not
    • 1986 - Southwest France
  • About
  • Contact
  • My Blog
  • Miscellaneous
    • Hochbunkers in Munich