Spring: flowers, water and castles in Strassoldo

Slow Tour

10 April 2018

Slow Tour

Spring: flowers, water and castles in Strassoldo

The Castle of Strassoldo was built more than a thousand years ago, initially as a single castle, then divided into Castello di Sopra and Castello di Sotto. A medieval village in the district of Cervignano del Friuli, it is beautifully preserved and enhanced, surrounded by irrigation ditches, waterways, springs and carefully cared-for gardens.

Twice a year the castles open their doors to events called “In spring: flowers, water and castles” and “In autumn: fruits, water and castles”. During these events, the castles are festively decorated and host an exhibition market of crafts and plants and decorations for the garden.

During the weekend of Palm Sunday I visited in “In spring: flowers, water and castles”: spring seems to enter the castles and take possession of them, filling every corner with flowers and colours. Nature blends with history and with the buildings.

Inside the castles’s rooms, local and travelling artisans exhibit their works of art, often difficult to find because many do not have a physical store where they sell and others come from afar. Thus this becomes an opportunity to admire them all and buy unobtainable pieces: straw hats, jewels, ceramics, clothes, sweet and savoury delicacies. Finally, in the nursery area, you can really go shopping for your garden: endless variety of plants and really unusual decorations will assure you a green thumb even if your are hopeless with plants!

“In Spring: flowers, water and castles” takes place every year on the Palm weekend. The castles open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays from 9.00 to 19.00 - we suggest you buy the admission ticket (€ 12 per person) in order to access all the areas and visit the full market exhibition: otherwise you will miss many wonderful corners !

But you will not have to wait until next year! The penultimate weekend of October will be in fact the turn of “In Autumn: fruits, water and castles” which will be equally magical and fascinating. I will definitely be there!