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19 May 2019

The Garden Train

Slow Tour
19 May 2019
Lara Bertoia
Slow Tour

The Garden Train

I like travelling by train, I find it relaxing: you can watch the landscape from the window as it changes and let yourself be lulled by its rhythmic movement while reading a book.


I have travelled widely by train: on the Intercity train that runs along the Italian peninsula from Friuli-Venezia Giulia to Apulia; on regional trains that stop at each town; on the high speed train that gets you to your destination in a flash. But until 19 May, I had never boarded one type of train: a historic steam train. Yes, one of those coal-fired trains that go chuff-chuff and leave a white trail behind.
Departure is scheduled at 7.55am from Udine. I know it's a little early but, in this way, you can enjoy the whole day, and then, the dear train (a 99-year-old locomotive that pulls along 4 “centoporte” carriages dating back to the 1930s) takes its time to get to our destination: Sacile.
Travelling by train in Friuli-Venezia Giulia is not only about admiring pastoral landscapes but also about retracing the history of the region. Its various railway lines were built in different periods. The Udine-Gemona line (the first part of our journey) was built in 1875; the Gemona-Pinzano line (the second part) dates back to 1930. Looking at them all on the map distributed on board the train, is like retracing the stages of contemporary history, with the boundaries having changed over time.
Arriving in Sacile at lunchtime, we are guests at a farm and winery that I had heard about but never seen: the Vistorta estate belonging to the Counts of Brandolini d’Adda.


I love flowers and plants, and here there is a glorious amount: roses and ivy cover entire walls, centuries-old trees, ponds … The landscape architect Russel Page created the park so that, at any time of the year, there is a mixture of colours. I was not very lucky, as rain prevented me from fully enjoying a walk in the park, but I left the place very satisfied just the same. Don't miss a stop at the orchid greenhouse: there are several very unusual ones among some of the most common.

Last stop: Sacile. I'm from Friuli but I must admit that I had never visited Sacile before. I discovered an elegant town, with gems not to be missed, and a history far from boring, also thanks to the river. It is certainly the visit that impressed me the most. A palace that emanates history: its most ancient history is linked to the Ragazzoni family, who commissioned the interiors to be beautifully decorated to represent the history not only of the family but also of Europe, thanks to its ties with popes and kings. Its most recent history is marked by traces of gunfire from the IV Battalion, which defended the city in 1917.


The wonderful thing about travelling on historic trains is that you not only go back to a different dimension of time but also visit lesser-known places. Treasures are unveiled thanks to some exceptional guides, such as the high-school students who accompanied us to Sacile.
From spring to the Advent period, various trains cover different routes, offering nature, cultural, historical and food and wine proposals.

 
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Lara Bertoia

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I am an untiring voyager, inveterate reader and keen walker. I like to go and discover villages and natural spaces. My job is in marketing and advertising, my passions are travel and books, and my delight is craftsmanship.

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