Udine: Venetian Charms and Piazzas
Location: Udine, “Land of Contrasts”
The Friuli Venezia Giulia region is a border region bounded by spectacular mountain ranges and the sea. The region borders the Adriatic and the countries of Austria and Slovenia. To the north are the craggy Dolomite Mountains, a UNESCO World Heritage site added in 2009. Some of Italy's best white wines come from the region.
Surrounded by many cultures, the influence of Venice on Udine can best be seen in what many believe to be the mainland's most beautiful Venetian square: Piazza della Libertà in Udine. Lignano Sabbadoro and Grado bookend a very compelling lagoon. Fishermen's houses called casoni dot the little islands around the lagoon flanked by Lignano Sabbadoro and Grado.
Just an hour to the south is the home-away-from-home of the literary giant James Joyce who lived in Trieste for fifteen years. A visit to the Museo Joyce is one of the many excursions attendees can take on the “free day” Wednesday during the conference.
The inspiration for the Leopardi Writing Conference is the life and work of one of Italy's most famous sons: the poet Giacomo Leopardi, a towering presence in the history of Italian letters, and a key influence on the development of Romanticism in Europe.
Founded in 2018, the Leopardi Writing Conference originated in Recanati, the birthplace of the restless and spirited Giacomo Leopardi. In 2023 the founders of the conference made the decision to do as its namesake did, and travel on inspiring voyages throughout Italy and beyond, anchoring at various locales along the way.
