STAGE 3: Cividale del Friuli – Udine (23 km)

The third and final leg of this short bike tour exploring Friuli is the shortest, and from Cividale it takes you back to Udine.
You pedal along a different route than on the first stage, through canals and villages further south than Udine and Cividale. Via Via Manzano, one exits Cividale, following signs for the small village of Firmano, reached after pedaling serenely through the Friulian countryside. A bicycle-pedestrian footbridge allows you to cross the Natisone River, crossing Premariacco before returning to the left bank thanks to the scenic Roman Bridge.
The route follows the Ipplis Road for a few meters, then turns right (km 6.4) along the FVG 3 Ciclovia route. You leave it after the village of Leproso, crossing the Natisone on yet another bridge and, having faced a short but steep climb near Orsaria, you now head west. The ground on which the bicycle enters the countryside becomes natural for a few kilometers, returning paved toward Malina cottages, where it fords the stream of the same name (if this is not possible due to water, it can be crossed further north on the bridge near Orzano, and then descend back down the side of the stream).
Meadows and groves accompany until the ford over the Torre stream (in case the ford is impassable, backtrack to the junction with SP 96 and follow it south toward Pradamano. After crossing the bridge, take the second dirt road on the right, Via Petracco, to rejoin the route).
From here you pedal the last 6 km to reach Udine and perhaps enjoy a visit to the city’s invaluable historic center, which ideally combines culture, shopping…and gastronomy!

Length: 23 km
Elevation gain: 209 m
Height difference on descent: 239 m
Highest point: 137 m
Lowest point: 76 m
Type of surface: mixed

Municipality of departure: Cividale del Friuli
Place of departure: Cividale del Friuli
Municipality of arrival: Udine
Place of arrival: Udine

Recommended period: March to October

The fascinating eastern territory of Friuli is the theater where a 3-stage bicycle itinerary unfolds, starting and ending in Udine, the capital and heart of the region. The bike route reaches and crosses the Natisone Valleys, a magical and authentic land with a wild and changing landscape, artfully designed by streams flowing through ravines, small waterfalls and caves.
The Valleys are located in the Julian Pre-Alps, behind Cividale, a place rich in artistic and historical treasures recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Thus flow, amid nature and wonders of the past, the 83 kilometers of a bicycle route to discover an enchanting and lesser-known Italy.

Credits: Province of Udine – Land of the Patriarchs