The tour starts with the visit of Gorizia, the only town in Italy divided by a border (its eastern half is actually located in Slovenia).

It was the capital of an ancient Austro-Hungarian province and it was a very important and wealthy city until the outbreak of World War I, which destroyed it almost completely.

Today it still keeps some evidence of a central European heritage in its long avenues and architecture: the peculiar church of St. Ignazio, the imposing Palazzo Attems-Petzenstein, site of a fine picture gallery, and many other buildings in the historical center are clearly Hapsburg in inspiration.

The heart of this beloved city on the Isonzo river, though, is the majestic castle, located on a hill and surrounded by a medieval hamlet. It is one of the loveliest fortresses in Friuli-Venezia Giulia and it is often used by local authorities for cultural events.

The tour continues towards the Collio wine region which develops along gentle hills and vineyards.

Numerous wrought-iron signs indicate the names of the wine producers that open their cellars to wine enthousiasts wishing to taste their outstanding wines which pair well with the gastronomic specialties of Habsburg origin of this area.