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    • The Adriatic Sea serves as a bridge on a unique journey connecting UNESCO-protected treasures across Italy and Croatia. This route unveils centuries of stories etched into stone, preserved in vibrant traditions, and reflected in the waters that link its shores. 

    Our journey begins in Urbino, a gem of the Italian Renaissance. At its heart, the 15th-century Palazzo Ducale embodies humanist innovation, housing masterpieces by masters like Piero della Francesca and Raphael. The city’s carefully planned layout is a living testament to an era that transformed the Western world. 

    Further north, Aquileia reveals a vast, largely unexcavated Roman city founded in 181 BC. Its Patriarchal Basilica is famed for one of Europe’s largest and most significant early Christian mosaic floors. Nearby, Cividale del Friuli, the first Lombard duchy capital, offers a deep dive into the legacy of this people, anchored by its stunning Longobard Temple. The architectural marvels continue with Palmanova, a perfectly preserved star-shaped city. Conceived by Venetian engineers in 1593, this military fortress’s nine-pointed star plan is a masterpiece of Renaissance design. 

    Crossing the Adriatic to Croatia, we find Zadar. Its formidable city walls, reinforced by the Venetians, are a UNESCO World Heritage site and now a beloved promenade. The city is also home to the International Centre for Underwater Archaeology (ICUA), a UNESCO hub dedicated to preserving the Adriatic’s submerged history. Our route then leads to Venice, a unique city whose power as a maritime republic was centered in San Marco. The Doge’s Palace showcases its rich commercial past as a vital Mediterranean port. 

    Finally, the journey embraces living heritage with the Bell Ringers of Halubje in Croatia’s Viškovo municipality. Recognized by UNESCO, this vibrant carnival tradition is a powerful community ritual to chase away winter and reinforce a shared identity. It’s a powerful symbol of the intangible heritage that thrives in the region. 

    The Adriatic UNESCO Route is an immersive experience through time, connecting monuments, artistic masterpieces, and living traditions that define the shared soul of the Adriatic. 

    Trieste
    Heritage
    PALMANOVA
    The star-shaped city became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2017. The history of Palmanova begins on a specific date, October 7, 1593, St. Justine's
    Trieste
    Heritage
    CIVIDALE DEL FRIULI
    Cividale del Friuli, the ancient Forum Iulii founded by the Romans around 50 B.C. and becoming the capital of the first Lombard duchy in Italy in
    Trieste
    Heritage
    AQUILEIA
    Aquileia is a precious little treasure chest of art and history located near Udine in Friuli Venezia Giulia region. Since 1998 it has been on the
    Dubrovnik
    Heritage
    ST. JOHN’S FORTRESS
    St John’s fortress is located at the far southeast part of the city harbour. It was named after the church of St. John, which was located along the
    Dubrovnik
    Heritage
    REVELIN FORTRESS
    The Revelin Fortress was the main pillar of defense for the northern part of the harbor. This impressive outwork, located at the eastern entrance to
    Dubrovnik
    Heritage
    St LUKE’s TOWER
    The St Luke’s Tower belonged to the norther part of the city harbour’s defence system. It was named after the nearby pre-Romanesque church of St
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