Things to Do in Udine, Italy: Walking Guide

Udine is a city in the Friuli‑Venezia Giulia region of northeastern Italy, sitting between the Alpine foothills and the Adriatic coast. Its historic centre blends Venetian arcades with Austro‑French touches, offering a relaxed atmosphere where Alpine, Central European and Italian traditions meet in the architecture, museums and local cuisine. Neywo provides a free audio guide for Udine with 54 narrated places, available in 11 languages.

Explore Udine’s highlights

Udine Cathedral

The city’s main church, dedicated to Saint Mary of the Annunciation, has been an Italian national monument since 1940. As the seat of the Archbishop of Udine, it has served as a focal point for the community for centuries.

San Francesco

This former Franciscan church is no longer consecrated and now hosts temporary exhibitions. For centuries it was the principal seat of the Friars Minor across Friuli; its adjoining convent became a hospital in 1782, operating until 1938, and today houses the city’s courthouse.

Udine Castle

Perched on a hill 138 metres above sea level, the Castello di Udine offers panoramic views over the city. Built in the 16th century on a settlement mound that dates back to the Bronze Age, the castle now accommodates Udine’s civic museums, including an art gallery, an archaeological and numismatic museum, a Risorgimento museum, a gallery of drawings and prints, and a museum of Friulan photography.

Stadio Friuli

Home to Udinese Calcio, the stadium is also known commercially as the Bluenergy Stadium. Located in the Rizzi district about four kilometres from the centre, it opened in 1976 and was renovated between 2013 and 2016. Before becoming a football ground it hosted the 1976 Italian rugby playoff and later Italy versus South Africa in 2009. In 2013 Udinese secured a 99‑year lease from the municipality for 4.55 million euros, making it only the second Italian stadium owned by a football club after the Juventus Stadium in Turin. It was the sole Italian nominee for the Stadium of the Year award in 2016, finishing seventh out of 29 candidates.

Museo di Arte Moderna e Contemporanea

Housed in the restored 16th‑century Casa Cavazzini, the museum’s permanent collection spans two floors and features works by Dino Basaldella, Afro Basaldella, Mirko Basaldella, the Astaldi and FRIAM collections. A rotating section presents thematic exhibitions drawn from the museum’s holdings, which total around four thousand pieces including paintings, sculptures, architectural drawings and graphic art. The museum opened on 6 October 2012 with the inaugural exhibition Metamorphosis.

Galleria Tina Modotti

Situated in the heart of Udine, this gallery offers a space to view contemporary and modern art while exploring the city.

Civic Museums and Gallery of History and Art

Owned by the municipality, this museum complex dates back to 1865 and opened to the public the following year in the Palazzo Bartolini. In 1906 the collection moved to its current home inside Udine Castle, where it has welcomed visitors for over a century.

Museo del Duomo‑Cattedrale di Udine

Located in the cathedral’s baptistery, this small museum is dedicated to the Blessed Bertrando of San Genesio (1265‑1350), who transferred key economic offices from Cividale del Friuli to Udine, boosting the city’s importance. Its most remarkable piece is the marble ark Bertrando commissioned to hold the relics of Saints Ermacora and Fortunato, Udine’s patron saints; after his assassination his own body was placed there. Frescoes of Saint Nicholas of Bari and the two saints, originally on the cathedral walls, have been reassembled here, and the museum preserves medieval sacred vestments bearing a golden eagle on a blue background.

Museo Friulano di Storia Naturale

This natural history museum presents the flora, fauna and geological past of the Friuli region, offering a detailed look at the area’s natural heritage.

Museo etnografico del Friuli

Housed in the Palazzo Giacomelli, the museum reopened in October 2010 after more than two decades of closure. Its mission is to gather, preserve and present the rich heritage of Friulian popular tradition, providing a thoughtful interpretation of the region’s cultural identity through objects that show how people lived, worked and celebrated over the centuries.

Museo Diocesano e Gallerie del Tiepolo

Founded in 1963 by Monsignor Giuseppe Zaffonato, Archbishop of Udine from 1956 to 1972, the museum aims to protect the ecclesiastical treasures of the local archdiocese. After an initial location in the seminary basement, it moved to the Palazzo Patriarcale—once the residence of the patriarchs of Aquileia and, from 1751, the home of Udine’s archbishops. The palace suffered damage in the 1976 earthquake, was carefully restored, and opened to the public on 29 April 1995.

Basilica Santuario della Beata Vergine delle Grazie

Known locally as the Madonna delle Grazie, this important city‑centre church holds the title of minor basilica and serves as the parish church for the Archdiocese of Udine. Built in the 16th century in Renaissance style, it later received Baroque extensions and a classically designed portal.

San Cristoforo

A religious building situated in the heart of Udine, it offers a quiet place for reflection amid the urban setting.

San Pietro Martire

Described as one of the city’s most important religious buildings, this church stands prominently in Udine’s historic centre.

Presentazione di Maria al Tempio

Also referred to as the Chiesa delle Zitelle because of its historical link to young women, this religious building provides a modest yet notable presence in Udine.

Explore Udine with Neywo

Neywo’s free audio guide for Udine includes 54 narrated places and offers two walking tours and one bus route. The first walk, “A Little Venice in Friuli: Piazza Libertà, the Castle and Tiepolo’s Chapel,” covers 1.29 kilometres in about 79 minutes with 11 stops. The second walk, “Franciscans, Modern Art and Palladio’s Palace,” is 1.72 kilometres long, takes roughly 73 minutes and has 9 stops. The bus line, “Bus 1: Through the Old Town to the Northern Churches,” runs 4.4 kilometres in approximately 19 minutes and stops at five locations. Each story plays automatically as you reach the site, allowing you to explore at your own pace without a group or a fixed schedule. Download the app, choose a tour, and let Udine’s stories unfold step by step.