Day 3: Belluno – Pordenone
Overview:
46.1 miles; 1539 ft elevation gain (33ft/mi)
With the climb to the Dolomites behind us, it is nearly "all down hill" today. Once we finish the first 6 miles, we say good-bye to the Piave River and head toward Lake Santa Croce, which is a semi-natural lake in the province of Belluno, Veneto, northern Italy. The route takes use through the countryside and slowly back into the city environ of Pordenone.
Lake Santa Croce, Veneto, Italy Town Hall & Bessich Wines, Pordonne Italy
Pordenone city has many fine Roman-Gothic and Venetian palaces, including the Palazzo Comunale (1291) with its picture gallery. The 13th–14th-century campanile of the 15th-century cathedral is a national monuments. Pordenone is one of the flagship towns in the territory of Prosecco DOC, the most famous sparkling white wine in the world.
The city is not a well-known tourist destination, but the small provincial capital of Friuli Venezia Giulia will surprise with its beauty. Picturesque medieval centre, elegant arcades, ancient buildings in different styles with frescoed facades, churches, museums, and lots of green will delight you. Surrounded by the peaks of the Friuli Dolomites and crossed by the Noncello river, Pordenone or Portus Naonis owes its name to its river.
