At the London launch of the Lonely Planet guide to Friuli Venezia Giulia, the first such book on the area from Lonely Planet, author Luigi Farrauto, who is originally from Milan, noted that even Italians overlook this region on the edge of the country: “The reality is that in Italy we don’t know Friuli Venezia Giulia, we think Italy ends at Venice!”

It’s not a region short of draws. There was plenty of talk of the region’s scenic mountains, Mediterranean coastline and historical cities. Winter sports holidays and city breaks are certainly popular, but, particularly in a region as small as Friuli Venezia Giulia (it is estimated that you can cross it in two hours by car), you are also never far away from great food and drink.