Balcone sul Friuli

The conformation of the Karst ground and the corrosive action of the water of the Cosa stream created a spectacular natural view. The green caves were explored for the first time in the middle of the twentieth century, but once were a shelter for prehistoric men and animals. Inside them, in fact, many fossils, flint finds and potsherds were found. The Orrido (gorge) is a gully with three sharp and steep faces, created by the erosional force of the stream. The largest of the three caves is the Grotta della Madonna, a large space which is now used as a venue for liturgical celebrations. In 1968 this cave was denominated National Temple of speleologists and since then every year celebrations take place, which attract many participants. Going down 207 steps, you will reach the bottom of the gully and across a bridge you will get to a crucifix by the Master Gatto of Treviso.

The path of the battle of Pradis, from Pielungo, a hamlet of Vito d’Asio, up to the Selletta di Val da Ros, creates a themed itinerary allowing tourists to cross the stage of the war episodes that occurred in this area on November 5-6, 1917. The battles between the Italian and German troops were fought in the area among San Francesco, Mount Pala and Mount Dagn, Clauzetto and the Valley of Pradis: the Italian troops reached the line marked by the river Tagliamento and planned to bear down on the enemy advancing towards the Friulan plain. It takes about one and a half hours to cover the path running along 4560 meters with an altitude difference of 312 meters from Pielungo to Pradis.

One of the typical specialities of the Valley of Arzino is the Asìno cheese, which has been produced since the 18th century. It is a soft cheese made in a traditional way: a mixture of cream, milk and salt is poured into large oak vats or stone basins (called “le salmueries”). This mixture, once fermented, produces the bath in which the cheeses are immersed for maturing. The “balote” (literally meaning ball, a name which derives from the shape of the dough) is a traditional Clauzetto dish, the result of the combination of two types of food typical of traditional poor cooking, polenta (a kind of thick maize porridge) and cheese. The dish is probably connected to an ancient custom: the groom-tobe when asking for the hand of his beloved in marriage used to take some “balote” as a gift to her family. If it was appreciated, then the family would place it over the fireplace as a sign that the marriage proposal had been accepted.