The periodical has already been available for free just since Saturday, Feb. 8, the day of the official opening of the European Capital of Culture. This is the fourth issue of “La Via del BorGO,” whose contents are edited by Caterina Trovato, Angelica Stasi, Lodovica Gaia Stasi and Valentina Randazzo.
The in-depth feature on GO!2025 follows the first three publications dedicated to the history of Gorizia and Borgo Castello, Gorizia Christmas, and the tale of fairs and markets of yesteryear. Monica Paoletich, Director of Confcommercio Gorizia, expresses her enthusiasm for this particular issue:
“Saturday, February 8, was a special day for our city. The inauguration of the European Capital of Culture was an exciting moment. Confcommercio Gorizia also wanted to celebrate this event with a special edition of our free press La Via del BorGO dedicated to GO!2025. I would like to thank my colleagues – Caterina, Angelica, Lodovica and Valentina – who have worked with passion on this and previous issues: a valuable work that will remain as a testimony to the urban regeneration taking place in Via Rastello and Borgo Castello and the pride we feel around the evocative history of this city, but also to an important year like 2025, an inspiring point of restart. And this may not be the last issue: there are still many curiosities to tell!”
Considering all four issues (in both Italian and English) there are 20,000 copies of the free press produced by Confcommercio Gorizia with the intention of enriching and making the city’s narrative increasingly coordinated. To these must be added the 1,000 printed copies that tell the story of the area’s restaurants.
What to find in the issue – Leafing through the periodical you can discover many interesting facts related to the cross-border theme. These include the “Andirivieni Routes,” two routes to and from the border, designed to answer a frequent question from tourists and visitors: “How to reach the border from the historic center?” The name “Andirivieni Routes” was chosen to evoke the sense of going and returning, of passing through: these are walks to be taken independently, on foot, suggesting stops and points of interest along the way. The first starts at Transalpina and arrives at Rastello Street while the second is a loop that starts in Borgo Rastello, with special attention to Casa Rassauer, continues to Castagnevizza and returns to Rastello Street following a different route. Both routes have QR codes to facilitate geolocation.
The route stages from Transalpina to the historic center: Transalpina Square (start), Via Monte Santo, Piazza de Amicis, Via Carducci, Via Malta, Via San Giovanni, Corso Verdi, Via Oberdan, Via Roma, Via Rotta, Via delle Monache, Via Rastello (finish).
The route stages from Borgo Castello to Via Rastello: Borgo Castello (departure), Rassauer House, Porta Leopoldina, Cathedral, Via delle Monache, Via Rastello, Piazza Vittoria, Via Carducci, Via Favetti, Via del Santo, Via della Cappella, Castagnevizza, Valico del Rafut, Via Giustiniano, Via Alviano, Piazza Sant’Antonio, Via Rastello (arrival).
The restoration of Casa Rassauer – Among the stops is Casa Rassauer, one of the oldest buildings in Borgo Castello: owned by the Palazzo Coronini Cronberg Foundation, the building is a significant example of internationalism, both architecturally and historically. Edited by architect Giulio Valentini, the in-depth feature recounts the restoration of Casa Rassauer, which has yielded new, unpublished discoveries and brought back forgotten stories. The tale is decidedly cross-border, an example of international history, culture and architecture. Right in the heart of BorGO, a beautiful tribute to the European Capital of Culture. Rassauer House itself will be featured in a walk scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 22, entitled “Rassauer: one restoration, two houses, many cultures, 1475 stories” (details will follow in the coming days).
20 things to do in Gorizia and 20 in Nova Gorica – But it doesn’t end there: the free press also suggests 20 things to do in Gorizia and 20 things to do in Nova Gorica: a list of must-do activities to enhance the tourist offerings of the two cities. These include: taking the Wine Train from Nova Gorica to Ajdovscina, discovering Trg Evrope or “Europe Square” (the Slovenian part of the Transalpine Square), walking in the Panovec forest, tasting plum gnocchi, visiting the Gorizia Cathedral and the permanent exhibition on the cathedral’s treasure, and participating in the St. Roch festival scheduled for August.
Where to find the periodical “La Via del BorGO” – As mentioned, the free press is distributed free of charge at the Bottega del Cappello, both in Italian and English, as well as in local accommodations and businesses. The story is also articulated on La Via del BorGO’s social media: the invitation is to take a photo with the newspaper under your arm and tag @laviadelborgo_ on Instagram.
At the link the interview with Monica Paoletich : https://youtu.be/lII0-cM_6Oc?si=NkKqBFT10nBleK9r
