7 Best Things to Do in Pordenone (From Personal Experience)

1. Stroll Around the Historic Old Town

The old town of Pordenone, and the best area for a leisurely walk, is made up of these main streets:

• Corso Vittorio Emanuele II
• Corso Garibaldi
• Viale Franco Martelli
• Via Felice Cavalotti

Corso Vittorio Emanuele II is the main street of Pordenone’s historic center. It’s the obvious starting point for your time in Pordenone. It’s just a few minutes walk from the train station but if you drove yourself here instead, know you’ll need to park before getting to this road as it’s pedestrian only. 

The other streets on this list all interconnect and include a few small roads that also intersect each other. 

If you have some extra time, I highly recommend you simply walk these streets and some of the small ones. Pop into local shops, have a coffee or later an aperitivo, and when it’s lunch or dinner, stop for a great meal. 

While I’ll go into detail of things to do, know most of your day will be spent on these roads. If you prefer to skip the itinerary and only have an hour or two in town, wander these streets and you’ll get a great sense of Pordenone. 

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2. Take Pictures of the Loggia Municipale (Town Hall)

While walking down Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, you’ll get to the Loggia Municipale, or Town Hall. This is Pordenone’s biggest landmark and one you can’t overlook. While you can’t go inside of it (it’s a government building where people actively work), you should spend some time simply enjoying the architecture.

As of October 2026, the facade is under construction. My guess is that they’re preparing for a boost in tourism for their year as the Capital of Culture. Hopefully that means the construction will be completed by the start of the new year.

Across the street from the Loggia Municipale, is the Campanile di San Marco (bell tower) and the Duomo di San Marco (main church). The church was completely white and flat while I was last in town, looking very unique compared to other churches in Italy. This one you can walk inside but you can’t go up to the top of the bell tower. 

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3. Go on a Long Walk or Bike Ride

Continue on past the Loggia Municipale and you’ll cross the Adam and Eve Bridge. This bridge crosses the Noncello River, a crystal clear river that has incredibly bright shades of blue and green on a sunny day. 

Once across the bridge, you’ll see a trail map with a few different options for walking and biking routes around the city. At the very least you can walk along the river to the next bridge and connect back into the old town at Viale Franco Martelli. 

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4. Visit for a Pordenonelegge 

Pordenonelegge (translates to Pordenone Reads) is an annual book festival held in town each September. It’s one of the biggest and most prestigious literary festivals in Italy. This past year, a local friend from Trieste asked if I wanted to meet her here for this. Unfortunately we were out of town so couldn’t join but according to her, it’s worth seeing if your trip coincides.

If you prefer to see Pordenone on a normal weekend without the extra people, I’d check the dates to help you find a time to avoid the event instead. 

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5. Try the Local Cuisine

The local cuisine in Pordenone is pretty similar to what you’ll find in the rest of Friuli-Venezia Giulia region but if you’ve never been to the region before, the food does differ from typical Italian cuisine. 

The king of dishes here is frico, a potato and cheese patty that I’ve talked about numerous times because it’s just that good. You can often get frico as an appetizer or with your aperitivo or as a full meal served with polenta. 

It’s also common to find gnocchi, local prosciutto, baccalà mantecato (creamed cod), and toç in braide (polenta with a creamy cheese sauce) on menus.

Last time I was in town, I ate at Osteria Al Cavaliere Perso and thoroughly enjoyed it. I will note that the general price at restaurants is higher than I’m accustomed to in small towns but at the very least, at this restaurant, the meal was delish. I have to go back in a few weeks and honestly will probably eat here again, trying a different one of their typical dishes.

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6. Visit a Museum or Two

If you’ve read other articles, you know I’m not a museum girlie. It takes a lot for me to choose going to a museum over simply walking about and seeing what I find outside. That said, I know plenty of people would prefer to add a museum visit to their trip to Pordenone.

For those, here are my top suggestions: 

• Palazzo Ricchieri (Civic Art Museum): Houses many original works from Pordenone itself from the Middle Ages to the 19th century. 
• Museo Civico di Storia Naturale (Natural History Museum): Highlights the natural history of the surrounding area in detail. 

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7. See How Many Frescoes You Can Find

While walking around, especially on Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, you can’t help but notice the large amount of frescoes on the buildings. They’re truly beautiful and well-maintained. 

I overheard the waitress at a restaurant I was eating at tell tourists from Southern Italy that what she loved so much about living in Pordenone was that the center is full of frescoes and beautiful architecture but, unlike many historic towns, wasn’t dead and instead was growing and lively.

While I have seen plenty of lively towns and cities in Italy covered in frescoes (Trento was the first one that popped into mind), I can agree with the sentiment. This artwork does make Pordenone special and make it a truly picturesque place to wander, just so long as you look up. 

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Is Pordenone Worth Visiting?

Personally, I enjoy Italy’s smaller, picturesque towns and cities. While I love a getaway to Rome or Bologna, I’m drawn to day trips in places with less tourism. Although the quiet, off-the-beaten path feel to Pordenone might change this coming year, I don’t think it’ll get flocked. Likely only domestic tourism will grow as international tourists will continue to go to the same famous places as always. 

That said, Pordenone is small. You can easily walk the entirety of the old town in just an hour or two, maybe stretching it to 3 if you really take your time and make a few stops. Unless you have a few big items on your list, you’ll likely run out of activities after lunch time. Even some of the museums are closed during these hours, giving you little to do but take yourself on a walk or bring a book to read outside, if the weather cooperates. 

I’m truly not sure I would go far out of my way to visit Pordenone. Instead, I recommend it for people already in the area. If you combine your trip with some time spent in other neighboring towns or have a car to sit by the Tagliamento River or go up in the hills, then you’ll be good  to go. I’ve been to a number of towns around Pordenone and while Conegliano and Portogruaro are closest and cute, I’d recommend going just a bit further to either Udine or Treviso instead. 

That said, for 2027 there should be a number of events taking place in the city, giving you a little more variety of things to do.

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Enjoy the Best Things to Do in Pordenone

For those that find themselves in Pordenone and want to see Italy’s Capital of Culture for 2027, these are my favorite things to do in the city after a number of visits between Raf and me. It’s a quiet city that rewards those who can amble about and enjoy stunning architecture and frescoes, more so than those that need a whirlwind of activities. 

Take it slow, enjoy the views, and fuel up with coffee of local Friuli wine to enjoy your relaxing day in Pordenone.