The westernmost of Friuli-Venezia Giulia’s three large towns, PORDENONE was once a thriving river port, but is now the region’s main manufacturing centre, specializing in light industries especially white goods, textiles and ceramics. As such, the town is hardly set up for tourism, with few specific sights, but the historic centre is carefully preserved and worth a visit. From the train station go straight ahead along Via Mazzini, then take the third right down Corso Vittorio Emanuele to the Gothic-Renaissance Palazzo Communale . Over the road from the palazzo is the Museo Civico Ricchieri (Tues-Fri 9.30am-12.30pm & 3-6pm; L4000/¬2.07); it’s predominantly a second-string collection of Venetian art, but it does have a clutch of works by the finest local artist, Giovanni Antonio de’ Sacchis, better known simply as Il Pordenone. Many of the paintings in the museum were removed from the Duomo after the 1976 earthquake. The Duomo itself, mainly a late-Gothic structure, is notable only for its Romanesque campanile, and some works by Pordenone – the first altarpiece on the right, and the two (not three, whatever the sign may say) least dilapidated frescoes belonging to the right-hand pillar at the end of the nave.

If you want to see more of Pordenone’s work in his home town, search out the parish churches of Roraigrande, Torre, Villanova and Vallenoncello – for information about access, ask at the helpful tourist office , Corso Vittorio Emanuele 38 (Mon-Fri: May-Sept 9am-1pm & 3-6pm; Oct-April 9am-1pm & 3-5pm; tel 0434.21.912). There’s an Internet café on Piazzetta dei Domenicani, just beyond the swish Hotel Moderno . Accommodation in Pordenone is poor, with just a handful of grotesque business hotels. The Minerva , Piazzale XX Settembre (tel 0434.26.066, www.hotelminerva.it ; L120,000-150,000/¬61.98-77.47), however, is smart enough, if hardly home from home. Otherwise try the more expensive Park Hotel , via Mazzini 43 (tel 0434.27.901; L120,000-150,000/¬61.98-77.47), which is near the train station but has little else in its favour.

The choices for eating are much better. La Vecia Osteria del Moro (tel 0434.28.658; closed Sun) is a beautiful old restaurant a step away from the Palazzo Communale where you take superbly for around L40,000/¬20.66 a head. For budget meals, Da Zelina is just behind the Palazzo and serves good pizza.