Buttrio: Wine, Villa and Archaeobotanical Park

Buttrio brings together wine culture and a layered history of villas, parks and archaeological traces. The municipality includes three DOC areas; at the same time, the Villa di Toppo-Florio and its park offer a gateway to museums and cultural heritage. If you would like to combine food and wine with culture, the town offers several themes to explore on your trip. When looking for a holiday apartment in Buttrio, you can start by asking yourself which of these themes you would like to shape your stay.

Wine, Museum and Events

The municipality includes the DOC areas Colli Orientali del Friuli, Grave del Friuli and Prosecco. The Museum of the Civilization of Wine of Friuli Venezia Giulia is located in the west wing of the Villa di Toppo-Florio. It displays objects, documents and visual records relating to vines and wine. The first museum section traces the history of wine culture from the earliest evidence to the present, with a particular focus on the 20th century. Here, you can explore both long-term developments and a closer look at a more recent chapter in the history of wine.

The 2026 programme of the Fiera regionale dei vini di Buttrio included wine tastings, cultural gatherings, guided tours and family events. The event’s programme therefore went beyond tastings. If the Fiera is important to your travel plans, check the dates and programme for the relevant edition.

Villa and Archaeobotanical Park

The 18th-century Villa di Toppo-Florio overlooks a park of particular archaeological and botanical interest. After the Friuli Venezia Giulia region transferred the villa and park to the municipality of Buttrio in 1998, the municipality began restoring and renovating the complex. The archaeobotanical park is considered the only surviving one of its kind in northern Italy. As part of the TreeArt Festival project, it also hosts contemporary art installations; individual installations may change over time.

Artefacts are visible in the park and at the edge of the villa. The park was also landscaped with Roman artefacts recovered in Aquileia. Archaeology is therefore present both in the park’s design and in its visible finds, while the contemporary art installations add another perspective.

Traces of History and Finds

Villa Morpurgo, also known as Castel Morpurgo, stands on the site of Buttrio’s former castle. The castle was destroyed after its capture in 1306, following intervention by the people of Udine, Gemona and Cividale. The villa marks the former castle site; the medieval structure itself belongs to the town’s history. Villa Morpurgo and the vineyards surrounding it are also part of the cultural heritage: because of their historical and ecological value, they are protected by the Soprintendenza del Friuli Venezia Giulia. If you are planning a visit, check the protection status with the relevant authority.

The lapidarium offers another perspective. It contains numerous individual finds that are too small to be displayed in the park. One find there is dated to approximately 190–200 AD. This specific detail adds an archaeological timeframe to the broader stories of the villa, castle and park.

Guided Tours and Choosing Accommodation

You can book guided tours of the park and the Villa di Toppo-Florio by calling 0432 673311 or 335 5848378, or by emailing iat@comune.buttrio.ud.it. Check the contact details before your trip. When choosing a holiday apartment in Buttrio, your preferred itinerary may help you decide: consider whether you would like to focus your trip more on wine culture and the museum, the villa and park, or the historical traces of the castle.

Discover more destinations: Forni di Sotto, Gorgo, Aquileia, Artegna, Mortegliano, Cornino, Sant'Eliseo, Pozzuolo del Friuli.

For the overview of the wider area: Udine.