Comeglians: Churches, Trails and the cidulas

Comeglians brings together a striking church setting, frescoes, local history and the fire ritual known as “the cidulas”. The parish church of San Giorgio stands on a rocky outcrop overlooking the town and much of the Canale di Gorto. Walking and hiking routes complement the cultural attractions; the Panoramica delle Vette also appeals to cyclists. A holiday here can therefore range from church art and living traditions to routes through the municipal hamlets and around Monte Crostis.

Churches and traces of local history

The “cleva” walking path leads from Comeglians to the parish church of San Giorgio. It connects the town with the church on the rocky outcrop, which affords views over Comeglians and much of the Canale di Gorto. The Gothic chapel of San Nicolò in Comeglians has 15th-century frescoes. The church of San Vincenzo martire in Comeglians also contains a precise historical reference: an inscription on the lintel of a niche to the left of the entrance bears the year 1864.

Comeglians also preserves historic districts with notable buildings such as Cjase Boter and Palazzo Di Gleria. The smaller hamlets in the municipality also offer glimpses of local religious art: in the hamlet of Mieli, the votive chapel of San Leonardo preserves 16th-century frescoes by Lorenzo Paulitti of Ampezzo. In the hamlet of Tualis, the church of San Vincenzo houses two notable wooden sculptures by Michael Parth, as well as popular votive offerings.

The cidulas: a living fire ritual

The cidulas is still practised in Comeglians and takes place on 6 January. After nightfall, glowing wooden discs are thrown into the night. They are dedicated to actual or hoped-for couples. The ritual is organised by the town’s unmarried men; at the same time, it highlights the community’s cohesion and solidarity. Its sequence, date and meaning give the ritual a distinct cultural dimension: it is about more than fire—it also expresses the bonds within the town.

Trails through the municipality and routes on Monte Crostis

A network of hiking trails connects Comeglians, Maranzanis and Povolaro in the lower part of the municipality. A cultural trail passes through Povolaro and Maranzanis to the church of San Floreano. Along the way, visitors can see typical Carnic architectural styles from the 17th and 18th centuries, made accessible to tourists through the Albergo Diffuso. San Floreano is home to an important wooden altar by Michael Path, dating from 1541, as well as other paintings and an Art Nouveau altarpiece by Giuseppe Da Pozzo.

The Panoramica delle Vette offers another route: it starts in the hamlet of Tualis, climbs the southern slope of Monte Crostis and reaches an altitude of 1,900 metres. The route is popular with cyclists. To access the Crostis ridge route from Comeglians, travel through the hamlets of Mieli and Tualis; road conditions can vary. When planning activities, visitors can choose between the cleva walking path, the municipality-wide hiking network and routes suitable for cycling.

Getting here and choosing a holiday apartment

By car, reach Comeglians from the Carnia motorway exit via Tolmezzo, Villa Santina and Ovaro. By public transport, travel via Udine railway station, then take the bus from Udine to Tolmezzo and continue from there to Comeglians. Check the bus connections that suit your travel date. When looking for a holiday apartment, you can consider your planned activities and how you will get here at the same time: the Panoramica delle Vette starts in Tualis, while the bus connection runs via Udine and Tolmezzo. If you are planning to take the Crostis ridge route, also factor in the variable road conditions.

Discover more destinations

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For the broader travel overview: Udine.