Tracing the footsteps of Italy's past: historic haunts of WWI in Friuli Venezia Giulia

Monfalcone is a thriving coastal town, yet accommodation here is surprisingly affordable. Settle among the calm colours of Hotel Excelsior for a modern base close to many of the town’s main attractions. The style of this place is subtly Italian, with intricately patterned fabrics and sleek wooden floors. Lovers of a bountiful breakfast buffet will swoon over traditional baked goods and other continental favourites like cooked meats and yoghurts. Use the free Wi-Fi to map out a 30-minute walk to the Theme Park of the Great War, returning later on to unwind in the spa bath of your Deluxe Double Room.

Old and new collide at Udine’s too-cool Hotel Clocchiatti & Next. A 19th-century villa houses the main part of the hotel and features classically decorated rooms with elegant, soft furnishings. In contrast, ‘Next’ is in a contemporary outbuilding with a collection of rooms dripping with modernity – think innovative lighting and sliding floor-to-ceiling windows. You’re also just a 15-minute walk from Piazza Primo Maggio, so the city’s easy to explore on foot. Whenever I stay here in summer, I round off busy days with time in the bamboo-flanked outdoor pool.

For slick 4-star digs in FVG’s capital, bag yourself a bed at the NH Trieste. Rooms are flooded with natural light that illuminates contemporary interiors, and fragrant toiletries await for soothing soaks in the deep bathtub. You’ll enjoy a buffet breakfast each morning – an eye-popping spread of juicy fruits, tangy cheeses and flaky pastries. The sophisticated restaurant La Veranda serves Italian and international fare, and you can wind down after a walking tour of the city’s Grande Guerra sites with cocktails in the stylish lobby bar.