2025 marks a special anniversary for Gusti di Frontiera, which reaches its twentieth edition, celebrated under the banner of GO! 2025 – European Capital of Culture. This milestone blends tradition and renewal in a “Special Edition” with strong symbolic value. From September 25 to 28, Gorizia will transform into a mosaic of cultures, hosting over 400 stalls divided into 19 themed “Borghi”—the highest number ever—together with the much-anticipated new Borgo Borderless, set up in Piazza Transalpina / Trg Evrope in collaboration with the Municipality of Nova Gorica, a true emblem of the event’s cross-border spirit.

The heart of the festival remains the “Borghi” route, which weaves together flavors and identities from all over the world. From the large Borgo Italia to the renewed Northern Europe in Piazza Vittoria—which will also host the Io Sono Friuli Venezia Giulia truck with regional specialties and events—through the Central European atmospheres of Austria, France, and Central Europe, to the aromas of the Americas, Africa, Australia, and the Orient. The journey is further enriched by new areas dedicated to vegetarian and vegan food, street food trucks, and seafood cuisines, creating an inclusive and cosmopolitan experience.

At the center of Piazza Sant’Antonio is the Salotto del Gusto, curated by A Local Feeling and designed by Isabella Lupi and Alojz Felix Jermann—an intersection of cuisine, wine, music, and art. Here, tastings, exhibitions, and talks will take place, starting with the official inauguration on Thursday, September 25. After institutional addresses, the spotlight will turn to a dialogue between two much-loved food personalities: Fabrizio Nonis—known to TV audiences as El Bekér—and Giorgione (Giorgio Barchiesi), a restaurateur and popular TV host of Giorgione – Orto e Cucina. Their “cooking talk” will feature frico, a symbolic dish of Friulian tradition. In the following days, the Salotto will host meetings with historic restaurateurs and young producers from Friuli and Brda, tastings, artistic installations, and DJ sets, confirming its role as a crossroads of conviviality and culture.

The international soul finds full expression in the Borgo Borderless, which will be inaugurated on Friday, September 26 by the mayors of Gorizia and Nova Gorica. For the first time, Gusti di Frontiera will arrive in Piazza Transalpina, the symbol of unity between the two cities. In this borderless village, initiatives will include the ECoC Taste Hub, where upcoming European Capitals of Culture will showcase their local culinary specialties: Chemnitz, Germany – 2025; Trenčín, Slovakia – 2026; Oulu, Finland – 2026; and České Budějovice, Czech Republic. Highlights also include the Borderless Wine Route by the Senza Meja association, and a cross-border project dedicated to filled pasta, linking Friulian cjarsons with Slovenian žlikrofi. Concerts, tastings, and encounters will make Borgo Borderless the international and visionary core of this edition. The full program is available herehere. The GECT GO will also organize a guided tour of the renovated Piazza Transalpina with the designers of the redevelopment project, on Friday, September 26 at 5:00 p.m. and 5:45 p.m. More information and reservations are available here.

The Friuli Venezia Giulia Region will also play a key role, with the Io Sono Friuli Venezia Giulia area in Piazza Vittoria and with the support of regional institutions. The cultural dimension will be central as well: PromoTurismoFVG will offer guided tours and walks through sites of memory and city atmospheres, while major museums and cultural institutions will open their doors free of charge, featuring exhibitions ranging from Zoran Mušič to multimedia pathways and innovative installations.

Finally, thanks to cooperation with Trenitalia and free shuttle bus services, reaching the city will be simple and sustainable, with special trains and enhanced connections.