Pontebba, named after Italian: ponte meaning "bridge", is situated at the confluence of the Pontebbana creek and the Fella River, itself a tributary of the Tagliamento.

The corresponding settlement of Pontafel north of the bridge belonged to the Carinthian Canal Valley, an exclave held by the Imperial Prince-Bishopric of Bamberg, which was incorporated into the Inner Austrian territories of the Habsburg dynasty in 1759.

[4] After World War I according to the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, the border of the Kingdom of Italy with the Republic of Austria was shifted up the Canal Valley north to the town of Tarvisio.

During World War II, the rail line through the town was the target of heavy aerial bombardment by the United States Army Air Forces because it was used by Germany to transport supplies to Italy.

Pontebba can be reached via the A23 autostrada, European route E55, running from Palmanova and the A4 to Tarvisio and the Austrian A2 Süd Autobahn, as well as by the parallel Strada Statale 13 Pontebbana.