VICENZA AND THE PALLADIAN VILLAS – private guided tour in the idyllic Venetian countryside

In 1994, the historical centre of Vicenza and the Palladian villas around Venice have been listed by Unesco as World Heritage Sites. Thanks to Monica, an art historian specialised in Palladio’s works and an expert tourist guide, you can visit his most famous masterpieces and enjoy the idyllic Venetian countryside in an original way.

In four days you will discover the secrets of the elegant Renaissance buildings in Vicenza, admire some of the most beautiful Palladian villas and fall in love with the magical atmosphere of the small medieval towns you will encounter along the way.

The itinerary is as follows:

Day 1:

MAROSTICA, THE TOWN OF THE HUMAN CHESS GAME

Once you have arrived at the Boutique Hotel Due Mori, you will have the entire day at your disposal to explore Marostica, the medieval town famous for the chess game played with human pieces. We recommend visiting the Lower Castle, walking to the Upper Castle along the panoramic footpath, going around the traditional shops within the town walls and tasting a spritz, the local aperitif, in the sunny main square.

Day 2:

VICENZA, THE CITY OF ANDREA PALLADIO

After the rich buffet breakfast, Monica will accompany you for a half day tour to discover the masterpieces designed by Palladio in Vicenza. By wandering around the city’s elegant streets and Piazza dei Signori you will have the chance to admire some gothic buildings and visit the interiors of

• the amazing Olympic Theatre, the first indoor theatre in the world
• the new Palladio Museum, hosted inside the sumptuous Palazzo Barbaran
• the palladian wing of Palazzo Chiericati, a XVI century stylish mansion
• La Rotonda, the most imitated Palladian villa in Europe and the USA

You will have the rest of the day to wander around the city by yourself.
You can choose to use the Vicenza Museums Card to visit the church of Santa Corona, the baroque halls of Palazzo Leoni Montanari and the holy art collection at the Diocesan Museum. You can also go up to the Basilica of Monte Berico to enjoy a breathtaking view of the city and walk down to the wonderful villa frescoed by Tiepolo. If you love Italian handicraft, in addition to the shops in the historical centre, we recommend having a look at the unusual Jewelry Museum and the artistic handicraft exhibited at ViArt.

Day 3:

PALLADIAN VILLAS AND BASSANO DEL GRAPPA

Today you will see some of the most famous masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance. During the half-day guided tour around the wonderful Palladian villas Monica will explain their history and reveal some little-known facts about the owners and the architect. It will be easy for you to understand the incredible role Palladio played in the development of the "new" style, which left a permanent mark on the western world's architecture. During the tour you will visit:

• villa Godi in Lonedo, the first villa designed by Palladio in the Venetian countryside
• villa Angarano (only from outside), still surrounded by the vineyards so loved by Palladio
• the Bridge of Bassano, rebuilt in 1948 by Alpine Troops according to the original Palladian project
• villa Barbaro in Maser, designed by Palladio and frescoed by Veronese under the clever direction of the Barbaro brothers

We suggest using the rest of the day to visit the Canova Museum in Possagno, housed in the birth-house of the famous Neoclassical sculptor, and the Brion Tomb by Carlo Scarpa in San Vito di Altivole. Alternatively you can enjoy the magic of Asolo, a small medieval town beloved by artists and writers, and Bassano del Grappa, a lively town famous for the grappa’s distilleries and the old wooden bridge.

Day 4:

AMONG WALLED TOWNS AND VENETIAN VILLAS

Unless you decided to stay longer in Marostica to explore the other wonderful places in Veneto, it is time for us to say goodbye. If you still have some hours left before leaving Italy, we recommend walking around the top of the medieval walls of Cittadella and visiting villa Contarini in Piazzola sul Brenta. Instead you could go to the walled town of Castelfranco Veneto, the birth-town of the painter Giorgione, and then to villa Emo, the “perfect villa by Palladio” according to modern architects.

Before deciding on the dates of your stay please bear in mind that:

• the interiors of Villa La Rotonda are open on Wednesday and Saturday; on the other days you can only visit the park and see the villa from the outside
• on Monday Villa Barbaro is closed, so Monica will bring you to visit Villa Emo in Fanzolo
• it is possible to extend your stay in the hotel for a longer period than the nights included in the tour
• since it is a private tour, you can ask to tailor the itinerary according to your interests
• Monica will be happy to be your guide for the full day if you ask in advance