Few people are ever really ready to leave Venice, but when the time comes, take a train to Treviso, rent a car and spend a few days exploring three other renowned art cities.
Treviso is a stately old city built at the confluence of the Sile and Bottenigo Rivers. This latter splits up into a delightful warren of gleaming canals which run between the houses and water the city's flowering gardens. A Renaissance town of illustrious history, Treviso boasts many broad porticoed streets and monumental squares, a domed cathedral with an altarpiece by Titian, and an interesting fresco cycle in the church of San Niccolograve. The city's many trattorie are famous for their hospitality and mouthwatering local cuisine.
Route 53 leads west towards Vicenza, a mecca for lovers of great architecture. This is the embodiment of the Renaissance humanists' theory that a city should be a select meeting place for great men and everything within it should intrinsically reflect a resulting sense of dignity. If you liked San Giorgio in Venice, you will be in heaven in Vicenza. Standing in the square at Monte Berico, a basilica just outside the city limits, you can look down and admire Vicenza's homogeneous urban design. Before you leave Monte Berico, peek into the church to see Veronese's Banquet of Gregory the Great.
Before we explore 16th-century Vicenza, let's take a moment to mention its medieval monuments. The church of Santa Corona is an important example of Dominican Gothic, overlaid with Renaissance fittings. It houses Bellini's Baptism of Christ and Veronese's Adoration of the Magi. San Lorenzo was built by the Franciscans in the 13th century, and parts of the Basilica of Sts. Felice and Fortunato date back to the 4th century.
Teatro OlimpicoA turning point in Vicenza's history came during the Wars of Cambrai, when the city was practically demolished. This temporary tragedy is our good fortune, because it allowed the great Andrea Palladio to virtually redesign the city center. Today the results are numerous, including the Basilica; the palazzi Porto Festa, Thiene and Chiericati (this latter housing the excellent Civic Museum), the Loggia del Capitaniato and, completed posthumously, the glorious Teatro Olimpico (pictured above). Take plenty of time to stroll through the streets of this delightful city, a perfect blend of the classic and the aristocratic, with just a hint of romantic decadence to spice it up.
Leaving Vicenza on autostrada A4, take the Montebello exit and head south to Lonigo to visit the Rocca Pisani, a 16th-century villa set high atop a ridge. It's hard to say whether the villa or the view is more breathtaking. You'll find an extremely picturesque castle in Soave, the town that gives its name to the wines produced in this area.
VeronaFrom here, Route 11 will take you straight to our third destination, Verona. Although more teeming with tourists than Treviso or Vicenza, this is another delightful city to visit. At its center is the monumental and strikingly well-preserved Arena, a Roman amphitheater which hosts opera and concerts in the summer. From here, Via Mazzini will take you to the heart of the city (and the most tourists). You'll find a lively marketplace in Piazza delle Erbe and some beautiful buildings in Piazza dei Signori (also known as Piazza Dante, after the statue in its center). Nearby are the Scaligeri Tombs, one of Italy's greatest medieval monuments. They're closed for restoration, but you can peek through the wrought-iron gates.
Verona is the city of Romeo (whose "house"; is on Via Arche Scaligere) and Juliet (whose "balcony" can be visited on Via Cappello), but it is also home to an inordinate number of interesting churches. If you're lucky, you'll lose the tourists as you wander through the city's alleys and squares to visit them. You'll want to see Sant'Anastasia, with its fairy-tale fresco by Pisanello; the romanesque cathedral, where Titian's Assumption hangs above the first altar on the left; the 12th-century San Giovanni in Valle; and San Zeno Maggiore, a masterpiece of northern Italian romanesque architecture where Mantegna painted an exquisite triptych of angels above the altar. San Giorgio in Braida is filled with art, including Veronese's masterful Martyrdom of St. George and Tintoretto's Baptism of Christ. There is a fine collection of works in the Castelvecchio Museum, and if you still want more, the Miniscalchi Museum has vast displays of drawings, paintings, armor, weapons, porcelains and bronzes.
MalcasineIn the end, the most enjoyable thing about Verona may be strolling through its secret streets and alleys, away from the annoying crowds. But if you have trouble escaping them, extend your trip by one more day, climb into the car and drive to Lake Garda, a quieter, more intimate place than its sisters Como and Maggiore. Be sure to visit Malcesine, a jewel with deserted winding alleyways so quiet you may even hear the whisper of the waves on the nearby shores.
A good place to stay in Treviso is the Albergo Le Beccherie (Piazza G. Ancillotto 10, 31100 Treviso. With just a few simple rooms, it's located smack in the center of town (across the street from public parking). There's an annex that has slightly more modernized rooms, and there's a fantastic restaurant of the same name with great food at very moderate prices (closed Sunday dinner, Monday, July 15-30). $55./double.
Just outside of town is the Scala (Viale Felisent 1, 31100 Treviso. A stately old country villa, it has sunny rooms with soaring ceilings, and modest bathrooms with showers. $85./double.
In Verona, the Albergo Torcolo (Vicolo Listone 3, 37121 Verona is a great bargain. Just a stone's throw from the Arena, it's warm and cozy. Each of its 15 rooms is totally different from the others, and they're pleasantly furnished. Breakfast is served on the terrace. $60./double.
Or try the Hotel de' Capuleti (Via del Pontiere 26, 37122 Verona. Close to Juliet's Tomb and the Arena, this renovated hotel has pleasant rooms and excellent baths. An annex has six (slightly more expensive) rooms in an old house with wooden floors and beams. $115./double.
Hotel Cristina (Corso San Felice 32, 36100 Vicenza is a newly renovated place near the city center. Its rooms are quiet, there's an inner courtyard for parking and the baths are tiny but modern. $115./double).
All'Oca Bianca (Vicolo della Torre 7, Treviso has delicious home cooking with no frills. Closed Tuesday dinner, Wednesday and three weeks in August. No credit cards. Inexpensive.
Antica Osteria da Penacio (Via Sorghe 13, Sorghe di Arcugnano is an inexpensive rustic country inn in a small town south of Vicenza. Delicious food and a great wine selection. Closed Wednesday and January; best on weekdays.
Antica Trattoria Tre Visi (Contragrave, Porti 6, Vicenza) is a picturesque old place that serves
great baccalagrave alla vicentina and other local specialties. Closed July. About $12./person without wine.
For an unforgettable dining experience, try Ristorante Re Teodorico (Piazzale di Castel San Pietro 1, Verona). High on a hill overlooking town, this lavish place has tables set outside on a flowery terrace with a panoramic view of Verona. The food is fine, but it's not as unique as the setting. Main courses cost about $20./person. Reservations required.
"Published by and reprinted with the kind permission of In Italy Online."
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