Bolzano – Bassano – Venice by Girolibero

CYCLING GUIDE

From Bolzano to Venice across the Brenta Valley Sights, history, wining and dining tips, useful information I O L B E

· · · · ·

R E E N S

From Bolzano to Venice across the Brenta Valley

Photography: Diego Caldieraro, Enrico Giro, Oswald Stimpfl, Wikipedia. All other photos by Girolibero and no.parking. Girolibero, Vicenza 2016 Maps, concept and design: www.noparking.it Printed in Italy www.girolibero.com

From Bolzano to Venice across the Brenta Valley

I O L B E

· · · · ·

R E E N S

This guide will accompany you in your trips and excursions through the Trentino-South Tyrol and Veneto regions. The guide not only provides commentary to the scenery and artistic heritage of each of the places you will encounter on your way, but also provides important historical information and practical suggestions that will make your trip and any stopovers you plan more enjoyable and safer. And, last but not least, the guide also provides information on wining and dining, with recommendations for anything from a hefty meal to a quick snack.

Index From Bolzano to Venice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 South Tyrol. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 A potted history . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 South Tyrol on the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Bolzano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 History of the city.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 The best in brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Eating and drinking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 From Bolzano to Trento.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Events in South Tyrol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Trentino . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 A potted history . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Trentino on the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Trento.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 History of the city . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 The best in brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Eating and drinking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 From Trento to Bassano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 The Veneto Region . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 A potted history . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Grappa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Bassano del Grappa History of the city . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 The best in brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Eating and drinking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 From Bassano to Vicenza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Marostica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Vicenza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 History of the city. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 The best in brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Eating and drinking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

From Vicenza to Padua . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Padua . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 History of the city . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 The best in brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Eating and drinking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 From Padua to Chioggia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 Chioggia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 History of the city . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 The best in brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 Eating and drinking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 From Chioggia to Mestre.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 Venice.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 History of the city.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 Venice on the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 Getting there.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157 Small Venice phrase book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 The best in brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162 Eating and drinking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 Venice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171 Events in the Province of Venice Mestre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174 Useful information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176

MAPS OVERVIEW OF THE TOUR . . . 8 STAGES OF THE TOUR From Bolzano to Trento . . . . . . . 22 From Bassano to Vicenza . . . . . 68 From Vicenza to Padua . . . . . . . 92 From Padua to Chioggia . . . . . 118 From Chioggia to Mestre . . . . . 140

CITYMAPS Bolzano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Trento . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Bassano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Vicenza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Padua . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Chioggia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126 Venice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 Mestre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172

From Bolzano to Venice across the Brenta Valley

B o l z a n o â&#x20AC;&#x201C; B r e n t a Va l l e y â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Ve n i c e

The cycle route from Bolzano to Venice across the Brenta Valley connects two completely different Italian cities and takes the cyclist through the diverse scenery of northern Italy. This book provides a guide to the interesting things you will encounter along the way, the history of the towns and cities of the area and a host of sightseeing programmes. The cycle route starts in SOUTH TYROL, in the town of Bolzano (260 metres above sea level) and winds its way through the hillside vineyards or follows the course of the Adige on its way south. It proceeds past medieval manors and castles, through the town of TRENTO, home to one of the most important Roman Catholic ecumenical councils in the 16th century. After a train transfer you will continue from the spring of the lakes Caldonazzo and Levico, following the river Brenta up to BASSANO DEL GRAPPA with its famous wooden-roofed bridge. Exploring the Veneto region you will then reach VICENZA, the elegant town of Palladio, PADUA, the cradle of Renaissance culture, and finally VENICE, the beautiful and fascinating pearl in the lagoon on the Adriatic Sea. The route mainly runs along cycle tracks and lightly trafficked provincial roads without any challenging climbs or descents and presents no great technical difficulties. The varied landscapes include the spectacular mountains of the main ridge of the Alps, the gentle vineyard-covered slopes of the foothills of the Alps along the Adige river, the beautiful Brenta Valley and the cultivated plains that lead to the Venice Lagoon. The actual route is not described; that is what the accompanying 1:50,000 maps are for. The most important sights on the way are described, however, and accompanied by important background information on the area and its people as well as amusing anecdotes to help you better understand the way of life of each province. For more in-depth knowledge, we recommend different guides that can be found in any good bookshop. Enjoy your ride through this outstanding area!

BOLZANO/BOZEN

TRENTO

Borgo Valsugana Pergine Valsugana

Vigolo Calceranica Vattaro al Lago

Riva del Garda

Rovereto

Desenzano

Peschiera

Verona

Soave

FeltreFeltre

Primolano Primolano

Marostica Marostica

BASSANO DEL GRAPPA Treviso

VICENZA

MESTRE VENEZIA PADOVA

CHIOGGIA

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

FROM BOLZANO TO TRENTO

South Tyrol South Tyrol lies on the sunny, AUSTRIA SÜDTIROL/ climatically blessed southern ALTO ADIGE slopes of the Alps and is one of Europe’s favourite holiday destiI TA L I A nations. Small wonder, considering what is on offer: lively towns with fascinating historical centres, a landscape comprising woods, lakes, gentle vineyard-covered hills and the striking Dolomite peaks, all inflected with Italian grace coupled with German thoroughness. And it is this variety that makes the difference!

SOUTH TYROL IN FIGURES AREA: 7,400 square kilometers INHABITANTS: 508,000 THE SIX LARGEST TOWNS (IN TERMS OF POPULATION) ARE: Bolzano: 110,000, Merano: 38,300, Bressanone: 20,700, Laives: 17,200, Brunico: 15,500, Appiano: 14,250.

A potted history 12,000–5,000 BCE Evidence uncovered of prehistoric hunters. 5000–3000 BCE The glacier-embedded “Ötzi” mummy and other other remains in Similaun provide proof of permanent settlements in the Alpine region. 15 BCE Romans conquer Tyrol during Drusus’ campaign. 4th and 5th centuries CE Spread of Christianity throughout area. 8th century Tyrol becomes part of Carolingian Empire under Charlemagne. 11th century Prince-Bishops of Brixen and Trent entrust bailiffs with administration of their lands. 13th–14th Meran becomes capital of Tyrol. 14th century Margarethe Maultasch, the last Countess of Tyrol, dies without issue; Tyrol taken over by the Habsburgs. 1499 Swabian War between Swiss Confederacy and the House of Habsburg: Swiss troops enter the Vinschgau valley through the Müstair valley.

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

1525/26 Peasant revolt led by Michael Gaismair.

Leopold. 1740–1790 The reforms of Maria Theresa and Joseph II reduce the power of the nobles and clergy. 1805 Peace of Pressburg: after losing several wars, Austria forced to cede Tyrol to France’s ally, Bavaria. 1809–1813 Uprising led by Andreas Hofer against Napoleon’s troops crushed. 1915–1918 World War I: Italy declares war on Austria and is rewarded with South Tyrol. 1922–1943 Fascists come to power in Italy. Policy of Italianisation rigorously pursued in South Tyrol. 1943–45 After the fall of Mussolini, German troops occupy South Tyrol until Allies’ arrival (May 1945). 1946 Paris Agreement aims to protect minorities in South Tyrol. 1956–58 and 1961 Italy fails to fully enforce Paris Agreement, leading to protest bombings in South Tyrol; Austria brings “South Tyrol question” before the Council of Europe and UN. 1972 New Statute of Autonomy gives South Tyrol minorities special rights. 1998 Border controls between Austria and Italy abolished. June 2006 Brenner Base Tunnel begun. This joint Austrian-Italian project is for a passenger and freight rail tunnel through the base of the Brenner massif.

SOUTH TYROL ON THE INTERNET The following Internet pages provide all sorts of information about South Tyrol: WWW.SUEDTIROL.INFO The official website of Südtirol Marketing Gesellschaft KGmbH, also in English. WWW.ALPENVEREIN.IT The AVS – Alpenverein Südtirol provides information on tours and useful tips, only in German.

WWW.SUEDTIROLERWEIN.COM Information about wine growing in South Tyrol, including list of wineries and events, also in English. WWW.PROVINZ.BZ.IT The public administration service portal, also in English.

WWW.BIKEARENA.IT WWW.KULTUR.BZ.IT Provides maps for cyclists and supplies The cultural events calendar, also in products and services for cycling in South English. Tyrol, only in German.

, The individual entries in this book will also provide further links to Internet pages.

FROM BOLZANO TO TRENTO

1632–1646 Regency of Claudia de’ Medici, widow of Archduke

Bolzano 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Monuments and historical sites Piazza Walther Duomo Chiesa dei Domenicani Piazza delle Erbe Via dei Portici Piazza del Municipio Chiesa dei Francescani Passeggiata lungo Talvera Piazza della Vittoria Muri-Gries

Museums 11 Museion 12 Museo Archeologico 13 Castello Runkelstein

14 15 16 17 18

Restaurants and pubs Osteria dei Carrettai Fischbänke Banco Vino 11 Weißes Rössl La Torcia

19 20 21 22 23 24

Hotels Hotel Scala Hotel Luna Hotel Regina Hotel Laurin Hotel Città Premstaller Gardenhotel

Bikeshops 25 Sportler

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

Bolzano South Tyrol, though part of Italy, is at the same time very much rooted in the German-speaking world, and Bolzano, which is the capital of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano, is an especially lively mixture of Italian and German. The town is full of historically fascinating things to see and is known as the “Gateway to the Dolomites” because of its proximity to these famous mountains. The Dolomites’ Rosengarten massif (known as the Catinaccio, Catinaccio, or large chain, in Italian) is breathtakingly high and forms a startling backdrop to the Gothic roofs and towers of Bolzano’s old town. To the north, the Roncolo/Runkelstein castle guards the passage into the narrow Sarentino/Sarntal valley, whilst the hills to the west and south open onto the fertile Adige valley. Visitors are enchanted by the natural beauty of the area. The valley is luxuriantly fruitful, the mountains recede dramatically into the background and Bolzano is surrounded by a protective clutch of hills. The Tyrolean character of the old town centre is epitomised by fine late Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque town houses. Beyond the Talvera/Talfer creek, in the Gries and Quirein districts, Italian residential quarters for officials and workers were built after 1945 in the national monu-

AZIENDA DI SOGGIORNO E TURISMO BOLZANO Waltherplatz 8, 39100 Bozen, Tel. 0471 307000 www.bolzano-bozen.it

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

mental style. Even though snow is still coming down from the surrounding mountain peaks, tourists throng the street cafés, restaurants and promenades in the spring sunshine. The old trading town of Bolzano with its market squares and many stylish boutiques invites people to shop and stroll whilst the historical squares and alleys of the old town convey culture at every turn.

History of the city THE FOUNDING OF THE TOWN When the Romans entered mod-

ern Tyrol around 15 BCE under their general Drusus, the Bolzano valley basin had already been settled for thousands of years. Under the Romans, an important bridgehead was built over the Isarco/Eisack river. After the fall of Rome, the Bavarii (the ancestors of today’s Bavarians) from the north settled the country and fought tooth and nail against the Longobards. In the eighth century, Tyrol was finally incorporated into Charlemagne’s empire. Around 1200 this still very small market town, which was under the influence of the Prince-Bishop of Trent, was already surrounded by hefty town walls. Towards the end of the thirteenth century, the Counts of Tyrol replaced the Prince-Bishops as the town’s rulers. In the fourteenth century Tyrol was subsumed into the Habsburg empire, and from the fifteenth century influential local rulers helped Bolzano become an important political and economic hub in the central Alps.

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

BOLZANO AS A TRADING TOWN The peaceful trading that would

eventually turn Bolzano into an important commercial centre was already well under way by the year 1000. The town’s strategic proximity to the important Alpine pass Brennero was decisive, as was the fact that the Adige was navigable right up to the town’s gates. Goods in transit were therefore stored here, and counting houses, banks and branches of foreign companies were founded in the city, thus making it the perfect venue for trade fairs and lucrative markets. There was no limit to the wares on offer under the porticoes, and the city was so economically significant that it was considered the unofficial capital of Tyrol until the French Revolution. THE NEW, MODERN BOLZANO Bolzano has been a provincial capital for barely a hundred years. Previously, the cities that held political clout in the area were Merano in Tyrol and Innsbruck, which explains why Bolzano has relatively few historical administrative buildings. After World War I, when the County of Tyrol was partitioned and South Tyrol was annexed by Italy, the Italian state went to great lengths to italianise the area. The Fascist regime set up important industries and settled thousands of workers from other Italian provinces in Bolzano, and today about 73% of the inhabitants are native Italian speakers. It was only after lengthy negotiations with central government in Rome that all linguistic groups in South Tyrol were granted comprehensive autonomy and financial and economic independence in many areas. The three linguistic groups (as well as German and Italian, there are still 20,000 speakers of Ladin, a Romance language) now live peacefully with or at least alongside one another. Bolzano’s prevalently Italian town council currently has an Italian-speaking mayor.

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

The best in brief town is “Bolzano’s open-air drawing room”. The square is named after the Minnesänger, i.e. German troubadour, Walther von der Vogelweide, who for a long time was thought to come from South Tyrol. DUOMO DI SANTA MARIA ASSUNTA 2 On the southern side of Pi-

azza Walther you will find the city’s cathedral, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, which was consecrated in 1180 and rebuilt in Gothic style in the fifteenth century. The typical 62-metre high filigree-like tower by the Swabian master builder Hans Lutz von Schussenried is well worth a visit. In the ambulatory behind the altar there is a memorial slab dedicated to Archduke Rainer of Austria. In addition to the finely decorated sandstone pulpit, there are fascinating remains of Gothic frescoes from the fourteenth century on the southern wall of the nave. CHIESA DEI DOMENICANI 3 The church in the Dominikanerplatz square near the cathedral is worth visiting. From the choir you can access the Gothic chapel dedicated to Saint John, featuring some of the finest examples of northern Italian frescoes belonging to the Giotto school to be seen in South Tyrol. PIAZZA DELLE ERBE 4 Bolzano’s fruit and vegetable market is

held on week days in this square, which is the lively heart of the old town; surrounded by trim houses, it is embellished by the Neptune fountain (1746). VIA DEI PORTICI 5 This narrow porticoed street (Laubengasse

in German) leads eastward from the fruit market, and its elegant boutiques make it the town’s most popular shopping street. Some of the characteristically porticoed houses date from as early as the fifteenth century. PIAZZA MUNICIPIO 6 The eastern end of the Laubengasse ends

in the Rathausplatz, the town hall square, which is bordered by bright, decorated house façades. The Baroque town hall and campanile were built in the nineteenth century.

BOLZANO

PIAZZA WALTHER 1 This focal point in the centre of the old

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

BOLZANO

CHIESA DEI FRANCESCANI 7 This thirteenth–fifteenth-century

Franciscan church near the fruit market contains a Gothic wooden wing-altar carved by the master Hans Klocker from Bressanone. RIVER EMBANKMENT PROMENADES 8 Promenades have been

laid out on both sides of the fast-flowing Talvera/Talfer creek that flows into Bolzano from the Sarentino valley. On the eastern bank the Wassermauerpromenade connects the old town with the Sankt Anton bridge to the north and provides a fine view of the Rosengarten massif and the vine-covered Maretsch Castle. On the western bank, a footpath and cycling path lead to the valley ski lift station that takes people to San Genesio/ Jenesien and then on to Roncolo/Runkelstein Castle. PIAZZA VITTORIA 9 The Talvera/Talfer bridge connects the old

and new areas of town and was built by Italians under Mus-

MUSEUMS

11 MUSEION www.museion.it 6 Dantestrasse; Tel. 0471 223413 Daily 10am–8pm, Thursdays 10am–10pm; Euro 6 Museion (Museum for Modern Art) was opened in 2008 on the bank of the Talvera/Talfer and is remarkable for its striking cubic construction. The architecture is perfectly in keeping with the museum’s focus on modern art, which can also be contemplated in the library or in the quiet garden café looking out over the river. 12 MUSEO ARCHEOLOGICO DELL’ALTO ADIGE www.iceman.it, 43 Museumstrasse; Tel. 0471 320100 Tuesdays–Sundays 10am–6pm; July, August, December, daily; Euro 9 The great attraction of the museum

is the more than 5,000-year-old “Ötzi”. The mummy found in a glacier in the Ötztaler Alps can be seen in a climate chamber; related finds shows what life was like in Neolithic times. 13 CASTEL RONCOLO www.runkelstein.info 15 St Anton Weg; Tel. 0471 329808, Tuesdays–Sundays 10am–6pm; Euro 8 The castle in Germanic romanticised style contains frescoes from circa 1400 depicting scenes from court life and the Tristan legend. These frescoes are one of the most important examples of profane art of their kind, so much so that the castle that houses them is known as “the illustrated castle”. The castle is a 15-minute bike ride along the cycle path from the town centre.

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

solini’s rule. Directly next to the bridge there is Piazza Vittoria/ Siegesplatz with the Fascist Victory Monument (1928), which takes its inspiration from the triumphal arches of Ancient Rome. The wide Freiheitstrasse (Freedom Avenue) leads into Bolzano’s Gries district, an attractive suburb of detached houses at the foot of the Guntschnaberg mountain. MONASTERO DI MURI-GRIES 10 The impressive Benedictine Gries-Muri monastery on Grieser Platz (Grieser Square) comprises the collegiate Sankt Augustinus church (1769–1771), which Martin Knoller decorated with wall, ceiling and altar paintings. The Muri-Gries monastery winery produces one of the best Lagrein wines in South Tyrol. The nearby Gries parish church Unsere Liebe Frau, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, is also worth visiting. It contains a winged altar (1475) by Michael Pacher and a thirteenth-century Romanesque crucifix. www.muri-gries.com 21 Grieser Platz, Bolzano, Tel. 0471 282287

Eating and drinking KNÖDEL OR SPAGHETTI? The diverse South Tyrol cultures also come together in the local cuisine in a tasty combination of dishes that include classics from the Austro-Hungarian and Italian traditions. On the menu you can find dumpling dishes such as Knödel mit Speck (dumplings with speck), Leberknödel (liver dumplings) or Spinat- und Käseknödel (spinach and cheese dumplings). Schlutzkrapfen, which are ravioli filled with spinach,

BOLZANO

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

are another Tyrolean speciality. The Italian influence can be seen in the pasta, pizza and risottos. Memories of Vienna are awakened by popular puddings such as Marillenknödel (dumplings filled with apricots), Zwetschgenknödel (dumplings filled with plums), Apfelstrudel and Kaiserschmarren (shredded pancake sprinkled with icing sugar and covered with raisins). In autumn, the menu also features typically rustic dishes such as roasted, salted or smoked pork served with Sauerkraut, as well as snacks for the Törggelezeit, or wine harvest, period, with favourites such as roast chestnuts and smoked speck and sausage.

EATING AND DRINKING

14 OSTERIA DEI CARRETTAI 20 Dr Streiter-Gasse, Tel. 0471 970558, closed Sundays This wine bar is always packed. It trusts its customers, who help themselves to wine drawn directly from the barrel and tasty rolls and snacks temptingly laid out on the counter. Customers are not expected to pay until they’ve had their fill! 15 FISCHBÄNKE, DOCTOR STREITER’S WINEGARDEN 28 Dr Streiter-Gasse, mid April to mid October, open every day but closed Saturdays from 6pm and all day Sundays. This must be the most original pub in the town: wine, beer and light dishes are served on the marble slabs of the old fish market. Open only when the weather is warm and good. 16 BANCO VINO 11 11 Obstplatz, Tel. 0471 1922845, closed Sundays

Between and behind the fruit and food stands there is a tiny wine bar, a veritable oasis of good food and great wine. 17 WEISSES RÖSSL 6 Bindergasse, Tel. 0471 973267, closed Saturday evenings and Sundays, www.weissesroessl.org This popular Bolzano pub provides local Tyrolean cooking at reasonable prices. A traditional hostelry, this has become a meeting place for young and old, townspeople and farmers, yuppies and workers, and office staff and intellectuals. Hot food until midnight. 18 LA TORCIA 25 Gärbergasse, Tel. 0471 973236, closed Sundays, www.latorcia.com In this narrow pedestrian alley a maze of small dining rooms are tucked away in an old town house in which regional Italian cooking and a mindboggling range of pizzas are served. Al fresco tables available during the summer months.

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

BOLZANO AT A GLANCE Piazza Walther is a good place to start a “circular” walk. On the northern side of the square, the open-air tables and chairs of the town hotel tempt you to have a cappuccino and croissant as you peruse various newspapers. In the southern portion of the square there is the cathedral with its magnificent stone tower. The tourist office is right in the south-eastern corner, and near the square there is the former Dominican monastery that contains one of Bolzano’s treasures, the Johanneskapelle (St John’s Chapel) with its Gothic, Giottoesque frescoes. All of the old town is a pedestrian zone, so a stroll from

the Waltherplatz is worthwhile: towards the north over the Kornplatz into the nearby Laubengasse, past the splendid Merkantilgebäude (Trade Court) building over to the Obstplatz fruit market, whose colourful bustle fired Goethe with enthusiasm more than two centuries ago. If you have enough time, you should also visit the “Ötzi-Museum” in the Museumstrasse. You can walk back to the Waltherplatz via Dr Streiter-Gasse with the marble slabs of the old fish market, the Bindergasse with its historical inns (pop into the Weisses Rössl if you can) and the Rathausplatz with its magnificent town hall building.

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

The cycle path heading south-west runs the length of the Bolzano valley basin, crosses the Adige and follows an abandoned railway line to the villages of the Oltradige/Überetsch area, past Sigmundskron Castle. It then winds its way through fertile orchards and vineyards to the localities of Appiano/Eppan and Caldaro/Kaltern, to the lake of the same name, and finally returns to the Adige valley, where it follows the river south through the so-called Unterland. At Salorno/Salurn, the cycle route enters the province of Trentino and the first day’s stage ends in the provincial capital of Trento. MESSNER MOUNTAIN MUSEUM SIGMUNDSKRON IN FIRMIANO

The cycle path passes near Sigmundskron castle, which lies south of Bolzano on a striking red porphyry outcrop. This large castle really catches the eye and is a leading tourist attraction. The location was settled in prehistoric times, while the castle built in the early Middle Ages came into the possession of the Counts of Tyrol in the thirteenth century. Duke Sigmund, the man who was “rich in coin”, had it expanded magnificently in 1473, and named it Sigmundskron. It subsequently lost its strategic importance and slowly decayed. Today, it houses one of the Messner Mountain Museums. A walk around the marvellously restored castle ruins emphasises the relationship between people and the mountains. MMM Firmian, 53 Sigmundskronerstrasse, Bolzano Large car parks, tavern in the castle grounds, Tel. 0471 631264 Beginning of March–mid November. Tuesdays–Sundays 10am–6pm www.messner-mountain-museum.it

FROM BOLZANO TO TRENTO

From Bolzano to Trento

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

OLTRADIGE, THE LAND OF CASTLES AND PALACES The rocky wood-

ed ridge of the Monte di Mezzo/Mitterberg separates the Adige valley from the Oltradige district to the west, where a landscape incredibly blessed by nature stretches out before your gaze. Wine-growing and fruit-growing, alongside tourism, are the area’s main activities. Small wonder that this was where patrician merchants, aristocrats and the clergy chose to build their castles, palaces, churches and monasteries. The sixteenth and seventeenth centuries saw the development of a local building style: Italian features such as round-arch doorways, loggias, mullioned windows and inner courtyards are combined with steep Gothic roofs, bay windows and stone-set windows. A fine example of this style is the Zum weissen Rössl inn on the village square in Caldaro/Kaltern.

THE WINE LINE

There was once a little railway that linked Bolzano with the vineyards of the Oltradige area, and as the railway was important for the wine trade it was humorously nicknamed the “Lepsbahn”, “Leps” being a light common wine. The railway was not closed until the 1960s. A 17-km

cycle path now runs along the railway line and leads cyclists through beautiful vineyards and orchards, keeping them well away from the busy provincial road. The approximately 200-metre height difference between Bolzano and Caldaro/Kaltern is easy to manage.

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

Paolo and San Michele (the municipality’s headquarters) are also part of the district. The magnificent Gothic parish church in San Paolo is also known as the “country cathedral”. At 86 metres, its campanile is one of the highest in the country, and its bell one of the biggest and loudest. It comes as no surprise to learn that the logo on the label of the wine producers’ cooperative of San Paolo prominently features the campanile. Appiano/Eppan is South Tyrol’s biggest wine-growing district and the San Paolo wine producers’ cooperative is one of the most productive and modern wineries in South Tyrol. The cycle path runs right past the winery building that was built in an ornate late-nineteenth-, early-twentieth-century style; the modern extension houses a wine bar and wine sales department. The guided tours of the cellars are often rather convivial affairs! KG St. Micheal/Eppan, 17/19 Umfahrungsstrasse, Eppan Tel. 0471 664466, www.stmichael.it

MONTIGGLER LAKES 3 From San Michele/St. Michael a 6.5-kil-

ometer side road climbs gently south-east through the Montiggler wood to the large and small Montiggler lakes, which nestle romantically in the wood and offer swimming facilities and hostelries for resting and cooling off.

EATING AND DRINKING KREUZWEGERHOF 1 Kreuzweg, Eppan, Tel. 0471 661789, closed Saturdays This inn cum restaurant is near the cycle path on the southern outskirts

of Appiano. In addition to filled rolls and snacks, it also offers quick lunchtime meals for blue and white collar workers, and of course for cyclists. With garden.

UFFICIO DEL TURISMO (TOURIST BOARD) 1 Rathausplatz, 39057 Eppan an der Weinstrasse Tel. 0471 662206 www.eppan.net

FROM BOLZANO TO TRENTO

APPIANO, SAN PAOLO AND SAN MICHELE 2 The localities of San

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

FROM BOLZANO TO TRENTO

FOR WINE LOVERS

A large part of Caldaro/Kaltern’s economy is based on its wine, which is officially described as “light, uncomplicated, convivial”. Describing wine is like describing music – a hopeless task. But what can we do but try? So here goes! According to its charter, Kalterersee wine has a shiny bright to powerfully ruby red colour, a fresh, fruity bouquet with a hint of cherries, raspberries, bitter almonds and violets, and a harmonious mild, dry, velvety structure with soft tanning and pleasant acidity. It is inspiring, digestible and inviting – a wine for light, uncomplicated,

socially enjoyable engagements, for any time of day and any occasion. For more information on wine making and events such as tastings, wine fairs and wine tours: Tel. 0471 965410 or www.wein.kaltern.com Small snacks are served in the Weinhaus Punkt wine bar, which stands in a corner of the market square between the parish church and the historic houses of the town’s merchants. The different wines of the area obviously take pride of place in the wine bar. 3 Marktplatz, Kaltern, Tel. 0471 964965

CALDARO 4 This village has given its name to South Tyrol red

wine. It lies south-west of Bolzano on the wine route and is the main locality of the fertile Oltradige district. Not only is it the most famous wine-growing village of the region but certainly also one of the prettiest in Europe. The WINE MUSEUM in one of Tyrol’s most impressive cellars, in the heart of the village, takes you on an entertaining trip through the 2,000-year history of wine making from the time of the Romans up to the present. 1 Goldgasse, Tel. 0471 963168 1 April–11 November Tuesdays–Saturdays 10 am–6 pm, Sundays 10am–12pm, Euro 3 www.weinmuseum.it

SOUTH OF CALDARO/KALTERN 5 the lake known as Kalterer See fans out into the valley. It is one of the warmest lakes for swimming in the Alps, and the biggest in South Tyrol (summer water temperature is about 28 degrees). The broad reed bed skirting its southern shore is a nature reserve for aquatic birds. A nature study path runs through part of the sanctuary, while an 8-kilometre hiking path borders the shore and goes right round the lake. The popular and lively north-eastern shore has open air swimming pools, boats for hire, sailing and windsurf schools and lakeside restaurants and cafés.

EATING AND DRINKING CAFÈ TRUDE 9 Bahnhofstrasse, Tel. 0471963392, closed Mondays, www.cafetrude.com The terraced café with an ice-cream parlour is right at the entry of the village. The ice-cream

and cakes are handmade, and milk and yoghurt shakes and freshly pressed juices are also available. If you need to build up your strength, you can also go with wine and light snacks.

UFFICIO DEL TURISMO (TOURIST BOARD) 8 Marktplatz, 39052 Kaltern an der Weinstraße Tel. 0471 963169, www.kaltern.com

FROM BOLZANO TO TRENTO

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

FROM BOLZANO TO TRENTO

UNTERLAND The section of the Adige valley between Bolzano

and Salorno/Salurn on the border of the province of Trentino is known as the Unterland, which is German for “lowland”. In the upper part of the valley the rocky, thickly wooded Mitterberg ridge forms a natural dividing line from Oltradige with its main localities of Appiano/Eppan and Caldaro/Kaltern. The silvery ribbon of the Adige winds through the wide valley. Orderly rows of fruit trees cover the bottom of the valley and the villages of Ora/Auer and Egna/Neumarkt are located on the eastern terraces. A wide, very busy road branches off from Egna into the Trentino Dolomite area of the Fiemme and Fassa valleys. The best red Blauburgunder grapes are cultivated further up, in the area around Montan and Mazzon.

PORPHYRY The red porphyry distinguishes the landscape around Bolzano and parts of the Trentino area. It was formed about 270 million years ago when huge volcanic eruptions spewed lava and ash over large parts of the Bolzano valley basin. These were the greatest volcanic events the Alps had ever experienced and eventually formed a rock cover that is up to 2,000 metres thick in some places. Entrapped iron is responsible for the rock’s reddish colour, and, ultimately,

its name (“porphyry” derives from the Greek word for “purple”). The extremely hard, abrasion-resistant rock was quarried on a large scale in the area of Bolzano, Bronzolo/ Branzoll and Laives/Leifers and made into paving stones and lining plates (the scars in the landscape can be seen to this day). In South Tyrol, most of the quarries have closed or work only on a small scale but the enormous porphyry quarries of the Cembra valley are marketed throughout the world.

TERMENO 6 This famous wine centre – which gives its name to the white Gewürztraminer grape – is located south of the Caldaro lake and looks down on the Adige valley. The fifteenthcentury Gothic parish church of Hl. Julitta and Quiricus is the village’s symbol. The 93-metre campanile is the tallest brick church tower in South Tyrol. However, the greatest art treasure lies on a hill above the village in the hamlet of Kastelaz. A steep path leads up to the church of Sankt Jakob, whose interior is completely decorated with frescoes and includes a bestiary, a fascinating picture cycle with mysterious, fabulous

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

beasts. Ask the neighbour for the key to the church. The climb is also worth the effort for the magnificent view it affords over the valley of the Adige. In Termeno/Tramin, the VILLAGE MUSEUM’s collection of winegrowing and agricultural implements provides a comprehensive overview of wine growing from the early twentieth century to the 1960s. Part of the museum is dedicated to the famous local carnival procession which takes place just before Lent and to the “Egetmann” mask, who is given his own statue in the village square. 9 Rathausplatz, Tramin, Tel. 328 5603645, 0471 860695 Easter–1 November Tuesdays, Fridays 10am–12pm Wednesdays 10am–11am, 4pm–6pm Entry: voluntary contribution

The South Tyrol wine route goes past the new, architecturally striking winery cooperative. The green metal struts are meant to symbolise the grapes and the supports on which the vines climb, the so-called pergolas. In addition to winery tours, the winery cooperative also offers wine tastings. 144 Weinstrasse Tramin, Tel. 0471 096633

UFFICIO DEL TURISMO (TOURIST BOARD) 1 Julius-v.-Payerstr, 39040 Tramin, Tel. 0471 860131, www.tramin.com

FROM BOLZANO TO TRENTO

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

ORA 7 Ora/Auer is a fine village in the middle of the Unterland, in the eastern section of the valley. Although the inhabitants no longer live exclusively off the land, Ora has nonetheless maintained its rural charm: stately homes and farms built in a Mediterranean style and narrow streets bordered by natural stone walls. The walls not only protect against prying eyes but also from the water of the dangerous “black stream” (Schwarzenbach) that often burst its banks here in the past. The church of Sankt Peter on the southern edge of the village is several metres below the land around it, which clearly shows how much soil and rocks the stream washed up. The church also contains one of the largest and oldest organs in the Alps.

VAL DI FIEMME

Ora has two railway stations: one for the line that goes to the Brenner Pass and another for the narrow-gauge railway into the Fiemme /Fleimstal valley. This railway has had an eventful past. In 1915, during World War I, the armies of Austria-Hungary and Italy faced each other. In order to ensure that they had reinforcements on the Dolomite front, the Austro-Hungarian army decided to build the railway, which they did in record time. To do so, they kept up

to 6,000 workers busy, most of whom were prisoners of war. After the war, the railway gradually lost its importance and was finally closed in 1963. The route ascends in hairpin bends, over bridges, through lighted tunnels and over viaducts and is now a fine cycle track into the Trentino Dolomites. There is a nice pub in the old station with snacks and a beer garden. Aurora, 45 Bahnhofstrasse, Auer, Tel. 0471 811534

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

CASTELFEDER 8 South of Ora, on a sparsely-wooded hillside, there is the magical location of Castelfeder. Here you will find the fascinating remains of ancient Roman walls, early Middle Age arched window openings, the so-called Kuchele, and, on the crest of the hill, the foundations of the tenth-century chapel of Sankt Barbara. The hill with its downy oaks provides a magnificent view to the south over the Adige valley. Castelfeder can also be reached by bike from the cycle track that follows the route of the old Val di Fiemme railway. PARCO NATURALE MONTE CORNO 9 Most of the mountains that

stretch out behind the villages of Ora/Auer and Egna/Neumarkt towards Trentino are in the Monte Corno/Trudner Horn park. The great differences in altitude and the geological structure have enabled a wide range of flora and fauna to develop. A network of beautiful hiking paths criss-crosses this varied landscape. The park’s visitor centre is in an old restored mill in the village of Trodena/Truden, which is 1,200 metres above sea level. Naturparkhaus, 2 Am Kofl, Truden, Tel. 0471 869247 Beginning of April–Beginning of November Tuesdays–Saturdays 9am–12pm, 3pm–6.30pm Also open Sundays July–September, entry free

FROM BOLZANO TO TRENTO

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

EGNA 10 Egna/Neumarkt is on the left bank of the Adige and is the Unterland’s main shopping, school and administrative district. This beautiful market town is full of medieval porticoes and rambling portly houses with large inner courtyards, arched doorways and bay windows. The old centre of the village really lends itself to strolling around and just chilling out. At the northern edge of town, the remains of the Roman street station Endidae were uncovered (the way there is clearly signposted). South of Egna, at the foot of the Madrutt mountain, there is a hostelry called the Hospiz Sankt Florian which is over 700 years old and known locally as the “little monastery”. It is now partially hidden between a gravel pit and a power substation, but it was once on the Brenner road, an important route linking Italy with Austria and Germany to the north. Pilgrims, princes, merchants, messengers, soldiers of fortune and adventurers rested in the Hospiz (from the Latin hospes,, “guest”); horses were watered and rested there, and goods loaded and unloaded. The atmosphere must have been like that of an oriental caravanserai. The Romanesque church of Sankt Florian nearby undoubtedly tended to the travellers’ spiritual wellbeing.

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

VIKTORS IMBISS 11 Pfatten, Gmunden district Tel. 0471 811383, open every day 10am–11pm Between the bridge over the Adige and the state road there is a large,

modern, very efficient café with car park, a sizeable panoramic terrace and comprehensive service: drinks, hamburgers, schnitzels, salads, cakes. Manager: Viktor Merler.

UFFICIO DEL TURISMO (TOURIST BOARD) 5 Hauptplatz, 39040 Auer Tel. 0471 810231 www.castelfeder.info

CORTACCIA, MAGRÈ AND CORTINA 11 South of Egna, on the opposite bank of the river, the wine-growing village of Cortaccia /Kurtatsch tempts the traveller with its inns, a wine cellar and a small museum that make it worth the climb up the short slope to the natural terrace on which the village lies. Further south in the hamlet of Entiklar, Tiefenbrunner castle offers snacks as well as excellent wines in the courtyard. You can also visit its park. Schlosskellerei Tiefenbrunner, Schlossweg 4, Entiklar Tel. 0471 880122, www.tiefenbrunner.com

Back in the valley again, the wine-growing village of Magrè/ Margreid that was built up against the steep cliff, welcomes the visitor with its fine old houses. The Grafengasse also boasts the world’s oldest vine, which dates back to 1601. The Ansitz Löwengang and Cason Hirschprun estates belonging to the ALOIS LAGEDER winery are also famous, as is, thanks to the exquisite quality of his wines, this pioneering vintner. His wine bar offers not only excellent wines but also light dishes. 9 Grafengasse, Margreid Tel. 0471 809500 www.aloislageder.eu

Further south, there is the small wine-growing village of Cortina/Kurtinig with its church dedicated to Saint Martin on a

FROM BOLZANO TO TRENTO

EATING AND DRINKING

FROM BOLZANO TO TRENTO

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

low rock ridge that barely peeps out of the valley floor. The cycle path runs through the middle of the village, which is another reason to take a break in the beer garden of the Teutschhaus inn on the idyllic village square. 7 Martinsplatz, Tel. 0471 817139 www.teutschhaus.it

EATING AND DRINKING

TEUTSCHHAUS 7 Martinsplatz, Kurtinig an der Südtiroler Weinstrasse Tel. 0471 817139, www.teutschhaus.it

This restaurant in the square of the little village of Kurtinig also has outdoor tables and a garden. Bar service and fine rooms are also available, and it welcomes cyclists.

SALURNER KLAUSE 12 South of Salorno/Salurn, the Adige valley narrows and forms the linguistic and provincial border to the neighbouring province of Trentino. The village of Salorno already has a typical Italian feel to it with its narrow alleys and fine historical centre. Perched on an apparently impregnable rock spur, Haderburg Castle watches over the village. The castle once belonged to the Nobles of Salorno, but subsequently became the property of the Counts of Tyrol and the Habsburgs, who in a moment of financial need sold it on to Venetian nobles, to whom it still belongs. An easy twenty-minute walk along a footpath and you are at the castle ruins and the tavern in the grounds.

UFFICIO DEL TURISMO (TOURIST BOARD) 8 H.-Schweiggl-Pl., 39040 Kurtatsch Tel. 0471 880100 www.suedtiroler-unterland.it

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

, May: At the weekend around the first of May the traditional Bolzano/Bozen flower market covers the Waltherplatz in a sea of colours and scents that mark the start of the Bolzano spring. Tel. 0471 307001, www.bolzano-bolzano.it , May–June (Whitsun): Burgen und Schlösser in Bewegung: (Moving keeps and castles): the keeps and castles of Appiano/Eppan open their doors for two days for wine tastings, delicacies and music. Tel. 0471 662206, www.eppan.com , Mid May to mid June: Südtiroler Weinstrassenwochen – The wine-growing communities along the South Tyrol Wine Route offer champagne breakfasts, wine tastings, wine days and guided tours of vineyards and wine cellars. Tel. 0471 860659, www.suedtiroler-weinstrasse.it , Third weekend in May: Bozner Weinkost – A marvellous opportunity to meet Bolzano’s vintners, go wine-tasting and compare notes. Tel. 0471 860659, www.suedtiroler-weinstrasse.it , Mid to end of July: The “Tanz Bozen” Dance Festival in Bolzano really impresses spectators with the standard of its performances. Tel. 0471 053800, www.bolzanodanza.it , Mid to end of September: Transart – Contemporary culture festival with a unique programme of music, dance, theatre and art. Tel. 0471 673070, www.transart.it

FROM BOLZANO TO TRENTO

EVENTS IN SOUTH TYROL

FROM BOLZANO TO TRENTO

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

Trentino The only thing Trentino doesn’t AUSTRIA have to make it a perfect holiday destination is the sea. TRENTINO I TA L I A Otherwise, travellers will find a wealth of everything else: a mild climate, historical towns and villages, forests and mountain pastures, large lakes like Lake Garda with a Mediterranean climate and unspoilt nature with majestic Dolomite peaks, glaciers, rivers and rushing streams. Trentino, along with the South Tyrol, was for centuries part of the Austrian Habsburg empire, and traces of this shared past can be found everywhere.

TRENTINO IN FIGURES AREA: 6,200 square kilometres INHABITANTS: 530,000 THE SIX LARGEST TOWNS (IN TERMS OF POPULATION) ARE: Trento: 114,240, Rovereto: 37,500, Pergine: 19,700, Arco: 16,400, Riva: 15,800, Mori: 9,300

A potted history 11000–9000 BCE Stone-age hunters and fishermen leave flint flakes and tools in the Adige River and in the mountains (Colbricon). 7000 BCE The “Nonna di Mezzocorona” (Mezzocorona Gandmother), the well preserved skeleton of an older woman that was found in a grave near Mezzocorona, dates from this period. 1300–400 BCE Walled fortifications and Rhaetian settlements established in strategic points. 100–40 BCE Vast expanses of Trentino under Roman control. Trento becomes the Municipium Tridentum. The Emperor Claudius (41–54 CE) has the Via Claudia Augusta built; the road runs from the Po plain up the valley of the Adige to Augsburg.

400–500 CE Christianisation completed. Vigilius, the bishop of Trent, dies circa 400 CE and is canonised. 568 CE The Longobards found a dukedom in Trent. 744 CE Trentino becomes part of the Frankish kingdom under Charlemagne. 951 CE Otto II of Arles (France) becomes Prince-Bishop of Trent and Verona under the Dukedom of Bavaria. 1027 CE The Bishop of Trent is also a worldly ruler 1300 The Counts of Tyrol limit the powers of the Prince-Bishop. 1418–1509 Venetia expands to the north, and Rovereto becomes part of the Serenissima Republic. 1508–1512 In the wars of the League of Cambrai and later Holy League, Rovereto and Riva taken from the Republic of Venice and made part of Tyrol or Trentino. 1514–1538 In keeping with the style of Renaissance princes, the Prince-Bishop Cardinal Bernardo Clesio extends the bishopric’s influence by organising the Council of Trent. 1545–1563 The Council of Trent can do nothing to prevent Protestants from founding their own church. 1803 During the Napoleonic wars, Napoleon assigns Trentino to Bavaria until 1810 and to the Kingdom of Italy from 1810– 1813. The Prince-Bishopric abolished. 1815 Congress of Vienna: Trentino loses its autonomy and is subsumed into the Tyrol, whose capital is Innsbruck. 1915 World War I: Italy declares war on Austria. 1919 Treaty of Saint-Germain: Trentino and the South Tyrol become part of the Kingdom of Italy. 1922–1943 Mussolini and his fascists govern Italy and thus take control of Trentino. 1943 German troops occupy Italy and Trentino, and are eventually vanquished by the Allies in 1945. 1946 Treaty of Paris: ethnic minorities granted special rights and South Tyrol and Trentino become a region. 1972 According to new measures, the region is divided into the provinces of Trentino and South Tyrol, with the Ladins and German-speaking minorities given special 2008 Bucking the trend in the rest of Berlusconi-dominated Italy, Trentino elects a centre-left government.

FROM BOLZANO TO TRENTO

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

FROM BOLZANO TO TRENTO

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

The cycle route basically follows the valley of the Adige River and its leisurely course before heading over a low ridge and winding its way in towards Lake Garda. As you cycle through beautiful villages and the towns of Trento, Rovereto and Riva you are offered a first view of this magnificently varied landscape. SAN MICHELE 13 The heart of San Michele on the Adige boasts

buildings from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, all of them dominated by the magnificent Augustine monastery. Well worth a visit are the cellar of the region’s School of Viticulture (located in a wing of the old monastery) and the cathedral with its exquisite stucco decorations. MUCGT The abbreviation stands for Museo degli Usi e Costumi

della Gente Trentina (Museum of the Customs of the Trentino People), which is Trentino’s very fine anthropological museum. Part of the Augustinian monastery is dedicated to historical trades such as flax, linen, wool and silk production, as well as wine making. An agricultural school was set up in the monastery buildings when the area was still under Austrian rule. 2 Via Mach; Tel. 0461 650314 9.00–12.30, 14.30–18.00; Euro 6, www.museosanmichele.it The cellar can also be visited: Mondays–Fridays 8.30am–12pm, 14.30pm–5pm; Saturdays 9am–12pm Guided tours: Tel. 0461 615252, cantina@iasma.it

TRENTINO ON THE INTERNET The following Internet sites provide information about Trentino: WWW.VISITTRENTINO.IT The official tourism website in several languages.

WWW.GARDATRENTINO.IT Dedicated to holidaying in the northern part of Lake Garda (also in English).

WWW.COMUNE.TRENTO.IT An introduction to the city of Trento, in Italian and English.

WWW.APSS.TN.IT The health system in Trentino – hospitals, offices, etc. (in Italian).

WWW.TRENTOCULTURA.IT Events for the city of Trento, including music, culture, dance, exhibitions, theatre and cinema (in Italian).

WWW.CICLABILI.PROVINCIA.TN.IT Part of the regional website with a guide to cycle tracks in the province (in Italian and English).

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

cle path, is a veritable work of art. Every single aspect of the building and interior were lovingly designed by the internationally famous artist Riccardo Schweizer (1925–2004). The tiles, wooden floors, wall coverings and decorations, curtains, tables and chairs were all specially created and expressly made – and it is now a listed building. The cuisine is just as good and there is a wonderful selection of wines. Loc. Masetto, Faedo-San Michele Tel. 0461 650324, closed Mondays www.dasilvio.com

CANTINA MEZZACORONA 14 On the plain of Mezzocorona, just

300 metres from the cycle track, there is the colossal Mezzacorona winery building. The architect wanted to use towers, a flat roof and an undulating timber construction to complement the multifaceted mountain landscape of Trentino. The building includes not only a wine and champagne cellar but also a visitor centre and seminar rooms. Guided tours can be arranged Cantina Mezzacorona, 110 Via Tonale, SS 43 Val di Non, Mezzocorona Tel. 0461 616399, www.mezzacorona.it

FROM BOLZANO TO TRENTO

RISTORANTE DA SILVIO This restaurant, which is right on the cy-

FROM BOLZANO TO TRENTO

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

MEZZOCORONA 15 The commanding Palazzo della Vicinia in the centre of the town was for centuries the administrative headquarters where common property and public services such as the slaughterhouse and the village bakery were administered. Today, it houses the public library and a documentation centre with an archaeological section, a historical archive and an art history section. Entry free during office hours Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays 2.30pm–7pm Tuesdays, Thursdays 2pm–6pm.

ZAMBANA In 1955, parts of the village of Zambana were destroyed by an earthquake. The authorities evacuated the village and rebuilt it at a safe distance whilst a protective barrier was erected to prevent further rock falls. The inhabitants were allowed into the old area only to tend their fields. The beautiful old church now stands there alone and abandoned. Thanks to the loose alluvial sand soils of this part of the Adige

valley, Zambana has long been famous for its delicately flavoured, snowy-white asparagus, described and recorded as early as the Napoleonic occupation in 1810. The much sought-after quality certificate is granted to local asparagus growers only if they adhere to rigorously enforced rules, including soil quality, which state that the soil must have at least 70% sand content and a neutral pH value.

PALAZZO FIRMIAN on the village square of Mezzocorona makes

quite an impression. Since 1985 it has been the town hall, but it was originally the tithe barn of the Prince-Bishop until it came into the possession of the noble Firmian family and was magnificently refurbished. The former state rooms on the second floor are opulently decorated with ceiling frescoes by Paul Troger (1698–1762). Open office hours: (Mondays–Fridays). PIANA ROTALIANA South of the narrows known as Salurner Klause in German and Chiusa di Salorno in Italian, the valley of the Adige fans out into a broad plain, the Piana Rotaliana. This is where Teroldego vines are grown on the loose sand and gravel sediments. The valley bottom and the slopes of the localities

of Mezzocorona, Mezzolombardo, Grumo and San Michele are home to this formidable, ruby-red wine that has enjoyed registered designation of origin (D.O.C.) status since 1971. PAGANELLA 17 Between Zambana and Trento, the rock faces of

the Paganella massif on the right side of the valley rise vertically to 2,125 metres. South of Paganella, a narrow valley cuts through the mountain range with Mount Bondone, which rises above the valley of the Adige. From the Velo district of the town of Trento, a two-lane road winds its way through tunnels and the “Buco di Vela” fortification into the valley behind and then on to Lake Garda. DOSS TRENTO 18 On the outskirts of Trento you will notice the

Doss Trento, a 208-metre mound of rock topped by a memorial. The hill was settled as early as the New Stone Age, also contains the foundations of an early Christian church. Today, it is a memorial to the Italian hero Cesare Battisti, who was executed by the Austrians for treason during World War I.

FRANCESCO MOSER

Francesco Moser is the greatest of all Italian cyclists. He was born in 1951 near Lavis and in the 1970s and 1980s his 273 victories made him the most successful Italian cyclist ever. He won all the great classics and also gave a good account of himself in the great stage events. The Olympic gold medallist and road racing champion’s speed record of 51.151 km over one hour remained unbroken for many years. He is now a vintner and fruit grower and also runs a road bike business. www.ciclimoser.com

FROM BOLZANO TO TRENTO

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

500

Trento Tourist office

1 2 3 4 5 6

Monuments and historical sites Piazza Duomo Duomo Via Belenzani Via Manci Chiesa Santa Maria Maggiore SASS

7 Palazzo Roccabruna Museums 8 Castello del Buonconsiglio 9 Palazzo Pretorio 10 Palazzo delle Albere Restaurants and pubs 11 Birreria Pedavena 12 La Cantinota 13 Il Libertino

Bassano

14 Rosa dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Oro

15 16 17 18

Hotels Grand Hotel Trento Hotel Accademia Hotel Venezia Hotel NH Trento

Bikeshops 19 Cicli Moser

B o l z a n o â&#x20AC;&#x201C; B r e n t a Va l l e y â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Ve n i c e

Trento Trento (or Trent as it was once known) is the capital of Trentino and has a population of 114,000. It is the economic, political and geographical centre of the province, and is built along the Adige. The suburbs of the new town climb up the hills in the east; in the south the Trento area spreads as far as Murazzi and Besenello. The commercial centres of Lavis and Gardolo has sprung up to the north. Here the Cembra valley, famous for its good white wines, joins the plain through which the Adige runs. The steep Bondone and Paganella ranges rise up in the west, while Monte Calisio and the Marzola and Vigolana mountains rise up in the east. Trento is a dynamic town, its industry, commerce and public administration further enlivened by a thriving university community. Carefully restored monuments such as the castle of the Prince-Bishops, the Renaissance palazzi and the cathedral in the old town bear witness to the past. Excavations under the squares and streets of the old town have revealed the Roman Tridentum. Hotels, restaurants and the vivacious student pubs have also helped

AZIENDA PER IL TURISMO TRENTO (TRENTO TOURIST BOARD) Via Manci 2, 38122 Trento Tel. 0461 216000, www.apt.trento.it

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

make Trento a popular holiday destination. As the venue for the “Festival of Economics” and the International Mountain Film Festival the town attracts visitors from all over the world every year.

History of the city ROMAN PERIOD AND MIDDLE AGES When the Romans conquered

northern Italy after the devastation caused by the incursions of Cimbri in about 102 BCE, they secured the northern borders. At Trento (Tridentum ((Tridentum, Tridentum in Latin) they built a walled barrier directly at the port on the Adige. From 500 CE, after the fall of the Roman Empire, the Germanic tribes also sacked the city during their pillaging expeditions. In 515 the king of the Goths, Theodoric, once again fortified the town. In 568, Trento fell to the Longobards, who installed a duke. When they were defeated by the Franks under Charlemagne, Trento became part of the Frankish kingdom. Except for a few interruptions, the city’s connection with the Germanic area of influence lasted more than a thousand years. In about the year 1000, Trento became the capital of a small principality ruled by the Prince-Bishop of Trent. The bishops built magnificent palaces and the cathedral before they surrendered some of their power to local nobles anxious to strip them of some of his prerogatives.

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

THE COUNCIL OF TRENT (1545–1563) Under the local nobleman

Bernardo Clesio, Trento’s fortunes once again revived. Clesio managed to persuade the Council to meet in the city, which may well have been a small provincial town but was nonetheless seen as a bridge between the Roman and Germanic spheres of influence, that is between the Pope and the Emperor. In addition, as it was administered relatively well by the Prince-Bishops, it was considered to be a perfect example of what the reformed Catholic church should be like. Attempts at reunification with the followers of Luther nevertheless met with failure, and Trento’s period of glory came to an end when its approximately 8000 inhabitants had had to look after 2000 illustrious guests for years. MODERN PERIOD AND PRESENT After the Council of Trent, the town quickly declined into poverty. During the Napoleonic Wars, French armies marched through Trentino on their way to do battle with the Habsburgs. The troops entering the city in 1796 brought the secular rule of the Prince-Bishops to an end. In 1814 the Habsburgs returned and the city was directly administered from Innsbruck. After World War I, Trento was reannexed to Italy, but Italy hardly had the resources to support the stagnant economy. It was only when the region was given new political autonomy and Trento became the capital of the new regional and provincial government after World War II that the economy really took off. Trento’s pro-capita income is now one of the highest in Italy and it has the best quality of life of anywhere in Italy.

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

The best in brief

feast on a host of historical façades and important buildings: first of all the cathedral of course, followed by Palazzo Pretorio and its diocesan museum. In the centre of the square there is the bronze Neptune Fountain with the god of water and the sea holding a trident: a play on the Tridentum, the Latin name and the symbol of Trento. The town’s finest streets extend around the cathedral square, one of the finest in Northern Italy. CATHEDRAL 2 Most of the commanding construction in northern Romanesque style was commissioned by Bishop Friedrich von Wangen in 1212–1250. The cupola and campanile were constructed for the Council of Trent. An early Christian church had stood on the site, which was the fifth-century grave of Saint Vigilius, the third bishop of Trent. In the right nave, near the altar, there is a red marble relief dedicated to the famous Venetian commander Roberto da Sanseverino, who died fighting against the Habsburgs in the Battle of Calliano. The northern façade, which is much more complex than the southern façade, contains a rosette depicting the allegory of Fortune. VIA BELENZANI 3 Via Belenzani (formerly known as “Contrada

Larga”) is the most colourful road in the town, flanked by harmonious and imposing Renaissance palazzi with beautiful façades. Palazzo Thun (number 20) was for four centuries the town house of the Thun family, one of most influential families in Trentino’s Non valley. The frescoes show the Emperor Maximilian, who was said to have stayed here in about 1508. The magnificent late sixteenth-century Palazzo Geremia, is on the opposite side of the road at number 19. Palazzo Alberti Colico (number 32) also boasts a magnificent frescoed façade. No less fascinating are the frescoes decorating the two Case Cazuffi-Rella a sort of “Morality Tale” that opens onto the cathedral square and the Neptune fountain. VIA MANCI 4 Via Antonio Manci (formerly Via Lunga) was built at the time of the Council of Trent as a boulevard connecting the churches in the centre of the town to Castello del Buonconsiglio, the Prince-Bishop’s residence. On both sides there are

TRENTO

PIAZZA DEL DUOMO 1 From the cathedral square your eyes can

TRENTO

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

many patrician Renaissance palazzi, including Palazzo Salvadori, which was built on the site of the former Jewish synagogue. It is a reminder of the medieval persecution of local Jews following the murder of a child named Simonino, for which the Jews were wrongly accused. The Catholic Church did not admit any miscarriage of justice or responsibility in the case until only a few decades ago, when it finally put an end to the veneration of the canonised Simonino. Palazzo Saracini is remarkable for its two stone balconies and round arch doorway, and Palazzo Trentini for its impressive façade. SANTA MARIA MAGGIORE 5 The church, built in white and red stone in 1520 in typically Lombard Renaissance style, contains a striking organ and organ loft, frescoes and paintings that are well worth the visit. The tower was originally part of a medieval fortress. SASS 6 The SASS abbreviation stands for Spazio Archeologico

Sotterraneo del Sas (Subterranean Archaeological SAS Space). An amazing 1,700 square metres of the Roman Tridentum have been made accessible right underneath the piazza itself. Some of the remarkable features include ancient roads, houses, heating systems, workshops, parts of the original city walls and a town gate. Piazza Cesare Battisti Tuesdays–Sundays 9am–12pm, 2.30pm–6pm

PALAZZO ROCCABRUNA 7 This per-

fectly restored building is administered by the Chamber of Commerce and includes not only exhibition rooms (Tuesdays–Fridays 10am–12pm, 3pm–6pm) but also a display of Trentino cuisine and a wine bar (Thursdays and Saturdays 5pm–10pm). Entrance is free. www.palazzoroccabruna.it Via Santissima Trinità 24 Tel. 0461 887101

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

MUSEUMS

8 CASTELLO DEL BUONCONSIGLIO www.buonconsiglio.it 5 Via Bernardo Clesio, Tel. 0461 233770 Summer: 10am–4pm, Winter: 9.30am–5pm; Euro 8 The Prince-Bishops spared no expense in creating a splendid residence by refurbishing the original medieval complex in the hills and adding further extensions between 1528 and 1536. Romanino, Dossi, Fogolino and Zacchi, some of the finest artists of the time, were called in to decorated the palace. Round towers, battlements, gables, Gothic and Venetian windows and loggias provide an architecturally encyclopaedic work of art. The medieval frescoes in the Torre dell’Aquila are quite rightly famous. Castello del Buonconsiglio also houses the province’s art and history museum. 9 PALAZZO PRETORIO www.museodiocesanotridentino.it 18 Piazza Duomo, Tel. 0461 234419, Wednesdays–

Mondays 9.30am–12.30pm, 2.30pm–5.30pm; ticket also valid for the crypt of the cathedral; Euro 4 The former Bishop’s Palace houses the diocesan museum and the cathedral’s most precious treasures, which include portraits, sculpted statues and altars as well as the tapestry by the Flemish artist Pieter van Aelst. 10 PALAZZO DELLE ALBERE 45 Via R. da Sanseverino, Tel. 0424 600435, Tuesdays–Sundays 10am–6pm; Euro 6 In the south of the town a magnificent residence rises up over the bank of the Adige. It was built for the mighty Madruzzo family, who from 1539 to 1698 were the undisputed masters of the town and provided three Prince-Bishops. The frescoed palace has four corner towers and originally boasted its own moat. As part of the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, MART, it hosts temporary exhibitions.

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

EATING AND DRINKING

11 BIRRERIA PEDAVENA 13 Piazza della Fiera, Tel. 0461 986255, closed Tuesdays, www.birreriapedavena.com An efficient pub and restaurant downtown with lots of rooms and an attractive garden, it is always busy and often boisterously full. Regional cuisine, draught beer. 12 LA CANTINOTA This traditional downtown restaurant with a small garden and inner courtyard offers a cosy atmosphere and typical local cuisine. Live music is available in the evenings in the cellar. All the sightseeing attractions are nearby. 22–24 Via San Marco, Tel. 0461 238 27, closed Thursdays, www.cantinota.editarea.com

13 IL LIBERTINO 4/6 Piazza Piedicastello, Tel. 0461 260085, closed Tuesdays, www.ristoranteillibertino.com This restaurant is on the western edge of town near the cycle track along the Adige, at the foot of the Doss Trento. Not only is their typical Trentino food and Italian cuisine top notch, but they also take their wine very seriously. The tortel di patate, which is a sort of potato pancake, is exceptional. 14 ROSA D’ORO 21 Piazza Santa Maria Maggiore, Tel. 0461 261792, closed Sundays, www.ristoranterosadoro.com This restaurant and pizzeria is just a few metres from the cathedral square and boasts a garden for patrons and a series of pleasantly unadorned rooms. The cheap, quick lunchtime menu is very popular with factory and office workers. Good selection of draught beers.

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

Eating and Drinking draws on the traditions of farmhouse cooking. In the late autumn, the family pig is killed and smoked, and cured meat and sausages are served up. The typical menu also includes dumplings known locally as Knödel and Nocken, and small spinach gnocchi that go by the curious name of strozzapreti (literally “priest stranglers”, apparently so called because the dish was so appreciated by the clergy at the time of the Council of Trent that they would wolf it down). Polenta,, a yellow maize semolina, is a popular accompaniment that tastes best if it has been cooked in a copper cauldron. In summer and autumn there is no shortage of mushroom dishes either. A shot of grappa from one of the many traditional distilleries is just the thing to finish off a tasty meal. You can, of course, find Mediterranean cuisine in all its diversity on the menu as well.

TRENTO AT A GLANCE

It is a good job that the best part of Trento is in the old town. Leave the cycle track along the Adige at the large car park, take the underpass, walk along Via Verdi and you’re at the cathedral in an instant. The Romanesque cathedral is a must. Then walk through the cathedral square with the Bishop’s Palace, past Neptune’s fountain, along Via Belenzani, the city’s showpiece street, and at the northern end (parts of the university are on your left) turn right onto Via Roma. At the town’s tourist office, Via Manci starts with Palazzo del Diavolo (literally “the devil’s palace”), so called because legend has it that the builder signed a pact with the devil so that he could build the house in just one night. It actually took a year to build, but that was still incredibly quick at the time. Continue along Via San

Marco to the Castello del Buonconsiglio, then back through Via Suffragio and its medieval porticoes, which was once the German merchants’ and artisans’ quarter. You should definitely pop into one of the many cafés, such as the Bar Caffè Città in Piazza Battisti. From there you can visit the subterranean Roman Tridentum. The route includes the neo-Gothic San Pietro church (Tel. 0461 982232; 8am–12pm and 2.30pm–6pm), then past the splendid Palazzo Bortolazzi at the junction of Largo Carducci and Via Oriola. At 65 Via Oss Mazzurana you can admire Palazzo Tabarelli, one of the finest examples of Trentino Renaissance architecture, and the sixteenth-century Palazzo Cazuffi. Just a few metres more and you are back in the cathedral square.

TRENTO

POLENTA, PORCINI AND PRIEST STRANGLERS Trentino cuisine

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

To enjoy the most beautiful part of the tour, we advise you to take the train from Trento to Calceranica al Lago. This extensive, varied and exciting cycle tour follows the course of the Brenta River, from its source near the Caldonazzo Lake as far as its crossing through Bassano del Grappa. You cycle on the road along the lake to go to the village of Levico and you zigzag between apple orchards as far as the Brenta River – here only a small stream – and the beginning of the cycle track of Valsugana. Pass through Marter, famous for its bizarre museum of scarecrows, and head for the high observation tower of Castel Telvana, that dominates the lovely village of Borgo Valsugana. After a walk along the river, with the typical old porticoed houses, you continue on the cycle track that unwinds in one of the most beautiful natural landscapes, amid the nature, past dense woods, mountain sides and gurgling watercourses. Continue in the valley passing by the villages of Grigno, Tezze and Pianello-Vallon. You now leave Trentino and enter Veneto and the valley changes its name into Val Brenta: you are near the pub “Cornale”, where the real cycle track ends. The cycle tour continues on low traffic roads and you’ll pass through the characteristic village of Valstagna, with the colourful houses along the riverside, and the fascinating Caves of Oliero, the last chance to enjoy a nice break today, before arriving at the “Ponte degli Alpini” in Bassano del Grappa.

THE RIVER BRENTA

Together with the Piave, the Brenta is considered one of the rivers which created the Venice Lagoon. Along the centuries, the Venetians modified its course many times. The Brenta springs from the lakes of Caldonazzo and Levico in TrentinoAlto-Adige and, through the Valsugana, it reaches the Venetian plain

near Bassano del Grappa, crosses the province of Padua and after 174 km it flows into the Adriatic Sea, south of Chioggia. The word “Brentana” is used by the people of Veneto to indicate the terrible floods of the Brenta river, the last of which was in 1966.

FROM TRENTO TO BASSANO

From Trento to Bassano

The Veneto Region Veneto, also historically known as Venetia, is an administrative region in north-eastern Italy. The region includes part of the Alps and the Po Valley and is bounded by the Adriatic Sea in the east. Veneto is the official name for the region, and it consists of seven provinces: Belluno, Padua (Padova in Italian), Rovigo, Treviso, Venice (Venezia in Italian), Verona and Vicenza. It has a population of about 5 million. Until about 50 years ago it was a poor agricultural area which provided emigrant labourers, but now, thanks to the hard work of its inhabitants

VENETO IN FIGURES AREA: 18,390 square kilometres INHABITANTS: 4,938,000 THE SIX LARGEST TOWNS (IN TERMS OF POPULATION) ARE: Venice: 270,880, Verona: 264,000, Padova: 214,099, Vicenza: 115,930, Treviso: 82,800, Rovigo: 52,800.

and the solidity of its small and medium-sized enterprises, it has become one of Italyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s richest regions. Its beautiful scenery and art treasures from many different periods also make it the Italian region with the most dynamic tourist industry, with 14 million visitors and 60 million overnight stays per annum. Without a doubt, the biggest tourist attractions are Venice, the lagoon city, Verona with its Roman past, the Adriatic beach resorts of Jesolo, Bibione and Eraclea and the celebrated skiing areas in the Dolomites, the most famous of which is Cortina dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Ampezzo.

A potted history ORIGINS Precise origin of the Adriatic Veneti uncertain but towns like Padua, Treviso, Belluno and Vicenza ultimately developed from their settlements. 200 BCE When the region is peacefully taken over by the Romans, the Veneti ally themselves with Romans to fight against the Gauls.

VENETO

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

89 BCE Inhabitants enjoy benefits of Roman law and declared fully fledged Roman citizens in 49 BCE. Province given the name Regio X Venetia et Histria and Aquilea made its capital. Adda River, near modern Milan, constitutes region’s western border. Christianity expands to rest of region from Aquileia in the first centuries CE. 169 CE After attacks by Germanic tribes from east, Oderzo (50 km north-east of Venice) is sacked by the Marcomanni. FIFTH CENTURY After the Huns, Theodoric and his Ostrogoths occupy area and rule Venetia from 493. Mainland inhabitants take refuge in inaccessible islands of the lagoon. Following skirmishes between Longobards and Byzantium (Eastern Roman Empire), the region is partitioned. Coastal strip brought under Byzantine domination and forms Venetia Marittima, Marittima whereas mainland subsumed into Kingdom of the Longobards. LATE EIGHTH CENTURY Franks under Charlemagne enter Lombardy and gain control of mainland. The lagoon and its capital Venice initially a dukedom (821) loosely allied with Byzantium until its independence (c. 1000). Dukedom ruled by elected Doge (from the Latin dux,, “leader”). 962 Emperor Otto I assigns mainland to the Duchy of Bavaria and Earldom of Görz. For 200 years, power exercised from beyond the Alps and German feudal lords and bishops become local rulers. The Este, da Romano, Caminesi, Carrara, and Scala families become increasingly powerful; Ferrara, Padua, Treviso and Verona become city states. THIRTEENTH CENTURY Venice extends power to entire upper Adriatic and further west. Individual city states conquered or granted special rights to persuade them to spontaneously join the Venetian Republic. 1404–1405 City states of Vicenza, Belluno, Bassano, Feltre, Verona and Padua join Venetian Republic. 1428 Brescia, Bergamo and Crema become part of Venetian Republic, which at the height of its power rules the Adriatic and large parts of the Eastern Mediterranean. Silk and spice trade firmly in the hands of Venetian Republic, now styled Serenissima Repubblica di Venezia (Most Serene Republic of Venice). After fall of Constantinople (Byzantium) and Eastern Roman Empire, Ottomans increasingly make inroads into Venice’s sea power; the Italian mainland now considered more important. Venice’s

winged-lion standard flown over large parts of northern Italy, as far as southern Trentino and the very gates of Milan. EARLY SIXTEENTH CENTURY Republic at war with Papal State under Pope Julian II, the French Kings Louis XII and Francis I and the Habsburg Emperor Maximilian I; forms alliance with England and Spain. Venice loses large parts of mainland only to win them back. Wealthy Venetian patricians invest wealth in vast estates and build sumptuous villas, the celebrated “Ville Venete”. EIGHTEENTH CENTURY Venice is one of the most refined cities in the world at that time, exerting influence on art, architecture and literature. After more than 1,000 years of independence, Napoleon forces last Doge, Ludovico Manin, to abdicate in 1797. JANUARY 1798 Austrians occupy Venice; the Serenissima is no more. 1815 Following Congress of Vienna, Venetia becomes part of the Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia and is governed by a viceroy of the Austrian Empire. 1866 After last Italian War of Independence, referendum held in Venetia resulting in decision to join newly created Kingdom of Italy.

VENETO

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

Trento

Vicenza

Bassano del Grappa Tourist office APT Bassano

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Monuments and historical sites Ponte di Legno Chiesa di San Donato Villa Veggia Bonaguro Castello Superiore Duomo Palazzo Sturm Piazza della Libertà Chiesa San Giovanni Battista Loggia del Comune

10 Piazza Garibaldi 11 Torre Civica 12 Chiesa di San Francesco Restaurants 13 Ristorante/pizzeria Bella Capri 14 Ristorante/pizzeria Saraceno 15 Birreria Ottone 16 Grapperia Nardini 17 Ristorante Ca’ Sette 18 Trattoria del Borgo 19 Enogastronomia Baggio 20 Ristorante da Bauto

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

Hotels Hotel Brennero Hotel Palladio Hotel Belvedere Hotel Ca’ Sette Hotel Da Ponte Hotel Victoria Hotel Al Castello

Bikeshops 28 Europebike.it 29 Giubilatocicli.com

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

Bassano Bassano stands at the foothills of Vicenza’s Prealps and at the outlet of the river Brenta onto the plain. Its landscape, especially in springtime, offers views of uncommon beauty. One particular example is the road running along the foot of the hills between Mason, Molvena, Pianezze and Marostica, renowned for the cherries and for the variety of scents and colours that can be enjoyed there. Besides the medieval charm of Marostica and the historical value of Bassano, the surrounding area is full of evidence of countryside tradition, fundamental here long before the advent of the modern society of industries and services. This town is mainly known for its bridge over the Brenta river, dating back to the early XIII c., the present shape and wooden structure of which were designed by Palladio; it has been destroyed and rebuilt many times, and finally renamed the “Bridge of the Alpini” (the mountain regiments of the Italian army) these being the people who carried out its last reconstruction and because it was the scene of decisive battles during the Second World War. But Bassano is also the hometown of the famous Grappa, a sort of brandy with innumerable variations, always much appreciated by connoisseurs. APT BASSANO (Tourism Promotion Agency) L.go Corona d’Italia, 35

TEL. 0424 524351 WEB www.vicenzae.org E-MAIL iat.bassano@provincia.vicenza.it

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

History of the city ROMAN PERIOD AND MIDDLE AGES

There is evidence dating back to the XI-IX c. B.C. of a human settlement in this area before the advent of the Romans, who conquered this land in the II c. B.C. and made it cultivable. After being dominated by the Longobards and the Franks, during the Middle Ages the town passed under the rule of Vicenza (1175) and then of the wealthy Ezzelini family. At Ezzelino III’s death, the town was ruled by Vicenza, Padua, Verona until the end of the XIV c., when Bassano was able to enjoy a relative autonomy under the Visconti’s. In 1404 it joined the Serenissima Republic of Venice, which granted the land peace and prosperity over four centuries, to the benefit of the textile and gold jewellery sectors. MODERN PERIOD AND PRESENT

In 1796 Napoleon defeated the Austrians in Bassano and Venice fell the following year. In 1814 Bassano passed under the Austrians and after the Third War of Independence it finally joined the Kingdom of Italy in 1866. During the two world wars, the town was an important battle and conflict zone. Today Bassano has approximately 65,000 inhabitants. Due to its borderline position between the plain and the mountains, it has been able to develop an economy based on its manufacturing and trade tradition (first with wool and silk and after-

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

wards ceramics and paper) along with a purely agricultural one, thanks to the natural abundance of fruits and flflflflavourings here. Among the typical products of the area are the cherries, the white asparagus, and also the renowned grappa.

BASSANO

The best in brief The whole town is studded with elegant buildings enriched with precious ornaments and quiet little squares. In the central square of Monte Vecchio stand the impressive Monte di Pietà (1494) and the Casa Dal Corno Bonato, whose façade was frescoed by the Renaissance painter Jacopo da Ponte, called “the Bassano”. A few steps away, you can admire the Neoclassical San Giovanni Church (dated 1300) and the 15th century Town Hall Loggia. But the most famous work of art in town is certainly the Wooden Bridge, designed by Palladio in 1569, which has been destroyed and rebuilt many times. Climbing gently towards the hills, in the middle of a charming landscape rich in vineyards, stands Villa Angarano.. It was conceived by Palladio by the mid-XVI c., but only the side wings were built according to his plans. The main body of the villa was built successively, in a typical 17th century style. Now the complex is the site of a vineyard business. Finally, worth mentioning is the magnificent Villa Rezzonico,, which was built just out of the town between the late 17th and the early 18th c., hosting paintings and sculptures by Antonio Canova. On the other side of the bridge, there is via Angarano named after the Roman “Angaranus”, the site where some important

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

The WOODEN BRIDGE 1 (1569), connecting the two banks of the Brenta at the point where the river is narrower; Palladio planned to use this material because flexibility of wood was able to counteract the force of the River Brenta. It suffered a great deal of damage, from both the river and war-time bombing, but each time it was rebuilt according to Palladio’s designs. The last reconstruction dates back to the post-Second World War period by the Alpini. There is a Museum of the Alpini at the Taverna al Ponte. Over the square of Terraglio, which once ran along the moat, stands the UPPER CASTLE 4 , a fortress registred back in 1175, but perhaps even older than that. It is surrounded by a double wall circle. The entrance is through a portal surmounted by the Ser Ivano Tower, built in the XIII c. Inside the wall circle stands the CATHEDRAL 5 . It was originally the parish of St Mary, already established in 988, which was repeatedly remodelled starting from the reduction to just one aisle dating back to the 15th c., till the last renovations of the XVII c. The bell tower was built above the basement of a 13th century tower.

BASSANO

archaeological finds have been discovered (now preserved in the Civic Museum). Here there are Medieval and Renaissance houses and churches, such as the little church of SAN DONATO 2 dating back to the XIII c. and the 15th/16th century VILLA VEGGIA BONAGURO 3 which hosts some frescoes by the Veronese school.

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

PALAZZO STURM 6 . This 18th century building which stands

BASSANO

vertically above the Brenta, is the reworking of previous buildings; since 1992 it has been hosting the Ceramics Museum, dedicated to one of the productions that made Bassano famous until the 18th c., ranging from medieval ceramics to contemporary production. Inside the palace, of interest are the alcove and the rococo boudoir, rich in stuccos and mirrors. Since 2007 the palace has also hosted the Remondini Museum, which illustrates all aspects of the 18th/19th-century industrial phenomenon of the family of printers of the same name who became famous all over Europe. On the southern side of the PIAZZA DELLA LIBERTÀ 7 there is the façade of the SAN GIOVANNI BATTISTA CHURCH 8 , which was founded in 1308 together with the now disappeared monastery and widened during the XV c.; it was completely renewed in the second half of the XVIII c. On the opposite side of the square, close to the palace of the Town Hall (XVIII c.), stands the LOGGIA DEL COMUNE 9 (1405-1582) with a late 15th century clock, fragments of fresco decorations and the coats of arms of the first 120 Venetian podestà. On the same side of the square, there is the Casa Treviso, which still has some traces of late 15th century frescoes. PIAZZA GARIBALDI 10 took on its present form in the second

half of the 18th c., when the moat surrounding the first wall circle was filled in; just the TORRE CIVICA 11 of the XIII c. has remained from the ancient wall circle, whose height was increased in the following century up to the current 42 meters. The southern side of the square is occupied by the Romanesque-Gothic church of SAN FRANCESCO 12 ( XIII-XIV c.).

EVENTS

, Second half of April: White Asparagus Fair and Contest. Folk shows, exhibition of the famous asparagus and of locally produced ceramics in Piazza della Libertà; restaurateurs offer meals based on rice with asparagus. , October: Fireworks Contest. Spectacular fireworks competition.

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

Bassano’s excellent grappa, white and aged in oak barrels, resulting from a hundred-year tradition, is one of the town’s main symbols. The origin of this product dates back to ancient times: The Italian grappa is a sort of brandy resulting from the distillation of the residue of pomace and grape, i.e. the solid part of grapes, mainly skin and seeds, left over from wine making after pressing. So it’s a product of popular and rural origin: countrymen used the pomace, left after the wine had been drained off and destined to the wealthier classes, to obtain a heavy and strengthening drink. In Bassano, the grappa tradition started in 1779, from the passion of a family of local entrepreneurs. Distillation became one of the skills of the people from

Bassano; since then, they have been developing different types of distilled products such as the famous tajadea, a mixture of different products among which the grappa gives the predominant taste, widely appreciated both as an aperitif and a digestive. Five categories of grappa can be distinguished: young, aromatic, refined, aged and flavoured. Each bottle, after closing, is affixed with the state seal which grants the consumer the accordance with quality standard. Today, Bassano’s grappa is exported all over the world. The importance of this great product is such that the town has dedicated an interesting Museum to it, inside a 15th century palace near the Old Bridge.

BASSANO

GRAPPA

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

EATING & DRINKING

BASSANO

13 RISTORANTE PIZZERIA BELLA CAPRI Via Jacopo da Ponte, 47 tel. 0424 524916 The nice, cheerful atmosphere of this restaurant is always well appreciated and the wide range of dishes will meet all your demands. Closed on Wednesdays. 14 RISTORANTE PIZZERIA SARACENO Via Museo, 60 tel. 0424 522513 The family-run management bring care, simplicity and experience to their range of meals and service, which are always excellent and well appreciated. Closed on Mondays. 15 BIRRARIA OTTONE Since 1870 – Historical place of Italy, Via Matteotti, 48 tel. 0424 522206 Typical and elegant beer house, it was founded by the Austrian master brewer Otto Wipflinger who was the first to produce, import and distribute the Austrian and German beer, unknown in Italy up to that time, matching them with Tyrolean dishes. Set in the 15th century Navarrini Wipflinger palace and still run by the founder’s grandchildren, its elegantly decorated halls have witnessed the presence of some of the best Italian artists and intellects ever since the time when the Kingdom of Italy was proclaimed. Closed on Monday evenings and on Tuesdays. 16 GRAPPERIA NARDINI Since 1779 – Historic place in Italy Via Ponte Vecchio, 2 tel. 0424 227741

The “Grapperia” is not only a place to pass on to others, to love and to admire. Today, as in the past, it is a meeting point, a place for a passionate approach for the people of Bassano and all who visit, pass by and stop on the most famous bridge of patriotic Italy. And the Grapperia, founded by Bortolo Nardini, is first of all a patriotic symbol and secondly the capital of the most precious Italian distilled product: the grappa. Open all days h.8,00 a.m.-8,00 p.m. 17 RISTORANTE CA’ SETTE Via Cunizza da Romano, 4 tel. 0424 38335 A peaceful atmosphere, quiet garden and good quality cuisine with some creative touches are guaranteed. Closed on Sunday evenings and on Mondays. 18 TRATTORIA DEL BORGO Via Marignan, 7 tel. 0424 522155 This restaurant offers a typical regional cuisine using seasonal products, in an informal environment which was formerly an old bowling green. In the summer it is possible to eat outside, in the shade. Closed on Wednesdays. 19 ENOGASTRONOMIA BAGGIO Via Roma, 33 tel. 0424 522500 A good selections of wines with more than 2000 labels from all over the world. Bulk wine also available. Excellent gastronomy using fresh, selected products for the preparation of main courses and deserts.

B o l z a n o â&#x20AC;&#x201C; B r e n t a Va l l e y â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Ve n i c e

Along the roads of Vicenza province, sometimes invisible to the hasty traveller, there are many buildings which contain echoes of the past, when spending time at home and in the countryside was a joy: the Villas of Vicenza. Some of them are of incomparable splendour, others were modestly built, some perfectly restored to their original beauty, others neglected with visible signs of passing time and decay, all of them contributing towards the original diversity of the province of Vicenza. Andrea Palladio has left an undoubtly impressive sign of a lost age when the generosity of some great families met the genius of the great architect.

Marostica Situated on the slopes of the Asiago Upland, Marostica dominates the plain up to Vicenza, while in the background the territory is animated by the first hills, creating a soft landscape rich in vegetation. In the Middle Ages this strategic position made it a considerable target for the control of the area, and it now offers visitors pleasant panoramic views over the countryside. The original town stood more to the east, but under the Scaligeri rule (1311-86) it was redefined with the construction of the Lower Castle and of the Upper Castle which, placed in two strategically complementary positions, gave a simultaneous defence from enemy attacks and control of the access ways. 1

PIAZZA CASTELLO. Immediately past the 14th century town

walls, you reach this square surrounded by arcades. In the centre of it, the chess board where the traditional game of chess is played, overlooked by the Lower Castle (1320), which was the site for the podestĂ since the XV c. The castle, with a rectangular plan and completely battlemented, is a typical walled castle built close to an impressive Donjon and is a great example of military architecture. A drawbridge protected the access to the castle courtyard, inside which there is a porch

FROM BASSANO TO VICENZA

From Bassano to Vicenza

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

2 3

7 8

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

surmounted by a continuous arcade standing on brick supports. In 1935 it underwent radical restoration and today hosts a small museum with the costumes used in the traditional game of chess. S. ANTONIO ABATE CHURCH. Despite its Baroque appearance, it dates back to 1383, was renovated in 1730 and now is without its monastery. The apse contains a 16th century altarpiece by Jacopo and Francesco Bassano. A 17th century scenic flight of steps leads to the Church of the Carmine, built in the same period, starting point of the path ascending to the Upper Castle. 3 UPPER CASTLE. The site of Marostica has been fortified ever since the Roman age. In the VIII c. it was the site of a Longobard castle; between the XII and XIII c. it was ruled by the Ezzelini and then by the Signorie of Vicenza and Padua. The present fortification was built by the Scaligeri. The construction of the two castles was started in 1312, while the enclosing wall bounding the Pausolino hill and the plain immediately under it thus connecting the two fortresses, was completed in 1372. The Upper Castle, with its square plan, had four corner turrets and a big tower in the middle. It was the site of the Venetian podestà until 1510 (after the Cambrai war he moved to the safer Lower Castle) and was equipped with a big well, still existing inside the large courtyard, a church and a windmill. On the left side of the castle, there is the gate leading to the hill slope. The recent restoration has exposed the remains of these charming walls, without becoming excessive with the reconstruction. Do not miss taking the charming Sentiero dei Carmini, a path ascending from the Lower to the Upper Castle, to enjoy the wonderful view of the town and the spectacular Venetian horizon.

FROM BASSANO TO VICENZA

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

MAROSTICA - GAME OF CHESS

The emblem of Marostica is the living chess game played in September every even year, with over 550 characters recalling the challenge that took place here in 1454. The event dates back to the age when Marostica was one of the most loyal of the Venice Republic. Two noble gentlemen fell in love with Lionora, the beautiful daughter of the podestà and, as was the practice in that age, they challenged each other to a duel to the death. But the podestà, who didn’t want to fall out with either of the two pretenders, forbade the duel following an edict by Cangrande della Scala and ordered the two competitors to challenge each other to a match of the noble

chess game: the winner would have the right to marry Lionora, while the loser would have the hand of his youngest daughter. The event was to take place on a feast day in the Lower Castle square, with living characters dressed in traditional costumes and armour, before the podestà, Lionora (secretly in love with one of the two rivals), the nobles and all the people of the area. There were to be parades, fires and lights to celebrate the event. Still today the show is just like the original. It lasts approximately 2 hours and the orders for the moves are still given using the ancient Serenissima language.

B o l z a n o â&#x20AC;&#x201C; B r e n t a Va l l e y â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Ve n i c e

EVENTS

EATING & DRINKING CASA DEL PARMIGIANO Piazza Castello, 24 tel. 0424 75071 Since 1969 the Gastaldello family has represented the gastronomic excellence in Marostica. Selectioners and refiners of local, national and international cheeses, they offer more than 200 types of cheese. Also salami, wine, champagne, traditional balsamic vinegar, Silvella sauces and much more... Closed on Wednesdays and Sundays. OSTERIA LA MADONNETTA Via Vajenti, 21 Marostica (VI) tel. 0424 75859 Historical restaurant close to the Chess Square. Typical regional cuisine. Its past times atmosphere, the excellent meals, the friendly and welcoming staff, together with the moderate prices, have made this place very popular with young people. In the past it was a destination of wayfarers and a refreshment point for famous

people, such as the writer E. Hemingway. Here you can also stop for a snack or a glass of wine, maybe joining in with a game of cards. In the summer a little terrace is also available. The kitchen is open till late, but reservation is highly recommended due to the popularity, especially in the peak hour. Excellent selection of wines and desserts (do not miss the delicious Apple Crumble!). Closed on Thursdays.

FROM BASSANO TO VICENZA

, Last Sunday of May: Cherry Festival in the Chess Square and other streets of the historical centre. , Second weekend of September (even years): Historical event featuring a parade with people in 15th century costumes and the famous Game of chess played with living people in the square overlooked by the Lower Castle.

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

4 LONGA DI SCHIAVON – VILLA CHIERICATI LAMBERT. Shortly after crossing Longa village, on the right you can see the romantic park of Villa Chiericati Lambert (1590), a Renaissance dwelling whose restoration, dating back to the mid-19th c., gave the present façade a late Neoclassical aspect. Four ionic pilasters support a triangular pediment. Surviving various decay and restorations, there is a small room decorated with landscape frescoes of unknown paternity, although the pageboy with dog has been attributed to Paolo Veronese.

SANDRIGO – VILLA SESSO SCHIAVO. The complex stands along via San Lorenzo, leading to the medieval centre of Lupia and covers a fenced quadrangular space. It is composed of various elements. A 16th century section, the 18th century main building, the labourers cottage, a barchessa with a Doric portico and the chapel dedicated to St Lawrence. Particularly important is the 16th century section, with its wide portico built in 1570 by the Earl Silvio Sesso, inspired by Palladio’s style, and its four rooms frescoed by different painters, mainly Venetian. The main building dates back to the early 18th c. while the chapel is dated 1696.

FROM BASSANO TO VICENZA

SANDRIGO/BACCALÀ

Sandrigo is considered the hometown of baccalà due to its friendship, cultural and commercial ties with the Lofoten Islands (Norway). The Baccalà Festival is celebrated the last weekend of September every year, with various shows performed in the squares of the town and gastronomic stands serving dishes based on stockfish and polenta. Thousands of people attend the event every year, including a Norwegian delegation. In the odd-numbered years the ”Italian-Norwegian week” is held, with shows, exhibitions and meetings about the two countries

and in particular Sandrigo and Rost, a Lofoten island twinned with Sandrigo.

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

7 ANCONETTA – VILLA IMPERIALI LAMPERTICO. Built in 1681, it has been attributed to the architect Carlo Borella and has survived in excellent condition. It is composed of a central building and two rear wings. Four ionic pilasters on the first floor support a triangular pediment showing the coat of arms of the House. The two wings were added in the 18th c. It is surrounded by a large, beautiful park. The villa cannot be visited. 8 CRICOLI – VILLA TRISSINO. Included in the Mankind Heritage list since 1994, this villa is certainly not a work by Palladio, but it marks the origin of his myth. Cricoli is one of the north-eastern suburbs of Vicenza, located where a roundabout marks the start of the “Marosticana” route. The villa is particularly remarkable, standing on the side of the street, on the edge of a large agricultural estate. The building is named after the Earl Giangiorgio Trissino, humanist and cultured gentleman, fond of architecture and for this reason personally involved in its renewal. And this was when he met Andrea di Pietro della Gondola, at that time a simple stone-cutter employed to work on the villa; Trissino detected a particular talent in him that induced him to become his patron, to educate him in Classical Culture and initiate his interest in architecture; it was Trissino who introduced the young artist to the aristocracy of Vicenza by the name of Palladio. The villa has a traditional layout, castle-like, with the façades closed between four corner turrets. The construction was carried out in 1538. The originally Gothic style main front, underwent some Palladian transformations at the end of the 18th and the early 20th c.

FROM BASSANO TO VICENZA

6 MONTICELLO CONTE OTTO – VILLA VALMARANA BRESSAN. The first recorded information concerning this villa, characterized by its unusual façade, date back to 1560, but its construction date seems to be uncertain, even though some official documents date it back to 1544. In the 1980s, during one of the most recent restoration works carried out by its owners, two local historians ascribed its original design to Palladio, due to its layout identical to that of another small villa designed by him. It is quite probable that it was built by an architect who knew Palladio and took inspiration from his project. Today the villa is included in the UNESCO heritage list.

Bassano

Vicenza 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Monuments and historical sites Santuario della Madonna di Monte Berico Teatro Olimpico Villa Valmarana ai Nani Villa La Rotonda Piazza dei Signori Basilica Palladiana Corso Andrea Palladio Duomo

Museums 9 Museo di Santa Corona 10 Museo civico-Pinacoteca

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Restaurants and pubs Berealto Ristorante Sette Santi Ristorante Malvasia Ristorante Al Pestello Osteria Il Cursone Ristorante Al Bersagliere Self Service Righetti Ristorante Agli Schioppi

27 Gelateria Brustolon

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Hotels Hotel De La Ville Albergo San Raffaele Hotel Cristina Hotel Palladio Albergo Due Mori Hotel Campo Marzio Hotel Key

Bikeshops 26 Pronto Bici

B o l z a n o â&#x20AC;&#x201C; B r e n t a Va l l e y â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Ve n i c e

Vicenza Vicenza is, first and foremost, the city of Palladio, the great Renaissance architect whose studies and revolutionary achievements have had a lasting influence on world architecture. It is no wonder that this city with a population of 116,000 has been a UNESCO world heritage site since 1994. It is just 39 metres above sea level and lies between the Berici hills to the south and the foothills of the Alps (2,340 metres above sea level) to the north. The Brenta river valley is the gateway to the neighbouring province of Trento and the Dolomites. The territory to the east and west is flat, heavily populated and intensively

THE PROVINCE OF VICENZA IN FIGURES AREA: 2,722 square kilometres INHABITANTS: 872,000 THE SIX LARGEST TOWNS (IN TERMS OF POPULATION) ARE: Vicenza: 116,000 Bassano del Grappa: 43,000 Schio: 38,600 Valdagno: 30,900 Arzignano: 25,800 Montecchio Maggiore: 23,900

AUSTRIA

I TA L I A

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

cultivated, with an increasing amount of industrial areas being developed between the fields and vineyards. Alongside the works of Palladio, Vicenza has a host of further treasures from the Middle Ages and the Gothic period. The old city centre with its thriving business life, elegant shops and popular cafés is a real gem. Its streets and squares have greatly benefited from traffic calming measures and are enclosed by thirteenth-century city walls, forming a backdrop that nestles attractively against the green Berici hills. The province of Vicenza is one of Italy’s most important industrial areas and home to many small and medium-sized firms and companies from the engineering, textile, tanning, ceramics and jewellery sectors. Vicenza accounts for a third of Italian goldsmithing and is thus Italy’s undisputed gold capital. The international Gold Fair, Vicenzaoro (www.vicenzafiera.it, Tel. 0444 969111), which takes place three times a year (the biggest of the three is in January), is one of the industry’s most important and attracts exhibitors and visitors from all over the world.

SERVICE VICENZA 12 Piazza Matteotti, 36100 Vicenza Tel. 0444 320854, www.visitvicenza.org

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

History of the city THE BEGINNINGS Vicenza is one of northern Italy’s oldest cities.

It is thought to have been founded by the Euganeans between 1100 BCE and 700 BCE. In 700 BCE the Veneti settled in the area, and in the following centuries they joined forces with the Romans, who called the place Vicetia. In 49 BCE Vicetia became a Roman municipium, which automatically granted its inhabitants Roman civil rights. After the fall of Rome the Longobards established a dukedom here. As Vicenza flourished, the Benedictines moved in and settled in the city, building monasteries and draining the plains. In 773 CE the Franks under Charlemagne conquered the area. After the assault by the Magyars in 899 and the destruction of the town, the first wall was built around what is now the city centre.

VICENZA

FROM CITY STATE TO THE SCALIGERI 1001 is considered the year

when the independent city state of Vicenza was founded. Vicenza was besieged and captured by neighbouring towns and their rulers several times, for example by the Paduan Lords of Carrara, the Veronese Scala family, and Ezzelino III da Romano in the thirteenth century. After the death of Ezzelino in 1259, Padua extended its rule over part of the territory until it submitted to the Scaliger lords of Verona in 1311. LATE MIDDLE AGES TO THE PRESENT Towards the end of the

fourteenth century Vicenza fell under the influence of Milan’s ruling family, the Viscontis, for a short time. In 1404 Vicenza was annexed to the Venetian Republic, where it remained until the Napoleonic conquest of 1797. It shared its subsequent history with the Venetian Republic, and thus became part of the Habsburg satellite kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia. In 1848 the struggle for unification with the Kingdom of Piedmont was ferociously crushed by the Austrian field marshal Radetzky. In 1866 Vicenza was finally incorporated into the new Italian state. During World War II the city was heavily bombarded by the Allies (there were over 100 casualties on 18 November 1944 alone). After the war, the historical buildings were rapidly rebuilt and Vicenza grew into a flourishing city.

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

VICENZA ON THE INTERNET WWW.TEATROLIMPICOVICENZA.IT A very attractive website on the Teatro Olimpico, Palladio and his other significant WWW.ILGIORNALEDIVICENZA.IT works, with video clips; Vicenza’s daily newspaper on the Internet. also in English. The following Internet pages provide all sorts of information about Vicenza:

WWW.SAPORIVICENTINI.IT This site tells gourmets all they need to know about wine, cheese and other local specialities with recipes, addresses, and dates of exhibitions, wine tastings and fairs; only in Italian.

WWW.VISITVICENZA.ORG Official tourist guide, with links to the individual areas of the whole Province; only in Italian.

WWW.CONSORZIOVINICOLLIBERICI.IT Detailed information about the wines of the Berici hills; also in English.

WWW.VICENZA-UNESCO.COM Everything about Vicenza’s world heritage monuments. Detailed description of all important monuments and Palladian villas; only in Italian.

WWW.VICENZAE.ORG Platform of the Chamber of Commerce and Tourism with a great deal of information and links to the town and province; also in English.

The best in brief TEATRO OLIMPICO 2 In the sixteenth century, a group of cul-

tural enthusiasts built a theatre along the walls of a prison and parts of the site of the San Pietro castle belonging to the Carrara family. The theatre, called the Teatro Olimpico and the only work built by Palladio in his latter years, was the Renaissance interpretation of a Roman theatre. It is the first permanent theatre in the modern period, and was intended for the performance of classical plays. Work on the theatre began in 1580 (the year of Palladio’s death), and were carried on by his son Silla. The theatre was eventually opened when Vincenzo Scamozzi completed the famous perspective wooden backdrops, which are the only surviving Renaissance stage sets. Today, the theatre pre-eminently hosts classical performances and concerts. Piazza Matteotti, Tel. 0444 222800 Tuesdays–Sundays 9am–5pm, www.teatrolimpicovicenza.it entry with Vicenza Museum Card (see under Museums)

VICENZA

WWW.ULSSVICENZA.IT Hospital and health system, with the numbers of the guardia medica (medical service replacing GPs outside normal consulting hours).

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

VILLA VALMARANA AI NANI 3 This villa is in the

VICENZA

south of the town, very near the villa La Rotonda. It is called “Ai Nani” (nano is Italian for “dwarf”) because of the seventeen dwarf statues decorating its outer wall. According to one moving legend, the daughter of the house was of restricted growth, and in order to console her her parents surrounded her with a household of dwarves and commissioned dwarf statues for the garden. When the daughter secretly left the house one day, she came across people of normal size, realised her deformity and in desperation threw herself from the wall. The main house and the guest house are decorated with wonderful frescoes by Gian Battista Tiepolo and his son Gian Domenico, and are some of the finest examples of eighteenth-century Venetian painting. www.villavalmarana.com 8 Stradella dei Nani, Tel. 0444 321803 Reservation recommended, open 10 March–4 November Tuesdays–Sundays 10am–12.30pm, 3pm–6pm; Euro 9

VILLA LA ROTONDA 4 On the south-eastern edge of the town on

a gentle rise there is the famous Villa La Rotonda, the epitome of the Renaissance villa and one of Palladio’s masterpieces.

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

Building started in 1566, but the roof with cupola was only completed by Vincenzo Scamozzi after Palladio’s death. The villa’s uniqueness lies in its symmetrical shape. The four pronaos supported by Ionian columns and the staircase in front of the hall open the villa to the town and to the landscape. When Goethe travelled through Italy he was impressed by Palladio’s works, and by La Rotonda in particular. He was so rapt by the villa, in fact, that, after describing it in some detail, he stated that it was by far the most magnificent architectural construction ever erected.

PIAZZA DEI SIGNORI 5 The commanding Basilica on the Piazza dei Signori and surrounding squares (Piazza delle Biade, delle Erbe and the little Piazzetta Palladio) constitute Vicenza’s monumental centre. Historically, the Roman forum was almost certainly here, and in the Middle Ages this was undoubtedly the political and social heart of the town, containing the most important public buildings. Palladio gave the late Gothic Palazzo della Ragione (known as the Basilica) a two-storey colonnade, reminiscent of ancient temples and gathering places. The enormous copper roof is truly impressive and resembles the upturned hull of a ship.

Around the Basilica 6 Rising up next to the basilica, the city tower, known as the, "Torre civica“ or "Torre Bissara“ is, at 82 metres, one of the highest buildings in the town. The tower and the vast basilica are a demonstration of worldly power. The clock in the tower was installed in 1378 and is a masterpiece of engineering and astronomy that also shows the phases of the moon. Opposite the Basilica there is the Loggia del Capitaniato, which Palladio designed in 1565 as the official residence of the military head in charge of Vicenza on behalf of the Venetian Republic. The building is incomplete: only three of the originally intended five or seven arches were built. The size of the four gigantic half pillars indicates that the intended building would most probably have occupied the entire block of houses.

VICENZA

www.villalarotonda.it 45 Via della Rotonda Open 15 March–5 November, 10am–12pm, 3pm–6pm Gardens and exterior: Tuesdays–Sundays, Euro 5 Interior: Wednesdays and Saturdays, Euro 10

VICENZA

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

CORSO ANDREA PALLADIO 7 You cannot visit Vicenza without strolling down the Corso Palladio A popular shopping avenue, it is also the main axis along which the town developed over the centuries. This pedestrian zone is thus a kind of open-air museum that is first and foremost dedicated to Palladio and his time, with monuments, palazzi and churches at every turn. Coming from Piazza Castello in the west, on the left in the Stradella dei Filippini there is the church of Santa Maria e San Cristoforo. At number 47 of the Corso you can admire the Gothic façade of the fifteenth-century Palazzo Thiene and its loggia. At the corner of Contrà Cavour you will find Palazzo Trissino-Baston (sixteenth–seventeenth century), one of Vincenzo Scamozzi’s masterpieces and now the town hall, which is built around a square inner courtyard. At number 147 of Corso Palladio there is Palazzo Dal Toso-Franceschini-Da Schio (1477) better known as Ca’ d’Oro (literally “golden house”), the portal of which is embellished with fine plant motifs. Just before the road turns into Piazza Matteotti you will find the wonderful church of Santa Corona, which houses the natural history and archaeological museum in its cloister. DUOMO (CATHEDRAL) 8 The Duomo di Santa Maria Annunciata

is Vicenza’s episcopal church. The earliest traces of a basilica date back to the fifth century. Its brick structure and marble façade were built in 1267; the churched was subsequently refurbished in the late Gothic style in 1444–80. The Romanesque campanile to the right is eleventh century, whereas the cupola of the apse was designed by Palladio (1574). The cathedral’s single nave was richly decorated by important Venetian artists of different periods (fourteenth to eighteenth century), though sadly the frescoes were lost when the church was seriously damaged in World War II. The Bishop’s Palace with the diocesan museum is a plain neoclassical building that was built in the first half of the nineteenth century, replacing a medieval Palazzo. The fifteenth-century Loggia Zeno survives in the interior. Next to the Palazzetto Roma (1599) there is the entrance to the Roman cryptoportico, or covered passageway, below a house from the first century BCE.

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

MUSEUMS

9 MUSEO DI SANTA CORONA www.museicivicivicenza.it 4 Contrà Santa Corona, Tel. 0444 320440, Tuesdays–Sundays 9am–5pm This museum was opened only in 1991 in the cloister of the church dedicated to the Santa Corona, or of the Holy Crown of Thorns, and is divided into two sections: a natural history section displaying fossils, flora and fauna that are typical of the Berici Hills, and an archaeological section tracing the history of the area from the Stone Age to the Longobards which focuses particu-

larly on Roman Vicenza. Owing to its important holy relic (a thorn allegedly from Christ’s crown of thorns), the church once attracted a great number of faithful. It now contains remarkable works by Bellini, Veronese, Montagna and others. 10 MUSEO CIVICO-PINACOTECA www.museicivicivicenza.it 37 Piazza Matteotti, Tel. 0444 222811, Tuesdays–Sundays 9am–5pm At the eastern end of Corso Palladio you will find Piazza Matteotti with its imposing Palazzo Chiericati,This palazzo, designed in 1550 by Palladio and intended as a nobleman’s residence, was not completed until more than a hundred years later. It has been the city’s museum since the mid nineteenth century and houses a picture gallery and collection of documents, engravings, coins and sculptures by important eighteenth- and nineteenth-century artists, including Montagna, Veronese, Tintoretto, Bassano, Maffei, Carpioni, Pittoni, Piazzetta and Tiepolo.

VICENZA

MUSEUM CARD VICENZA This combined ticket is valid for three days and gives admission to the following important museums: Teatro Olimpico, the Art gallery in Palazzo Chiericati, Museo di Santa Corona, Museo del Risorgimento e della Resistenza, Museo Diocesano and the Art gallery in Palazzo Leoni Montanari: Euro 8.50, The card can be bought at the museums, can be ordered by telephoning 0412 719044 or via http://olimpicovicenza.it.

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

VICENZA

ANDREA PALLADIO

Andrea di Pietro della Gondola, known as Palladio, was born in 1508 in Padua and died in 1580 in Maser, near Treviso. The son of a miller, Pietro della Gondola, Andrea moved to Vicenza as a young man in 1523, where he worked for more than ten years as a mason and sculptor. In about 1537 he met the humanist Giangiorgio Trissino and collaborated on building his villa on the outskirts of the city. Andrea also accompanied Trissino on journeys to Padua and Verona, which made a deep impression on the young artist and introduced him to local humanist circles. In 1541 he travelled with Trissino to Rome, where he discovered classical architecture. He thus completed his education in the space of just a few years and was transformed from a craftsman to an architect named Palladio. It was Trissino who gave him this name as an allusion to the Greek goddess of wisdom, Pallas Athena. Palladio’s first works already reflected the intelligence and facility with which he assimilated and enhanced the teachings of the Venetian architects with his passionate and analytical study of antiquity and his knowledge of the most interesting contemporary architecture, which he had gleaned during his stay in Rome. Fame arrived in 1549, when he was commissioned by Vicenza’s Council of One Hundred to rebuild the loggias of Palazzo della Ragione, which would become known as the Basilica. Palladio brilliant solution was to give the existing structure a magnificent outer shell of classical forms that were brought to life by the play of light and shade provided by the

Serliana, or Venetian window. From that moment on Palladio became the favourite architect of Vicenza’s aristocracy. After Trissino’s death in 1550 he found a new mentor in the Venetian Daniele Barbaro, the Patriarch of Aquileia. Palladio’s greatest works in Venice include the churches of San Giorgio Maggiore and Il Redentore. In 1570 he was appointed first architect of the Venetian Republic. In the same year he published The Four Books of Architecture, the treatise on which Architecture he had worked since his youth and in which he described most of his works. Palladio’s late works in Vicenza reflect his restless quest, the most emblematic of which is arguably his unfinished Loggia del Capitaniato with its noticeable disproportion between the façade and the sides, which refuse to conform to classical models. His last work, the Teatro Olimpico,also reflects the enduring expressive force and unwavering exploratory drive that inform Palladio’s architecture. Many of his works remained incomplete on his death. Some were brought to completion by Vincenzo Scamozzi whilst other projects, including Palazzo Chiericati were not finished until many years later (using plans contained in The Four Books of Architecture).

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

Eating and drinking VICENZA CUISINE The most famous local dish is baccalà alla Vicen-

tina, which is steamed salt cod with polenta. But there is also the speciality bigoli co’ l’arna, thick homemade spaghetti with a sauce made of duck meat, or pasta e fasoi alla vicentina which is fresh pasta made from soft wheat and eggs and brown borlotti beans, risi e bisi, locally grown rice and peas, risotto coi bruscandoli, made from tender hop shoots, risotto with white asparagus from Bassano and torresani, doves from a dovecote roasted on a spit, a Breganze speciality. The Berici hills produce excellent DOC wines and boast black truffles that are used in pasta sauces and in stuffing for poultry dishes. The fruit of the olive groves of these sunny hills is used to make highly priced olive oil.

The Berici hills produce a range of typical regional products such as the peas that grow at the foot of the steep slopes of Lumignano in terraces called masiere masiere.. The pea harvest in May is celebrated with a popular town festival. It is said that the Benedictine monks particularly appreciated this crop and promoted it. Prosciutto Berico, Berico a DOC (registered designation of origin) ham that is exceptionally mild and has been matured for at least ten months, is another product of the area. Then there are the black truffles that can transform a simple plate of tagliatelle into a feast. Cherries are grown all over this area, and the Festa dea Siaresa, or cherry festival, takes place in Castegnero, on the last Sunday in May and the first Sunday in June (see www.festadeasiaresadecastegnero.com). A very important local cherry variety is the Mora di Castegnero.

The olive oil produced on the south-east slopes, especially in the Barbarano area, is also a special, DOP (protected designation or origin) product. Wine is experiencing something of a renaissance in the area. Vines have been grown here for centuries producing blue grapes that give a bright red wine, which the local vintners called Tocai. However, since the 2007 EU edict that made it illegal to use this name (now reserved for Hungarian Tokaji), the locals came up with the new name of Tai rosso, or Red Tai. All of a sudden the previously simple country wine has become an elegant, much-appreciated accompaniment to light Italian starters. Genetic analysis of the grape has revealed that it is related to the Sardinian Cannonau, French Grenache and Spanish Garnacha grapes. For more information on the wine of the Berici hills: www.bevidoc.it

VICENZA

THE FERTILE BERICI HILLS

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

VICENZA

RADICCHIO TREVIGIANO

According to a popular saying, red radicchio is a gift from autumn to winter to brighten up the dull dark fields with its colour. There are many legends regarding the origins of this speciality and the old farmers still enjoy passing them on today. According to the most reliable of these stories, this delicacy was discovered quite by chance. One winter evening a farmer is supposed to have taken a load of radicchio home from the fields in his wheelbarrow, which he left in a corner and forgot. Several days later, inside one of the plants, whose rotten outer leaves he had removed, he found a healthy red heart. These crunchy and bitter little radicchio hearts are eaten raw as a salad green, but are also steamed and even grilled. Their versatility has led to a host of recipes. Radicchio is also used in medicine, where its roots and leaves have a purifying

and digestive effect. There are above all two types of radicchio di Treviso. The “early” radicchio Treviso precoce is harvested in September after it has grown for two months with the outer leaves tied together so that the heart of the vegetable sprouts new red leaves in the dark. The “late” radicchio, called radicchio tardivo, is harvested in November and has to have been exposed to frost. The harvested, layered plants are covered and watered, which is what gives the radicchio its soft, crunchy consistency and the unmistakable, slightly bitter taste that has earned it the IGP (or Protected Geographical Status). Other types of radicchio are grown and harvested in other areas: the Verona district has a round radicchio, Chioggia a round-headed and slightly white-veined one, and Castelfranco Veneto a yellow, red-speckled variety.

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

EATING AND DRINKING

12 RISTORANTE SETTE SANTI 7 Piazzale della Vittoria, Tel. 0444 235470, closed Mondays This restaurant-pizzeria on a wonderful hill in the middle of Vicenza enjoys unique status. It is distinguished by its atmosphere and the quality of the service. 13 RISTORANTE ANTICA CASA DELLA MALVASIA 5 Contrà delle Morette, Tel. 0444 543704, closed Mondays This is probably Vicenza’s oldest hostelry. It is first mentioned as early as the fourteenth century and is just a stone’s throw away from Piazza dei Signori. It is not just the atmosphere but also the regional cuisine with typical sausages, and

cheeses, and local and international wines (over 70) and excellent Grappa that make this a must. 14 RISTORANTE AL PESTELLO 3 Contrà S. Stefano, Tel. 0444 323721, closed Sundays, www.ristorantealpestello.it A cosy, simple trattoria in the heart of the city, with local cuisine and a menu in the local dialect (but your hosts are only too happy to translate and explain it). As the restaurant is not very big, you are well advised to book. 15 OSTERIA IL CURSORE 10 Stradella Pozzetto, Tel. 0444 323504, closed Tuesdays Just a hop, skip and jump away from Piazza delle Erbe you will find this pleasant little osteria, which is especially popular with young people. The typical regional menu is good value for money and can be washed down with a rich selection of excellent wines. Outdoor seating also available in summer.

VICENZA

11 ENOTECA BEREALTO 55 Contrà Pedemuro S. Biagio, Tel. 0444 322144, closed Sunday evenings and all day Mondays. One of the best wine bars in the province, with an excellent and carefully chosen selection of wines.

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

16 AL BERSAGLIERE 11 Contrà Pescaria, Tel. 0444 323507, closed Sundays In the city centre, just a few steps away from the Palladian Basilica, there is this small, excellent restaurant with just a few tables, homemade bread and marvellous desserts. The owners really do believe that food is a labour of love.

18 AGLI SCHIOPPI 24 Contrà Piazza Castello, Tel. 0444 543701, closed Sundays and Mondays, www.ristoranteaglischioppi.com This historical restaurant is right in the city centre, on the corner of Piazza Castello. All dishes are homemade, including the pasta and, of course, the local specialities, such as baccalà alla vicentina and fegato alla veneziana (calf liver with steamed onions). Quick dishes for workers at midday.

VICENZA

17 SELF RESTAURANT RIGHETTI 3 Piazza Duomo, Tel. 0444 543135, closed Saturdays and Sundays, www.selfrighetti.it This self-service restaurant on the cathedral square, near Piazza dei Signori, is housed in an old palazzo

and therefore has an atmosphere all its own. It is very popular at lunch time and offers a good selection of house wines. Open-air tables also available. Good value indeed.

HOMAGE TO TULLIO CAMPAGNOLO

If you cycle to Vicenza you should spare a thought for Tullio Campagnolo, one of the pioneers of bicycle construction. The founder of the Vicenza company of the same name still plays a leading role in developing components for cycling. Campagnolo gears for road bikes are amongst the best in the world. Campagnolo invented not only the derailleur but also quick releases for racing wheels. He has patented more than 135 inventions, and many cycling champions rode to victory on Compagnolo bikes, including Merckx, Hinault, LeMond, Indurain, Ullrich and Pantani. www.campagnolo.com

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

From the station the wide Viale Roma goes north, past Campo Marzo on the right to Piazzale De Gasperi. On the right-hand side you will see Porta Castello, the old town gate and all that is left of the old town walls. Opposite, behind a stone gateway, there is the large Giardino Salvi park, a small river and two decorated loggias with columns. If you can walk through the city gate to Piazza Castello you will find yourself in the exclusive bank district, right at the start of the old city centre. Corso Palladio goes straight through the centre but you should turn right into Stradella Loschi, which takes you to the cathedral square. Here you will find the cathedral, the bishop’s palace, and the underground excavations of the cryptoportico (supporting semi-subterranean passageway) under the Roman house in the same place. You can then take Via Cesare

Battisti back onto Corso Andrea Palladio and then turn into Via Cavour at the magnificent Palazzo Trissino, the official seat of the town council. Via Cavour brings you to Piazza dei Signori, the town’s magnificent civic square. You are now surrounded by palazzi and colonnades, jewellers’ shops display gold and jewellery... You should treat yourself to an aperitif in one of the fine cafés (we recommend Pasticceria Sorarù) at one of the tables on the piazza. Contrà Santa Barbara brings you back to Corso Palladio. Just a few more steps and you are in front of the stone door of the Teatro Olimpico. Opposite, in Piazza Matteotti, you will see Palazzo Chiericati and the town’s museum. The return route takes you back via Corso Palladio again; you just need to cross the street. With all the fine shops and historical façades you will not be bored!

VICENZA

VICENZA AT A GLANCE

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

EVENTS IN THE PROVINCE OF VICENZA

, May: In Arcole, just a few kilometres south of San Bonifacio, the asparagus festival has been held for over fifty years on the weekend nearest 1 May. Tel. 045 7639611, www.comunediarcole.it (in Italian). , May: New Conversation Vicenza Jazz – Jazz Festival in gorgeous settings, including the Teatro Olimpico. Tel. 0444 221541, www.vicenzajazz.org (in Italian) , June: Settimane Musicali al Teatro Olimpico – Chamber Music Festival in Vicenza in the historical Palladio theatre. Information and ticket office: Tel. 0444 324442, www.olimpico.vicenza.it (also in English) , September, first Saturday of the month: Giro della Rua in Vicenza – Procession with a wooden tower decorated with statues. Shops, restaurants and museums stay open till midnight. Tel. 0444 320854, www.visitvicenza.org (in Italian) September, third weekend of the month: Soave celebrates the wine festival,, one of the oldest in Italy. Culture and folklore in honour of the Garganega grape, the object of the district’s pride. The water in the village fountain is replaced by wine! For more information: Pro Loco Soave, Tel. 045 7680648, www.comunesoave.it/uva.php (in Italian) September, last Monday of the month: Luci e suoni sotto le mura – Son et lumière under the town walls, street party into the wee small hours.. Tel. 0444 320854, www.visitvicenza.org (in Italian) October: Culture & Music by Night – Hot nights in Vicenza with music, culture and shopping until late at night, in the streets, squares and in many bars and restaurants. For further information: cultural affairs department of the town hall. Tel. 0444 222169, www.comune.vicenza.it (also in English) Flea and antiques markets: Every fourth Sunday of the month in San Martino Buon Albergo, Piazza Del Popolo Every third Sunday of the month in Soave Every second Sunday of the month in Vicenza, Piazza Signori - Via Cavour - Piazzetta Palladio Weekly markets: Colognola ai Colli, Thursdays, Piazzale Trento - Via G. Marconi Monteforte d’Alpone, Saturdays, Piazza Venturi San Martino Buon Albergo, Saturdays, Via Adamello Loc. Borgo Della Vittoria San Bonifacio, Wednesdays, Corso Italia - Viale Trieste - Via Camporosolo Montebello Vicentino, Wednesdays, Via IV Novembre, Via Gen. Vaccari, P.zza Italia

B o l z a n o â&#x20AC;&#x201C; B r e n t a Va l l e y â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Ve n i c e

From Vicenza to Padua The 50-kilometre stretch from Vicenza to Padua follows the Bacchiglione River in a south-easterly direction. On the right you have the Berici hills with their sometimes rather steep cliffs; on the left fertile arable land. The higher ground is sometimes home to small villages, but the best views are enjoyed from the magnificent country villas of the rich Vicenza patricians. The very popular, excellent cycle route follows the course of a disused railway line as far as Longare. The Bacchiglione meanders through reed beds and water meadows until it is joined just before Longare by the Tesina from the north. Our route is on good but quiet country roads, and crosses the river several times. The province of Padua begins just beyond Montegalda. More and more river barges and pleasure boats will begin to appear after the old river port of Creola. Padua, the provincial capital and our final destination for this stage, already beckons.

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

tozza lie at the foot of the hills just a few kilometres away from Vicenza. In the sixteenth century the city put in a series of ventidotti or underground ventilation shafts that brought fresh air into the village from the labyrinth of caves in the hills. This simple but ingenious idea soon made the village a destination for explorers and pleasure seekers and was described by Galileo Galilei, Torquato Tasso and Andrea Palladio. Villa Aeolia was built in the sixteenth century for Count Francesco Trenta but was only partially finished; it is now a restaurant and its owner will be happy to show you the cobbled vault of the cellar (which is also called the “dungeon of the winds”) from which the ventilation shafts fan out. In the seventeenth century Villa Trento–Carli, located on a hill, the Turm Torre della Specola (an astronomical observatory) stands in the shadow of an ancient cypress. Tradition has it that Galileo Galilei, when he was living in Padua, observed the heavens and celestial bodies with a telescope from this spot. On the village square of Costozza, near the arch that is a remnant of the old town wall, you will see the village fountain with the sloping stone washing trough. This is where the washerwomen used to meet.

THE “FUNGAIE”, OR MUSHROOM FARMS IN THE CAVES Mushrooms have been grown in the dark caves of the limestone cliffs behind Costozza for a hundred years, the constant temperature and humidity providing ideal conditions. Since the 1950s, the so-called pioppino mushroom (Agrocybe cylindracea), has been cultivated on a large scale, and grows best naturally in little clumps on the wood of dead poplars, or pioppo in Italian. It is related to the sheathed woodtuft and has a

brown cap and white gills (the fleshy part underneath the cap). The cultivated variety is grown on a mixture of straw, earth and chopped maize stalks. This excellent mushroom has firm white flesh and a pleasant taste. It is always on sale in Padua’s markets and is especially suitable as an accompaniment to meat or as an ingredient in vegetarian dishes. It also tastes really good preserved in oil or vinegar.

F R O M V I C E N Z A T O PA D UA

COSTOZZA 1 The houses and villas of Cos-

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

VILLE DA SCHIO There are three villas in the green surroundings

of a large park. The park itself is very interesting architecturally and botanically as it ascends via high, broad terraces to the old Benedictine church of San Mauro. The use of perspective in this eighteenth-century garden is a significant representation of the Enlightenment design canons. Reason controls nature and remoulds it: slopes become terraces, stone becomes statues and steps, plants become decorative topiary and everything together creates harmony and rational elegance. 4 Piazza G. Da Schio, Costozza di Longare Park: Tuesdays–Sundays 9am–12.30pm, 3.30pm–7.30pm Tel. 0444 555099, www.costozza-villadaschio.it

F R O M V I C E N Z A T O PA D UA

EATING AND DRINKING

RISTORANTE AEOLIA 1 Piazza da Schio, Costozza di Longare, Tel. 0444 555036, closed Tuesdays, www.aeolia.com A pleasant restaurant set in an old historical environment. Good, reasonably priced food can also be enjoyed in the beautiful garden. Light dishes, snacks and homemade ice-cream are available at any time of day. Aeolia is ideal for cyclists because it is directly on the route and near Costozza’s finest villas and other visitor attractions.

LA BOTTE DEL COVOLO 2 Piazza G. da Schio, Costozza, Tel. 0444 555128, closed Mondays You can’t miss this trattoria opposite the entrance to the Aeolia restaurant, very near the Villa Da Schio. When there were no home refrigerators, this chamber cut into the rocks with a circular vault that earned it the name of covolo was used by villagers to store snow and ice. It was filled in winter through the opening in the dome and the ice would be used in summer for cooling foodstuffs. The enormous ice box is now used as a pub and rural wine bar. If you stand in the middle of the room you will experience a curious and entertaining acoustic phenomenon – noises are unnaturally amplified! Garden tables on the roof terrace offer fine views.

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

THE “LITTORINA“

The cycle path follows the route of a disused railway with the Berici hills on the right and the silhouette of the volcanic sugar loaf of the Euganean hills to the south of Padua. This narrow-gauge railway known as the Ferrotramvia Vicenza-Noventa-Montagnana was opened in 1911 and linked the area to the Bassa Veronese, the low-lying flat area south of Verona. The Montagnana–Noventa section was closed after World War II because of the severe damage it had suffered. The smoking diesel-powered Littorina trains still travelled on the Vicenza–Noventa section until 1978. They took their name from the Roman lictor, which

was used as the symbol of Fascism. There has been a very popular cycle path on the Vicenza– Longare section for the past few years and the connecting stretch as far as Noventa was completed in 2012.

HARD STUFF 2 Just before Montegalda, near the road there is a

large farmhouse nicknamed the “Palazzone”. The Brunello family offer farm holidays and in addition to wine, cheese and sausage they also sell an excellent grappa. One of the oldest distilleries in the province of Vicenza has been selling the “hard stuff” here for over a hundred years. Accommodation is also available. Il Palazzone, 51 Via G. Roi, Montegalda Tel. 0444 737253, www.brunello.it

MONTEGALDA AND MONTEGALDELLA 3 In these two places, one

of which is north and the other south of the Bacchiglione, two small hillocks rise up from the otherwise flat plain that was first settled as early as ancient times. At the time of the Longobards there was a castle on each hillock, which they called warte. According to one theory, the word gradually evolved into “galda”, and later Montegalda and Montegaldella. This border area between Vicenza and Padua was always hotly contested and splendid villas now stand on the little hills there were once stout fortresses.

F R O M V I C E N Z A T O PA D UA

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

VILLA FOGAZZARO-ROI-COLBACHINI This seventeenth-century villa, which was rebuilt and extended in the first half of the nineteenth century, is a rare pearl framed against the backdrop of an Italian and English garden. It was the passion of the famous Vicenza writer Antonio Fogazzaro, who set a large part of his novel Piccolo mondo moderno (translated into English as The Little World of the Past)) here. Since the villa was renovated it has housed an original and modern bell museum that deserves a visit as it contains exhibits from all over the world. Visitors to the museum can relax in the fine large park at tables and benches, and can also bring along their picnic lunches. 3 Via Fogazzaro, Montegalda Tuesdays–Saturdays 3pm–6.30pm, Thursdays and Fridays also 9am–12.30pm. Tel. 0444 737526, www.muvec.it

EATING AND DRINKING

TRATTORIA TRE SCALINI 1 Via Castello, Montegalda, Tel. 0444 636385, closed Monday evenings and Tuesdays. This restaurant on the cycle route is

dedicated to local tradition. Needless to say, the baccalà, or dried salt cod, with polenta is highly recommended, but there are also fresh homemade pasta dishes. Fantastic wine list.

CASTELLO GRIMANI MARCELLO Montegalda castle was probably built in 1176 and was seized over the centuries by the different rulers of the area until it fell to the Venetian Republic in the fifteenth century. In the first half of the sixteenth century it again fell into the hands of the Spaniards; in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries it was finally transformed into a stately home. Underneath the eighteenth-century façade the building has retained almost all its original features. The inner courtyard contains interesting statues from the eighteenth century and the surrounding rooms are decorated with frescoes by famous local artists. The park and the belvedere garden are enchanting. 21 Via Castello, Montegalda Visits can be booked beforehand over the telephone Tel. 0444 636442

VILLA CONTI, KNOWN AS LA DELIZIOSA The villa stands on the

site of the castle in Montegaldella. It was built in the seventeenth century and extended in the nineteenth. The romantic park is enclosed by an extensive wall, the barns (barchesse), and different outbuildings. The wrought iron-barred gate is one of Veneto’s finest. The garden contains several statures of figures from the Italian Commedia dell’Arte and behind the building there is the “wheel”, a colossal group of eighteenthcentury sculptures that symbolically represent the four continents. The chapel outside the walls of the park dates back to 1741. The building is used privately and can be viewed only in special circumstances.

F R O M V I C E N Z A T O PA D UA

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

F R O M V I C E N Z A T O PA D UA

100

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

MUSEO DEL BACCHIGLIONE After Montegaldella you are suddenly in the province of Padua, and after Cervarese Santa Croce on the south bank of the Bacchiglione you can clearly make out the castle of San Martino della Vanezza with its high keep and protruding machicolations down which pitch was poured onto besieging armies. The castle was built in a loop of the river around the year 1000 and changed hands several times during the conflicts between the comuni or munipalities

THE BACCHIGLIONE RIVER

The Bacchiglione was the old waterway between Vicenza and Padua. It rises in the foothills of the Alps and is fed by underground springs as well as its tributaries the Retrone, Tesina and Ceresone. It flows through the city of Vicenza and, at the gates of Padua, receives the water of the Brentella canal. At Padua part of its waters are taken in a canal to the city and underneath the town walls. After Padua a northern arm joins the much larger Brenta so that barges can reach Venice via a canal. The Bacchiglione

itself turns south-east at Padua and, just before Chioggia, it joins the Brenta, so that the waters of the Brenta and Bacchiglione flow together into the Adriatic. Today, the navigable stretch of the river, from Creola to Bassanello near Padua, is an atmospheric waterway in natural surroundings. The bank is lined with the boathouses, open-air lidos and indoor swimming pools of the swimming and rowing clubs. Bathing facility: 9.30am–7pm, Tel. 049 681300, www.padovanuoto.it

101

of Padua, Verona and Vicenza until the area became part of the Venetian Republic in 1405, the borders were abolished, the castle lost its importance and was converted into a river port. Today it houses the Museo del Bacchiglione, which illustrates the importance of the river through its exhibits. The oak dugouts are interesting. Via Castello di San Martino, Cervarese Santa Croce September–October Fridays 9am–1pm, Saturdays 2.30pm–7pm Sundays 10am–1pm, 2.30pm–7pm Tel. 049 9915425, www.musei.padova.it

VILLA EMO CAPODILISTA 5 This villa was built by the Veronese

architect and painter Dario Varotari the Elder (1539–1596) in Selvazzano Dentro. This villa is considered to be one of the most unusual of the Venetian villas. Standing on a hill in the middle of a tree-lined Italian garden, it is square in shape with large frescoed loggias and unusual fanciful gabling. From the top of the hill the visitor enjoys a prospect that we may find impressive today but was once deployed for mainly defensive purposes; near the villa on Montecchia hill there are the suggestive remains castle walls (the castle foundations date from the eleventh century). The villa today houses a quality wine cellar and an expensive hotel. 16 Via Montecchia, Feriole di Selvazzano Dentro, Euro 6, groups only Tel. 049 637294, www.lamontecchia.it

F R O M V I C E N Z A T O PA D UA

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

Padua 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Monuments and historical sites Scrovegni Cappella degli Sc Piazza dei Signori Piazza delle Erbe e Piazza della Frutta Palazzo della Ragione Duomo Caffè Pedrocchi Prato della Valle Basilica di Santa Giustina Statua del Gattamelata Basilica di Sant’Antonio Chiesa degli Eremitani Palazzo del Bò Orto Botanico

Museums 14 Musei Civici degli Eremitani 15 Palazzo Zuckermann

Restaurants and pubs 16 Enoteca Ristorante La Corte dei Leoni 17 Osteria dei Fabbri 18 Donna Irene 19 La risorta Osteria del Re Fosco 20 Anfora

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Hotels Hotel Grand’Italia Hotel NH Mantegna Hotel Galileo Hotel Igea Casa del Pellegrino Hotel Donatello Hotel Toscanelli Hotel Plaza

Bikeshops 29 Bici Center

Chioggia

104

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

PA D UA

Padua A set phrase describes Padua as the “city of the Saint and Great Scholars”. The saint referred to is Anthony of Padua and the magnificent basilica bearing his name. Italy’s most popular saint and frequently depicted holding a lily and the Infant Jesus in his arms, he is called upon to solve all manner of problems, but is most often invoked when something precious has been lost. The second part of the phrase is a reference to the city’s distinguished scholarly tradition and the fact that Padua’s university, which was founded in 1222, is one of the oldest in the world. Of course, Padua has a lot more to offer. After Verona, it is the largest city in north-eastern Italy and boasts a proud past that is epitomised by its medieval city centre with its little squares, narrow streets and 24 kilometres of porticoes.

THE PROVINCE OF PADUA IN FIGURES

AREA: 2,722 square kilometres INHABITANTS: 837,000 THE SIX LARGEST TOWNS (IN TERMS OF POPULATION) ARE: Padua: 215,000 Albignasego: 23,500 Selvazzano Dentro: 22,400 Vigonza: 22,100 Cittadella: 20,000 Abano Terme: 19,800

AUSTRIA

I TA L I A

105

Come rain or shine, Paduans stroll under these arcades in the evening and at weekends, popping into the bars, pizzerias, restaurants and elegant shops. Padua is also the city of important artists such as the Florentine Giotto, who created one of his greatest works in the Cappella degli Scrovegni and Donatello, who sculpted incomparably impressive bronze statues for the basilica and square. A lively pub scene has developed in the narrow streets of the former Jewish ghetto with its tall houses, which is no surprise considering that almost a third of Padua’s 215,000 inhabitants are students! The city is unquestionably the economic hub of north-eastern Italy and a byword for the rapid economic growth that was brought about by the hard work and commitment of the enterprising small and mediumsized businesses. The Veneto region is the indisputable driving force behind the Italian economy, and Padua is its engine room. The flat, level city lies on the extreme eastern expanse of the Po Valley, just 40 kilometres from Venice and the Adriatic. To the south there are the Euganean hills with the famous hot springs and spas of Abano and Montegrotto. As they are so close to hand, they are frequented by Paduans looking for a

IAT PADOVA (PADUA’S TOURIST BOARD) 8 Riviera dei Mugnai, 35137 Padova Tel. 049 8767911

Piazza del Santo, 35137 Padova Tel: 049 8753087 www.turismopadova.it E-Mail: info@turismopadova.it

PA D UA

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

106

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

little relaxation, but they are also a magnet for cultural tourism. The perfectly level city is criss-crossed by watercourses and canals that are fed by the Brenta and Bacchiglione. The fact that the city is so close to the sea and is surrounded by water definitely affect the climate: summers are oppressively hot and humid, while in the winter months the city and surrounding countryside are often covered in thick fog for days on end.

History of the city THE FOUNDATION OF THE CITY Legend has it that Padua was

PA D UA

founded in circa 1184 BCE by the Trojan Prince Anthenor, who had survived the destruction of Troy. He came up the Brenta from the Adriatic and drove the Euganeans back into their hills to the south. This may be the stuff of legend, but archaeological finds confirm that there was indeed a prehistoric settlement in 1100–1000 BCE. THE ROMAN PERIOD Patavium, as Padua was known to Romans, expanded along the site of the modern-day city and was granted Roman civic rights in 49 BCE. The city developed into a wool-producing and horse-trading centre and was also an important stop on the route linking the most important Roman towns of that time. Via Annia (from Aquileia), Via Postumia (the Genoa–Venice route) and Via Claudia Augusta (that ran from Altino near Venice to Germania via the Adige Valley) all converged here. At that time Padua was the third-largest city in the Roman Empire after Rome and Cadiz in southern Spain. Padua thrived during this unprecedented four-hundred-year period of peace. In the fourth century CE the city converted to Christianity and the first churches were founded. The local cults of Saint Justine, Saint Prosdecimus (the city’s patron saint) and Saint Daniel, who is supposed to have been martyred in Padua, date back to this time. In 452 and 453 Attila and his Huns attacked and pillaged the city. A little less than a hundred years later Padua was caught between two opposing sides when the Longobards and the Eastern Roman Empire of Byzantium waged war on one another. In 589 Padua was devastated by floods and a little later

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

107

it was destroyed by the Longobards. Some measure of peace was restored only during the two centuries of Frankish domination. At the end of the eighth century Bishop Tricidio built the first cathedral; Benedictine monks then founded monasteries, and drained and improved the land. Around the year 1000 Padua became a free comune. Padua was then destroyed by an earthquake in 1117 and burnt to the ground in 1174; it also had to defend itself against the ruling Ezzelino family of Onara. The city’s university was founded in 1222, making it Italy’s oldest after Bologna (1088) and one of Europe’s oldest. In 1303–1305 Giotto frescoed the Scrovegni Chapel.

family of Verona conquered the city and ruled it for a short time. The following years were Padua’s golden age for art. Masters such as Giusto de’ Menabuoi, Guariento, Altichiero and Petrarch were called to the court of the Carrara family, who came to power in 1318. Venice, however, was becoming increasingly powerful and in 1405 Padua submitted to the up and coming Venetian republic. The Carrara family spent their final days in the prisons of Venice. The next four centuries brought Padua peace and prosperity during which the university attracted intellectuals, including Galileo, from all over Europe.

PA D UA

THE AGE OF ARTISTS AND INTELLECTUALS In 1328 the Scaliger

108

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

When Venice fell (1797) during the Napoleonic wars, Napoleon handed Padua to the Austrians. The Austrians were eventually defeated by the French and, after the Piedmontese and German alliance, the Veneto and thus also Padua became part of the new Kingdom of Italy in 1866.

PA D UA

PADUA ON THE INTERNET MATTINOPADOVA.GELOCAL.IT Padua’s daily paper on the Internet. WWW.APADOVA.INFO/OSPEDALEPADOVA Hospital and health system, with the numbers of the guardia medica (medical service replacing GPs outside normal consulting hours). WWW.TURISMOPADOVA.IT The Paduan Province’s official tourist guide, with diary of events, ticket service, information on public transport, timetables, descriptions of the villas and castles and information on boat trips; also in English.

WWW.STRADADELVINOCOLLIEUGANEI.IT Detailed information on the wines from the Euganean hills. This is a good site for gourmets and also contains itineraries for cycle rides in the area; only in Italian. WWW.PADOVANET.IT The city platform, a community network with lots of information about the city and its province, with useful links, things to see, events, etc; only in Italian. WWW.SANTANTONIO.ORG This website dedicated to Saint Anthony of Padua contains an incredible amount of news, including an online edition of the Messaggero di San Antonio, a periodical devoted to Saint Anthony. The hard-copy version sells 570,000 copies, making it Italy’s most widely sold monthly.

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

109

The best in brief PADOVA CARD This ticket gives entry to most of the tourist at-

tractions in and around Padua. For example, in Padua: the Capella degli Scrovegni (Scrovegni Chapel), Palazzo Zuckermann, Palazzo della Ragione, Oratorio San Rocco, Orto botanico (or botanical gardens), Musei Civici degli Eremitani, Battistero (baptistery), the cathedral, the upper storey of the Caffé Pedrocchi, the Oratorio San Michele. Two Padova Cards are available: a Euro 16 version, which is valid for 48 hours; a Euro 24 version, which is valid for 72 hours. The ticket can be bought online (promozione@turismopadova.it), at tourism offices, at the ticket desks of the Musei Civici degli Eremitani and in many large hotels. More from www.padovacard.it/ted/t_punti_vendita.php

the east of the town is perhaps Padua’s most famous attraction. It was commissioned in the early fourteenth century by Enrico Scrovegni, the son of a famous merchant and banker to atone for any sins his father may have committed (his father was reputedly a usurer, and Dante put him in one of his circles of hell in the Divine Comedy). Comedy). The chapel contains a fresco cycle by Giotto depicting scenes from the Day of Judgement and the life of Jesus and Mary. It is a seminal work in the history of art because of its innovative, previously unimaginable realism. www.cappelladegliscrovegni.it 8 Piazza Eremitani; Tel 049 2010020 The chapel can be visited only by prior arrangement and you are allowed only 20 minutes per visit: 9am–7pm, Summer 9am–10pm

PIAZZA DEI SIGNORI 2 It was here that, in the fourteenth cen-

tury, the imposing palazzo of the Carrara family, the Signori or lords of the city, stood, and that the power of municipal government was subsequently concentrated. Palazzo del Capitanio (1598-1605), was the residence for one of the two representative of the Venetian Republic, the capitano, or captain, as opposed to the podestà, or chief magistrate. Its façade surrounds a triumphal arch dating from 1532 with an impressive clock. Another significant building is the historical church of San Clemente, which was the merchants’ church in the Middle Ages and was rebuilt in the late sixteenth century.

PA D UA

CAPPELLA DEGLI SCROVEGNI 1 This small frescoed church in

110

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

PIAZZA DELLE ERBE AND PIAZZA DELLA FRUTTA 3 The pictur-

esque, lively main marketplace hosts a daily fruit and vegetable market, as well as a flea market. In the middle is the imposing Palazzo della Ragione which divides the square into the southern Piazza delle Erbe (literally herbs or vegetables) and the northern Piazza della Frutta (literally fruit). Despite their names, fruit and vegetables are sold on the Piazza delle Erbe while the flea market is held on the Piazza della Frutta. Mondays–Fridays 7.30am–13.30pm, Saturdays 7.30am–8pm. Seventy market stalls. In the indoor market on the ground floor of the Palazzo della Ragione groceries, sausage, cheese, meat are sold along with baccalà (salt cod), an indispensable ingredient of the local cuisine. (Tourists may also find it rather unusual that the butchers sell sfilacci,, i.e. thin strips of smoked horse meat.) To the east the marketplace is bounded by the back of the Palazzo del Municipio, the old, thirteenth-century town hall. The statue of Justice (1552) between two arches on the ground floor should be seen as should the inner courtyard with the original 1539 façade and the 1526 staircase that leads up to

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

111

the raised Doric inner courtyard from which the Palazzo della Ragione can be reached. The Piazza is where Paduans meet for an aperitif and “spritz”, an orange-red cocktail made of white wine, mineral water and a shot of Aperol. Wednesday evening is Uni evening, when the piazza belongs to the students! PALAZZO DELLA RAGIONE 4 The palazzo is also known as the

“Salone” because of its huge hall, or Salone, which is 78 metres long, 27 metres high and 27 metres wide. The building was erected in the thirteenth century as a court and chamber where trade disputes could be resolved. The dome, which looks like the overturned hull of a boat, was originally decorated with frescoes by Giotto that were destroyed in a fire in 1420 but were then immediately repainted from models. They are one of the largest astrological cycles in existence (over 200 metres). The wooden horse (1446) in the middle of the room is a copy of the equestrian statue of Gattamelata in front of the Basilica di Sant’Antonio. The pietra del Vituperio (literally, the stone of vituperations), is where those guilty of bankruptcy were made to sit in their undergarments in front of at least a hundred people while judges deliberated on their fate.

CATHEDRAL 5 The current cathedral is situated exactly where

its predecessors, which date back to the fourth century, originally stood. In 1551, Michelangelo’s plans for a new cathedral were approved and construction continued to the middle of the eighteenth century, even though the façade was never completed. The sacristy contains paintings by Jacopo da Bassano and Tiepolo. The complex also includes a baptistery, which was built in the twelfth century and altered several times in the following century. It was also used by the Carrara family as a mausoleum and contains an amazing fresco cycle believed to be the masterpiece of Giusto de’ Menabuoi and was commissioned by Fina Buzzaccarini, the wife of Francesco I da Carrara. It is one of the greatest fourteenth-century works of its kind in Italy. The depiction of Paradise is at once beautiful and unusual, the saints in Heaven arranged in five circular rings. Piazza del Duomo, Tel. 049 656914 Daily 10am–6pm, Euro 3

PA D UA

Entrance from Piazza delle Erbe, Tel. 049 8205006 Tuesdays–Sundays 9am–6pm, Summer 9am–7pm; Euro 4

112

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

CAFFÈ PEDROCCHI 6 This historical café right in the heart of the city is internationally famous. Until 1916 it was open day and night and was therefore known as the “Café without doors”. For over a hundred years it was a meeting place for intellectuals, students, academics and politicians. It became historically important in 1848 when the uprising against the Austrians was proclaimed here. The Pedrocchi was originally opened in 1772 as a coffee shop, and in the early nineteenth century the architect Giuseppe Japelli built the grandiose neoclassical marble building. It is still a café and reading room and for family and graduation celebrations. PRATO DELLA VALLE 7 At 88,620 square metres, this is one of Europe’s largest squares and certainly one of its most beautiful. In Roman times the Prato della Valle contained an amphitheatre (Campo Marzio); in the Middle Ages it became a marketplace that was gradually abandoned. Its present disposition dates back to the end of the eighteenth century and consists of the elliptical tree-lined Memmia Island, which is surrounded by a small canal and a double ring of 78 statues lining the banks and depicting important Paduan locals. The area now

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

113

houses a small daily market, a larger weekly market (Saturdays) and a flea and antiques market (every third Sunday of the month). BASILICA SANTA GIUSTINA 8 The imposing 122-metre long ba-

silica was built in the sixth century over the grave of Saint Justine of Padua and has been a Benedictine monastery since the eighth century. The current church dates back to the sixteenth century, and its façade is incomplete. The basilica contains the popular relics of several saints, including the reputed remains of the evangelists Matthew and Luke. The sacristy is worth seeing for its valuable seventeenth-century wooden fittings, as well as the sixteenth-century choir, Veronese’s altar depiction of the martyrdom of Saint Justine, remnants of the eleventhand twelfth-century Romanesque church, connected cloister and library (open to the public). Free admission.

14 MUSEI CIVICI DEGLI EREMITANI Piazza Eremitani, Tel. 049 8204551, Tuesdays–Sundays 9am–7pm; Euro 10, together with the Scrovegni Chapel. Euro 12 Padua’s civic museum is located in the halls and cloisters of the former hermits’ monastery. Alongside numerous private collections acquired over the years there is also the archaeological museum, with finds from Padua and the surrounding area, and the Museum of Medieval and Modern Art with the great civic gallery displaying major works by Giotto (Christ on the Cross from the Scrovegni Chapel), Bellini, Veronese, Jacopo da Bassano, Tintoretto, Tiepolo and others. The wonderful Cappella is also part of the complex.

15 PALAZZO ZUCKERMANN Museo di arti applicate and Museo Bottacin, http://padova-cultura. padovanet.it/musei/ 33 Corso Garibaldi, Tel. 049 665567 Tuesdays–Sundays 9am–7pm; Euro 10; ticket that is also valid for the Scrovegni Chapel Euro 12 The large neo-Renaissance building was erected in the early twentieth century and was until recently the central post office. It is on the main route to the centre near the Scrovegni Chapel and Musei Civici degli Eremitani, opposite the park with the remains of the Roman arena. Since the renovation 2,000 arts and crafts items have been on display on the ground floor: glass, ceramics, silver, ivory, jewels and jewellery, textiles and furniture. The Nicola Bottacin collection on the upper floor includes significant coins and medallions.

PA D UA

MUSEUMS

114

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

EQUESTRIAN STATUE OF GATTAMELATA 9 The only item on the Piazza del Santo that has nothing to do with Saint Anthony is a bronze equestrian statue that the Venetian Republic commissioned in 1447 from Donatello. The statue was dedicated to Gattamelata, a “condottiere” or mercenary leader of mercenaries, to thank him for his military prowess in the defence of Venice in the war against the Visconti of Milan. It is considered one of the masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance.

PA D UA

BASILICA DEL SANTO 10 The basilica, known simply as “The

Saint”, was built as a monumental tomb for Saint Anthony, a Portuguese friar who was reputed to be a miracle healer in his own lifetime. He spent the last months of his life in Padua and was canonised just a few months after his death. The basilica is a curious mix of different styles: the façade is Lombard Romanesque, the cupola Byzantine, the side façades Venetian-Gothic and the choir an exuberant Baroque, while the towers recall Islamic minarets. The basilica, besides the saint’s tomb and reliquaries from the twelfth and fifteenth centuries, contains a wealth of masterpieces: Donatello’s bronze statues on the main altar, the relief of the Deposition behind the altar, various Baroque chapels and the fourteenth-century vestigial frescoes of the crucifixion in the chapter house (attributed to Giotto). The four cloisters of the basilica can be reached from the sacristy; a staircase leads to the vast Biblioteca Antoniana (only for students). Attracting pilgrims from all over the world, the church is always full. An impressive procession is held each year on 13 June, the anniversary of the saint’s death. Free admission. CHIESA DEGLI EREMITANI 11 The church of the Hermits in Piazza

Eremitani was built in 1276 in honour of Saints Philip and James and is next to the ancient monastery, the Convento degli eremiti, which now houses the city museums. Originally, the church was magnificently decorated, but most of the decorations were completely destroyed in a 1944 air raid. The church boasts frescoes by Guariento and Giusto de’ Menabuoi, but pride of place is given to the frescoes of the Cappella Ovetari, a masterpiece of innovative realism by Andrea Mantegna. These frescoes were also destroyed during the bombardment, but were restored and have been on display since 2006. Free admission.

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

115

the former Ox Inn – hence the name (Al Bò). It was once the Medical Faculty with the famous Teatro Anatomico, the dissecting theatre that was also a lecture hall for students, and the Aula Magna or Great Hall. Today it is used for official and graduation ceremonies. Free access to the entrance hall, which is decorated with old corporations’ and dignitaries’ coats of arms. 2 Via VIII Febbraio, Tel. 049 8273044-47 Open at different times from Mondays to Saturdays; Euro 3

The ORTO BOTANICO 13 in Padua is the world’s oldest botanical garden. It was laid out in 1545 by the university in an ideal circular form with walls for medicinal plants and herbs; it was then extended. This refuge of quiet and contemplation from the bustle of modern life is in the centre of the city between the Basilica del Santo and the church of Saint Justine. www.ortobotanico.unipd.it 15 Via Orto Botanico, Tel. 049 8272119 Mondays–Sundays 9am–1pm, Summer also 3pm–7pm; 4 Euro

PA D UA

PALAZZO DEL BÒ 12 The old university building is on the site of

116

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

Eating and drinking CULINARY SECRETS AND THE SAINT’S BREAD Padua has a great

culinary tradition, which is reflected in the use of fresh regional products and a great number of typical, traditional dishes. Typical dishes from Padua’s Jewish tradition include oca in onto padovana (boned, salted goose meat preserved in goose fat) and falso parsuto [false ham], a goose breast ham from the plain south of Padua, the secret recipes of which have been handed down since the nineteenth century. The Veneto has always been a land of horse breeders, so horse meat is part of traditional local cuisine, as can be seen in the horsemeat bresaola, donkey salami, horse and donkey stew, and horsemeat cutlets and chops. Some of the desserts are traditionally Venetian, like zaleti and pan del santo [saint’s bread]. This is a sweet ring made with almonds, amaretti and chocolate. Then there is the dolce del santo,, a puff pastry cake filled with apricot jam, candied orange peel, sponge cake and marzipan.

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

117

EATING AND DRINKING

16 ENOTECA RISTORANTE LA CORTE DEI LEONI 1 Via Pietro D’Abano, Tel. 049 8750083, closed Sunday evenings and Mondays at lunch time This is an excellent place for rediscovering the somewhat different culinary tradition of the old inhabitants of Padua. 6 CAFFÉ PEDROCCHI 15 Via Otto Febbraio, Tel. 049 8781231 Since 1831. Central, distinguished and stylish, this is one of Italy’s historical coffee houses, honoured with the designation “locale storico d’Italia”.

OSTERIA DEI FABBRI 13 Via dei Fabbri, Tel. 049 650336, closed Sundays The restaurant is near Piazza delle Erbe, at the entrance to the old Ghetto, in a palazzo whose furnishings date from the nineteenth century. Relaxed atmosphere, traditional fare. 17

18 DONNA IRENE 1 Vicolo Pontecorvo, Tel. 049 656852, closed Mondays This place is near the Basilica of Saint Anthony and is known for its wines (over 120 wines to choose from), which can be combined with traditional Veneto dishes or classical dishes. Also open for aperitifs. The restaurant has a large garden that is open in summer. 19 LA RISORTA OSTERIA DEL RE FOSCO 5 Via Cassan, Tel. 049 8774159, closed Sundays, www.risortaosteriadelrefosco.it The restaurant is a mixture of old and new, with tables also available in the mezzanine under the old vault. Live music on some Saturdays. Young clientele, thanks to the simple meals and good wines. 20 ANFORA 13 Via dei Soncin, Tel. 049 656629, closed Sundays, www.anforaosteria.it In the narrow streets of the old Ghetto, locals young and old crowd to this little osteria. Some days the throng is such that you might only find standing room at the counter. Simple, typical dishes; good wines, also available by the glass.

PA D UA

15 LA FOLPERIA Tel. 347 5701232, lafolperia@gmail.com, also on Facebook. A “folpo” (in Venetian), or “polipo” in Italian, is a squid, and a “folperia” is, therefore, just the place if this is what your culinary heart desires. At one stand in the Piazza della Frutta, at the corner of the Bar dei Osei, steaming hot boiled squid is sold that the local eat standing up, the same way as we might eat a hot dog. It might look a little strange, but it tastes delicious!

118

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

PA D UA

PADUA AT A GLANCE We begin our walk round the city at the Basilica di Sant’Antonio, one of the most important centres of Christendom and also a work of art of the first order. After visiting the church observe the equestrian statue of Gattamelata on the square. North of the church you can walk along Via del Santo, which has benefited from traffic-calming measures and is full of little shops and bars. After reaching the impressive Palazzo Zabarella, turn left into Via San Francesco and you will find yourself in Via Otto Febbraio in front of the old university, Palazzo del Bò. You’re now in the thick of the old city centre: Caffè Pedrocchi, the City Hall, Piazza delle erbe and Palazzo della Ragione. Via Daniele Manin takes you to the Loggia del Consiglio (Gran Guardia), Palazzo

del Capitanio and the square with the cathedral and the baptistry (frescoes by Giusto de’ Menabuo), considered by many to be a very good alternative to the Scrovegni Chapel on the east side of the city that can only be visited if you’ve booked in advance. Opposite the cathedral square turn into the narrow, atmospheric Via dei Soncin in the old Ghetto with its little shops and pubs, and then continue along adjoining Via San Martino e Solferino. At the end of the street turn right into the central, broad Via Roma. The adjoining Via Umberto I (both are fine commercial roads) leads to the magnificent Prato della Valle square. At its eastern side Via Beato Luca Belludi runs past souvenir shops and will bring you back to the Basilica. The walk takes you about two or three hours.

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

119

PADUA EVENTS , April: Maratona di Sant’Antonio. On the third weekend in April, a large urban marathon with participants from all over the world. , May: Sagra dei Bisi in Lumignano, at the foot of the Berici hills. On two weekends in the middle of May the pea takes centre stage in the pubs and festival marquees of Lumignano. For more information: call 0444 953399. , Mid June–mid July: Portello River Festival, a film festival in the multicultural Portello district. On the canal. For more information: call 348 4430112, www.riverfilmfestival.org (also in English). , 13. June: Festa di San Antonio.. A festival celebrating the city’s patron saint with procession attracting pilgrims from all over the world. The day before, the Prato della Valle square hosts an important fair with exhibitors. , July–August: Notturni d’arte.. Innovative, fun nocturnal guided tours and events in the city’s museums. For more information: call 049 8204501. , 15 August: Midsummer fireworks on the Prato della Valle square. , September: Il Palio di Sant’Antonio.. Medieval festival with “cart race” through the city districts of Monastero, Brolo, Capodiponte and Grate. www.palioarcella.it (in Italian). , November: the Padova Porsche Jazz Festival attracts the greats of international jazz. www.padovaporschejazzfestival.it (in Italian).

12 13

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

121

From Padua to Chioggia NOVENTA PADOVANA – VILLA GIOVANELLI. The structure of this solitary and superb villa, built in the late XVII c., combines some typically Palladian features with the innovative architectural trends of that time; the peculiar pentagonal pronao, the high Corinthian columns and its pediment decorated with statues, the majestic flight of steps added in 1738, made its outward appearence both imposing and visually splendid. With the advent of Napoleon, it was confiscated together with many ecclesiastical objects. The ceilings on the first floor are decorated with stucco-framed paintings. Also the walls are decorated with stuccos, portraits and landscape paintings. Unfortunately the wonderful internal frescoes portraying the love story of Anthony and Cleopatra along with various mythological scenes were destroyed when the property passed to the Patriarch Giovanni Giovanelli, as he considered them too worldly. 2 NOVENTA PADOVANA – VILLA GRIMANI. According to some historical sources, this villa was originally a medieval fortress, transformed into a castle by the lords of the town in the XIII c. Later, the castle was destroyed by the Ezzelinos and the villa was built over its ruins in XVI c. It was initially a dwelling for bishops and cardinals, all of them from the Grimani family, who remained the owners of the villa till the first half of the XVIII c. The thorough restoration of the villa carried out by the new owners dates back to 1762-1773, as well as the realization of the famous fresco cycle of the Venetian painter Andrea Urbani on the first floor. 3 STRA – BRENTA RIVIERA. It is an area rich with culture and charm, the cradle of the famous Venetian Villas, connecting the towns of Venice and Padua through the Brenta river. The scenery is unique; a natural oasis of great value, which seemingly hasn’t been spoiled by human intervention. Traditional and renowned tourist attraction, it is the first of the three fundamental channelization works carried out since the XV c.along the Brenta, which ended up by providing the river with three coastal outlets. The water itinerary is really charming, and allows you to enjoy this wonderful route among villas and

F R O M PA D U A T O C H I O G G I A

122

F R O M PA D U A T O C H I O G G I A

gardens, immersed in an atmosphere that is still, as Goethe said in the 18th c., “comfortable and pleasant”. 4 STRA – VILLA PISANI now called “NAZIONALE”. It is one of the most famous examples of the Venetian Villa. It was built in 1721 for the Doge Alvise Pisani. Inside, hardly anything has remained of the original furnishing and decorations (Turkishstyle, Chinese-style, Persian-style halls, etc). The main body includes the corridor-entrance hall and, up the great staircase, the majestic double-high ballroom with its decorations which emphasizes the perspectives and the vault magnificently frescoed by Giambattista Tiepolo. The villa has 114 rooms and it is said that the number refers to Doge Pisani being the 114th Doge of Venice. This building seems to be inspired by the Palace of Versailles more than the classical Venetian Villa. Because of its monumental appearance, it was chosen as a residence or meeting place for monarchs and heads of Government. Among them Napoleon Bonaparte, Czar Alexander I and the Italian king Vittorio Emanuele II. In 1934 it was chosen as the site for the first meeting between Hitler and Mussolini. Equally as important is the park, an integral part of the whole complex, although also somewhat altered and impoverished. From the main aisle you reach the box hedge love maze, one of the only three surviving in Italy. A gate and a fence divide the park from the greenhouses and the orangerie, still containing many 18th century statues, to finally reach the stables. If you reach the

123

5 STRA – VILLA LAZARA PISANI called “LA BARBARIGA”. It was commissioned by the Doge Alvise Pisani and later passed to Chiara Pisani, who had married a gentleman from the Barbarigo family, after whom the building was named. Originally there was just the Baroque central building, while the two symmetric wings were added in the late 18th c., giving the villa an extended and unitary appearance which can be observed from the Brenta. The front, which faces the large garden, reveals more constructions: the arcades, the farmers’ houses, the storage buildings and the main villa. Inside, many polychrome stuccos decorated a lot of the rooms, among which the Hall of the Chinese Stuccos and the Hunting Hall. 6 FIESSO D’ARTICO – VILLA RECANATI-ZUCCONI. This Baroque villa was built in the first half of the 18th c., has a Venetian structure with three different floors. The lobby is particularly characteristic of this style stretching outward, with its arched entrance door with oval windows either side of it and rectangular ones above it. The decorative exuberance is enhanced by the high tympanum, crowned by elegant chimneys with spires. Inside, the fireplace of the main hall and two other lateral rooms are decorated with some valuable stuccos.

F R O M PA D U A T O C H I O G G I A

belvedere gate and climb up to the terrace you can enjoy a wonderful view over the park and canal.

124

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

EVENTS , Mid-September: Riviera Fiorita (Riviera in Bloom). A procession of various characters on ancient boats passes along the Brenta Canal from Stra to Venice, accompanied by festivities.

F R O M PA D U A T O C H I O G G I A

VENETIAN VILLAS

The Venetian Villas were the countryside dwellings of the aristocracy and upper classes of the Republic of Venice; they were all built between the late XV and the late XVIII c. in Veneto and Friuli, while they were under the Serenissima rule. There are more than 5,000 of them. The discovery of America had weakened the trading axis that reached both the Middle and Far East passing through the port of Venice. Venice maritime trading activity entered into a crisis, consequently the Serenissima started focusing on its economic and social interests on the mainland by privileging and promoting the agricultural activity. Through some judicious marriages and alliances with local aristocratic families, Serenissima and local Signorie started sharing the same cultural and economic interests. Reclamation works were carried out and some proper farm businesses were established.

The typical Venetian villa usually stood inside a large agricultural estate, with a central body (the actual villa) which was either the owner’s dwelling or used for official representation or for summer holidays; close to it, there was always at least one or two barchesse,, i.e. the dependencies barchesse where the farmers lived and where the labour was organized, from the kitchens to the stables, etc. However the villa soon lost its agricultural-economic value and became just a fashion: the aristocratic families of that time spent all their wealth building and decorating them in a magnificent style, just to spend their holidays there, from the eve of St Anthony’s Feast (13th June) until vintage time. So this kind of building definitely lost its original rural features: it grew richer with thriving gardens and parks, equalling the size and magnificent decoration of some town palaces. Among these the Palladian Villas, designed by Andrea Palladio himself or following the standards established in his books on architecture, have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

125

FIESSO D’ARTICO – VILLA SORANZO. This is a typical Venetian 16th century building, with two floors, a basement and an attic. A big flight of steps leads to the main hall and there is a stone balustrade balcony. The illusion effect of the fresco decorations on the façade, turns the sober architecture into a stunning front of the building. The interior includes fresco ornaments and three interesting fireplaces decorated with stuccos. Outside, the complex also includes a well, cottages, a garden and park. 8 MALCONTENTA – VILLA FOSCARI. It was designed by Palladio for the aristocratic Foscari family and it was probably realized in 1560, as indicated in the inscriptions on the pediment. Still in excellent condition, the villa stands on ground that has been carefully reclaimed from the sea. The construction responds to the standards of Classical architecture, particularly fashionable at that time, without forgetting the functional needs of the agricultural activity. This is reflected in the structure of the villa, which matches Classical elements with others which are less “noble”, such as the porticos used for agricultural purposes or arcades and storage buildings built using simple materials. Another architectural peculiarity is its cubic shape, which however doesn’t seem heavy due to its large windows (connecting the natural environment with the interior of the villa) and to its bright ashlar surfaces. The façade overlooking the Brenta has a massive base which raises and protects it from any possible flood, and at the same time gives it a majestic appearance. The entrance to the first floor is clearly protruding from the main building and was conceived by Palladio as a true pronao with the pillared portico continuing on both sides. This villa is also called “Malcontenta”, which probably derives from

F R O M PA D U A T O C H I O G G I A

126

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

the nickname of a noble lady of the Foscaris, who was locked up in the house because she was suspected of adultery. VIGONOVO – VILLA SAGREDO. In the IV c. it was a Roman castle, later destroyed by the Huns and then rebuilt as a Byzantine fortified palace. In the course of its very long existence, this building has been continuously remodelled until it assumed the current Venetian appearance between the XVI and XVII c. It was the Grittis family who entrusted Sansovino with its design in the early 16th c., and endowed it with a large garden; in the second half of the same century, the new owners, the Sagredos, enlarged the building. Now it hosts a renowned restaurant.

F R O M PA D U A T O C H I O G G I A

10 PIOVE DI SACCO – PIAZZA DELL’INCORONATA. Piove di Sacco owes its original rectangular shape to the ancient fortifications which were initially earthworks, started in 880 and completed in the XIV c. by the Carraresi, through a fortification plan equipped with towers, of which only the Major Tower has remained with the overlapping belfry of the Cathedral dedicated to St Martin, in Piazza dell’Incoronata. The latter dates back to the X c., later rebuilt in 1090-1100 and again in 1403. Between 1893 and 1903 it was reconstructed in Neo-Romanesque and Neogothic style: inside there are a number of important works of art, including two paintings by G.B. Tiepolo.

PIOVE DI SACCO – MADONNA DELLE GRAZIE SANCTUARY. Situated approximately 1 km from the town centre, along the Fiumicello river. The church dates back to 1484-1489 and is associated with a miraculous event described in a painting of the XVII c.: two brothers, on their parents’ death, divided up almost everything left to them amicably, but they quarrelled and challenged each other to a duel for the possession of a sacred image of the Virgin and Child. At the moment of the duel, a one year old child in his mother’s arms started to speak ordering them to stop fighting and to take the sacred image to a chapel just outside the town. Because of this miracle, the believers decided to build a new temple dedicated to Our Lady of the Graces. The painting at the origin of this miracle is still preserved inside the sanctuary and is attributed to Giovanni Bellini. 11

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

127

12 CODEVIGO – CASTELCARO CHURCH. Castelcaro owes its name to the castle that the Carraresi (Lords of Padua), built on the Bacchiglione river between the XV and the XVI c. to protect their borders from the Venetians. When the area passed under Venetian rule, the castle was demolished. A finely restored 18th century church has remained in Castelcaro, along with a villa in an advanced state of decay.

CODEVIGO – MILLECAMPI MARSH. With its area of 1,608 hectares, Millecampi Marsh is an extraordinary example of lagoon environment. It is mostly made up of a lake stretching to the mainland, while the rest of the area consists of flat islets that are submersed by the water at high tide. A dense network of small channels crosses these islets which often contain some little stretches of water resulting from soil erosion. The unusual form of this area has determined the presence of particular flora and of some wildlife species which are typical of marshy environments. 13

13 16,17 14 15

Chioggia APT Chioggia

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Monuments and historical sites Ponte Vigo Porta Garibaldi Duomo Corso del Popolo Granaio Chiesa di Santâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Andrea Chiesa di San Domenico

Museums 8 Museo civico della laguna sud Restaurants 9 Osteria Penzo 10 La taverna da Nadia e Felice 11 Trattoria San Marco Hotels 12 Hotel Grande Italia 13 Hotel Bristol

14 Hotel Le Tegnue 15 Hotel Airone Barges 16 Ave Maria 17 Vita Pugna Bikeshops 18 Cicli Albanese

CHIOGGIA

Chioggia Chioggia is a small harbour town in the south of the lagoon. Due to its similarity with the much larger and also much more magnificent city of Venice, it is sometimes referred to as “Little Venice”, although Venice fears no competition from this small town, at least in terms of cultural tourism, which nonetheless has 51,000 inhabitants. Like Venice, Chioggia is also built on islands and interlaced with canals which are crossed by arched stone bridges. Side canals branch off in a herringbone pattern. The backbone is formed by the Canal Vena and the parallel avenue named Corso del Popolo: this main artery consists of a wide pedestrian area overlooked by low palazzi with beautiful façades and porticos. The street, which is laid with large stone slabs, is dotted with a host of shops, restaurants, and cafés where tables and chairs under the shade of sun umbrellas and awnings invite passers-by to stop and relax. The holiday resort of Sottomarina with the suburban Isola Verde and beautiful sandy beach lies off the coast from Chioggia with its rows of low houses. Sottomarina has the same importance for Chioggia as the Lido for Venice, with the difference that it can be

APT (TOURIST BOARD) CHIOGGIA 101 Lungomare Adriatico Tel. 041 5540466, www.chioggia.tourism.it

reached easily by car and is incomparably cheaper (and arguably less sophisticated). Chioggia is spread out perfectly flatly and evenly on a peninsula. One side of the town looks landwards towards the city of Adria and is bordered by fields interspersed with wetlands and two rivers, the Bacchiglione (a tributary of the Brenta River) and the Adige, which both flow into the sea here between the lagoon and the Po River. After Venice, Chioggia is the second largest city of the lagoon and is easily accessible to cars. Chioggia and the neighbourhoods of San Domenico and Sottomarina actually form a peninsula, and are connected to the mainland by modern bridges. Behind the bridge leading to San Domenico lies the Canale San Domenico, a landing stage for fishing cutters which still set sail each day to fish in the Adriatic Sea. Chioggia’s huge fish market, the largest in northern Italy, is in the Isola dei Cantieri area, and provides fresh fish for markets from Milan to Bolzano. Agriculture is the second most important industry after fishing (with the cultivation of vegetables, including mainly radicchio lettuce), followed by tourism (cultural trips and beach holidays), transportation services with a direct Verona–Adria– Chioggia train line, port activities with ferry services to Croatia, and ship-building yards for the maintenance of fishing boats.

CHIOGGIA

131

132

B o l z a n o â&#x20AC;&#x201C; B r e n t a Va l l e y â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Ve n i c e

History of the city According to legend Aeneas, after fleeing from the destroyed city of Troy, fled across the sea with his followers. He landed in Latium and founded Rome, while his companions Antenores, Aquilius, and Clodius respectively founded the towns of Padua, Aquileia, and Clodia (now Chioggia, from the Latin Clugia). The pre-history of the first settlement in the lagoon region is similar to that of the islands around the city which then became Venice. Findings have shown that there was an initial settlement of seafarers from Thessaly around 2000 BCE. The original town, on the other hand, dates back to Roman times, which is evident from the geometrical layout of its streets. Around the fifth century, after the division of the Roman empire into the Western and Eastern Empires, Chioggia came under Byzantine rule like all the other islands with a broad coastline. Over the following centuries, it first came under Longobard (seventh century) then Frankish rule (ninth century). Due to their position on an island, the inhabitants of Chioggia were able to put up a certain resistance towards both these powers. Chioggia came under the influence of Venice as early as 1100, and prospered thanks to the salt trade.

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

133

SAINT MARK’S LION

unskilled sculptor who did a bad job. After receiving complaints from his principal, he made several attempts at improving the original, and finally plumped for this puny little lion, which he sculpted from the same block of marble.

The fourteenth century was the age of the maritime republics: Genoa and Venice waged a war for supremacy in the Adriatic Sea and trade in the Orient, crushing Chioggia in the process: in 1378 Genoa defeated Venice in Pula (on the peninsula of Istria in Croatia) and occupied Chioggia, which was destroyed in the battle. In 1380, Genoa was forced to bow before the supremacy of Venice, and the doge of Venice returned in triumph to the destroyed city. Chioggia had been devastated by the war, and its city fathers decided to relinquish the militarily vulnerable Chioggia Minore (referred to by the Romans as Clugia Minor, the current seaside resort of Sottomarina) and retreat to the islands of Clugia Maior, now known as Chioggia. The idea of building protective city walls around the city was dropped as the water offered far greater protection; from the seventeenth century the fishing industry was revived. In 1797 the Napoleonic troops put an end to the independence of the Serenissima, and consequently Chioggia. The area then came under Austrian rule until the unification of Italy in 1866. In the nineteenth century, the railway reached up to the city gates and at the beginning of the twentieth century the isolation of Chioggia came to an end when a bridge was built from the Romea state road connecting the island to the mainland.

CHIOGGIA

Piazzetta Vigo is situated at the end of Corso del Popolo, Chioggia’s main thoroughfare. Perched on a tall column in this square sits the winged Saint Mark’s lion, which heralds the dominion of Venice. This is referred to ironically by Venetians as el gato (literally the cat, in vernacular), as it is considerably smaller and less stately than the same winged lion in Saint Mark’s Square. According to one of the many anecdotes about the lion, when the parsimonious city fathers decided to erect the column in 1786, they had the work carried out by a cheap,

134

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

The best in brief STRADA ROMEA The SS 309 Strada Romea state road forms an

arch down the landside from the north-west into the city: the last stretch crosses over a long bridge and thus the southernmost bay of the lagoon. CANAL VENA AND PONTE VIGO 1 Just like Venice, Chioggia also

has calli (alleys), campielli (small squares), and canals. Historically speaking, the most important of the canals is the Canal Vena which is dotted with typical palazzi and churches and is crossed by nine bridges which are similar to those of Venice. The most impressive is Ponte Vigo which leads to the square of the same name, marked by the column with Saint Mark’s lion, and to the landing stage for ferries to Pellestrina.

CHIOGGIA

PORTA GARIBALDI 2 The only remaining gate of the old city walls is Porta Garibaldi. The winged lion and symbol of Venice is naturally set above the gateway. The route past the gate takes us to the town centre along the long main street or corso, which is referred to by the locals simply as the piazza, even if it is not a square but a wide road. The municipal museum diagonally opposite is worth a visit (for further details see below). REFUGIUM PECCATORUM The small square next to the cathedral is named the sagrato and is one of the most picturesque corners of Chioggia thanks to its statue of the Virgin surmounted by a gilded pointed baldachin. It once stood close to the town hall: convicts had to pass before the statue on the way to their death and say their prayers. CATTEDRALE DEI SANTI FELICE E FORTUNATO 3 At the beginning

of the Corso, to the left, stands the Baroque cathedral built entirely in red brick. The original building dates back to the year 1100, while the current cathedral and its interior were conceived by Baldassare Longhena, the great seventeenth-century architect who later also designed the church of Santa Maria della Salute in Venice. The cathedral is devoted to Saints Felix and Fortunatus, whose relics were brought here from Malamocco and are now preserved in one of the cathedral’s chapels. The imposing marble pulpit and precious sixteenth-century paintings are also interesting. A marble relief around the portal

135

dedicated to an episode of the Golden Legend, the Repose of the Virgin Mary, was made to commemorate the night Pope Alexander III spent here in 1177. The tall, detached campanile surmounted by a cupola dates from the fourteenth century.

buildings are dotted along the main street, the Corso del Popolo. Directly next to the cathedral, for example, the church of San Martino features an interesting octagonal layout and interconnected Gothic arches along the façade. Just a few houses further on stands the church of San Francesco (built 1454) with its classical red brick façade and white stone campanile. Opposite, at the junction with Calle San Giacomo, the Basilica San Giacomo, the largest church of Chioggia, towers high above. It houses a painting in the lavishly adorned main altar depicting the miraculous apparition of the Virgin Mary while a little ship was caught by a storm at sea. Many votive images and offerings, some of which in silver, are thanks for intercessions believers consider they obtained when they turned to the Virgin Mary for help. On the ceiling there is a large, impressive fresco by the eighteenth-century local artist Antonio Marinetti, known as Chioggiotto, a pupil of Giovanni Battista Piazzetta (1682–1754) and Antonio and Romualdo Mauri. A little further along stands the church of the Santissima Trinità, a simple red brick building with a commemorative plaque on the façade dedicated to the Catholic philosopher and Church doctor Antonio Rosmini, who was ordained here in 1821. There is hardly a town in Italy which does not have streets, squares, or schools named after him. A little further away from Canal Vena is the

CHIOGGIA

CORSO DEL POPOLO 4 Numerous other important historical

CHIOGGIA

136

church of the Filippini, built in marble by order of the father of the last doge of Venice, Ludovico Manin. It has a large, remarkable ceiling fresco by Giacomo Casa which depicts Saint Philip worshipping the Virgin Mary. The fourteenth-century church of Santa Caterina, once connected to the adjacent convent, is distinguished by a white marble façade and is likewise tucked away in a side alley. Palazzo Grassi was built for the non-religious needs of the rich Grassi family of merchants who later settled in Venice and built another palace bearing their name, today a much visited art exhibition venue. The palazzo in Chioggia houses a detached seat of the university of Padua and a museum dedicated to the fauna of the Adriatic Sea, the Museo di Zoologia Adriatica. The Palazzo del Comune (the town hall) is the most striking building, and dominates the Corso with its symmetric, neoclassical marble façade. The flagpole in the right-hand corner, carried by a marble group of “prisoners”, is of particular interest. GRANAIO 5 The elongated granary dates back to the fourteenth

century and is one of the oldest buildings in Chioggia. The fish market takes place every day (except Sundays) at ground level at the back of the building: an unforgettable experience for every visitor to Chioggia. CHIESA DI SANT’ANDREA 6 This church with a marble façade is

magnificently decorated inside and contains a Crucifixion by

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

137

Palma il Vecchio (1480–1528) which is well worth seeing. The tall Romanesque campanile next to the church is known as the torre dell’orologio, and dates from the eleventh–twelfth centuries. It was originally built for military purposes and has the oldest tower clock in the world. PORTICOS The porticoed streets are a very typical feature of Chioggia that cannot be found in any other lagoon city. They are a characteristic of the mainland towns in the Veneto and offer protection against the wind and rain and provide muchneeded shade in summer. Grocers once offered their wares for sale beneath the arcades which now accommodate stores and restaurants. SAN DOMENICO 7 In a secluded spot on a small island connected to Chioggia by a bridge stands the church of San Domenico, a former monastery owned by wealthy Dominican monks. This church houses a unique collection of artworks by Carpaccio (Saint Paul), ), Tintoretto, Damiani, Bassano, and Brustolon. A four-metre wooden crucifix ascribed to the northern European school of the fifteenth century dominates the main altar.

8 MUSEO CIVICO DELLA LAGUNA SUD 1, Campo Marconi, tel. 041 5500911, www.chioggia.org/museochioggia, Closed on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesday afternoons, opening times 9.00am–1.00pm, 3.00– 6.00pm, extended opening hours in Summer, 3.50 Euro This city museum is also referred to as San Francesco fuori le Mura (literally Saint Francis outside the city walls) due to the fact that it was once housed within the former Franciscan monastery. It was opened only recently (1997), and its

modern spaces, spanning three storeys, tell the history of the water world of the lagoon, from the first settlement to the modern day, from the history of settlement through journeys across the sea to land reclamation and the fishing industry. This museum contains fine collections, including archaeological findings, coins, ceramics, plastic models, dioramas, fishing tackle, photos, and much more. The building is connected to a library which contains valuable items, including thirteenth-century parchments.

CHIOGGIA

MUSEUMS

138

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

FAMOUS PERSONALITIES Chioggia is proud of its personalities such as the actress Eleonora Duse, whose parents were born in the city. Around the turn of the previous century, she appeared in the most prominent theatres in the world, turning the heads of many illustrious citizens, including the Italian poet and hedonist Gabriele D’Annunzio. Italian playwright Carlo Goldoni, whose plays are amongst the most widely performed in Italy, lived for a couple of years in Chioggia and based one of his play on Le Baruffe chiozzotte (The es). The Chioggia Scuffles

CHIOGGIA

Eating and drinking As the hub of the fishing industry in the area, the city of Chioggia has a great culinary tradition, with fish and seafood naturally providing the main ingredient. The great variety includes granseole (cooked crab meat with olive oil, lemon juice and spices), moleche (small crabs with a soft shell), bigoli in salsa (thick homemade spaghetti) served with a sauce made with sardelle or sardoni salài (sardines or anchovies preserved in salt), risoto de sepe (risotto with fried or boiled cuttlefish), spaghetti co le bibarasse (spaghetti with clams), risoto a la pescatora (risotto with chunks of fish served in its own juice), risoto a la ciosota (risotto made with a sauce of fried and cooked fish, with garlic, Parmesan and white wine), bisato in tecia (eel in a tomato and white wine sauce), sardele in saor (fried sardines pickled with onions and vinegar), the classic, unmissable broeto (fish soup with croutons, prepared with second-rate cuts of fish cut into chunks), and naturally radicio de Ciosa (the typically reddish radicchio lettuce) and bossolà (a doughnut-shaped loaf, also known as the pane di Chioggia, a special aromatic, crispy bread which keeps well).

9 OSTERIA PENZO 525, Via Calle Larga Bersaglio, tel. 041 400992, closed on Monday evenings and Tuesdays, www.osteriapenzo.it This family-run osteria (or tavern) offers typical food from Chioggia such as broeto de pesse (fish soup) and bisato in tecia (braised eel) alongside international dishes and specialities of the house. Near Piazza Vigo. 10 LA TAVERNA DA NADIA E FELICE 348, Calle F. Cavallotti, tel. 041 401806, closed on Mondays, www.tavernachioggia.com

Highly praised by customers, critics, and the press alike. This old tavern, converted into a high-class restaurant, serves the best of the city fish market, guaranteeing quality and freshness all-year round. The wine menu offers a good selection, above all of regional white wines and sparkling wines. 11 TRATTORIA SAN MARCO 1121, Fondamenta San Domenico, tel. 041 403307, closed on Mondays Traditional fishermanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tavern on the canal with a view of the fishing boats. Simple home-made cooking; reasonably priced and good.

CHIOGGIA

EATING AND DRINKING

140

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

CHIOGGIA

CHIOGGIA AT A GLANCE

The sightseeing tour of the city starts at Porta Garibaldi. After a detour to see the Refugium Peccatorum next to the cathedral we cross back over the Corso del Popolo. The most important artistic and cultural monuments are now lined up in front of us. At the end of the Corso we come to the atmospheric Piazzetta Vigo with the column surmounted by the lion and the most beautiful bridge in Chioggia, the Ponte di Vigo, which rises like a balcony overlooking the city and out towards the sea. It is the counterpart of Venice’s Rialto bridge. The magnificent Hotel Grande Italia also stands here, behind is the landing stage of the

vaporetti for Venice and other destinations in the lagoon. Continue down Calle Santa Croce and the bridge at the end to reach the monastery with the church of San Domenico. After passing by the fishing cutters moored along Canale San Domenico, we continue down Calle Doria until we reach Canal Vena. Cross over the canal to the lively fish market near to the Granaio (granary), then again over the Corso del Popolo to reach our starting point once more. There are plenty of opportunities along the trip to stop off at the many cosy inns, cafés, and restaurants to try out the local culinary specialities

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

141

EVENTS

CHIOGGIA

, I Venturieri di Chioggia: this historic regatta where old ships and typical lagoon boats gather for this special event at the end of May, with a host of fringe events. Tel. 320 0618288, www.venturieri.it , Palio della Marciliana: in the third weekend of June, wartime in medieval Chioggia when the maritime republics of Venice and Genoa fought for supremacy in Levantine trade, is brought back to life with parades, dancing, singing, exhibition fights, open-air banquets, and arm-wrestling competitions. www.marciliana.com , Sagra del pesce: in mid-July the alleys and squares come alive with music and theatrical performances at this “fish festival”. Fish and seafood is the top attraction at the food stalls, which serve classic culinary specialities. Starting at 9.30pm every night, the public is treated to a variety of performances on the large stage set up in Piazza Vigo. , Festa del Pescatore: at the end of July, fishermen sail their boats from the church of San Domenico to the harbour entrance where their boats and the sea are blessed and prizes are awarded to fishermen. From 8.00pm, Piazza Todaro is filled with music and dancing, and a selection of fish and seafood specialities are available for tasting. www. fondazionedellapesca.com , Le Baruffe in calle: for five days at the beginning of August, after 9.00pm the entire city is turned into a stage for a theatrical production Scuffles. inspired by Carlo Goldoni’s comedy The Chioggia Scuffles

CHIOGGIA ON THE INTERNET WWW.CHIOGGIA.ORG Website of the town of Chioggia with a great deal of background information, only in Italian.

142

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

10 11 12

7 6 5

3 2

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

143

The lagoon city of Venice stands opposite the two long, narrow islands of the Lido and Pellestrina. Their wide, fine-sanded beaches continue northwards along the mainland where Jesolo and Caorle are now very popular holiday resorts. Even before Venice was built, the islands were home to fishermen and hunters; it is in fact no coincidence that the coat of arms of Malamocco, one of the Lido districts, shows a stag. In Roman times, a waterway for canal boats stretched between the barene,, that is the reinforced, sparsely vegetated sandbanks of the lagoon. Barge transportation of goods was considered safer than along Via Poppilia or Via Annia, the Roman country roads which ran along the coastline. After the fall of Rome, the lagoon area came under Byzantine rule. Around 700 CE the towns broke away from this network and came under the rule of an elected doge based in Malamocco. In 811 the headquarters for his new settlements were moved to the islands with higher, firmer shores (known as the rive alte,, today’s Rialto). Since then, both these narrow strips of land and the other islands in the lagoon have been inseparably linked with Venice and are still inextricably a part of the city. Both these islands protected Venice from storms in the open sea and from foreign enemies. Like the other islands scattered around the lagoon, monasteries, churches, graveyards, hospitals and quarantine stations were built here to escape from dreaded epidemics such as the Great Plague. The crusaders’ war ships set sail from San Nicolò–Lido, while trade boats set off towards the east and pilgrims to the Holy Land. Towards the end of the eighteenth century the Lido developed into one of the most sophisticated holiday resorts, a place for the gentry and the very wealthy of Europe. Pellestrina, on the other hand, with its stone wave breakers, protected the lagoon from erosion by the sea. Both here and on the Lido, military camps were set up to deter potential enemies and defend the area from attack. The view over the lagoon and the sunsets were and still are a breathtaking experience and entice visitors to return to these unique locations.

FROM CHIOGGIA TO MESTRE

From Chioggia to Mestre

FROM CHIOGGIA TO MESTRE

144

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

THE CA’ ROMAN NATURE OASIS 1 In 1911 a long dam was built out to sea at the lagoon entrance, to protect the area from erosion. The consequent alteration to the current and the deposit of sediments led to the sudden widening of the beach and also the southernmost tip, where a unique dune landscape formed. Over the last four years the mainland has advanced a further eleven metres into the sea. A total of fifty-one hectares of land have been placed under protection and form an extraordinary plant and animal habitat. Many breeding birds have settled here and migratory birds make a stopover in the area. The beach is not cleaned mechanically so that even rare creatures in the sand are not disturbed or endangered. Designated footpaths run through the oasis and display boards provide information about its characteristics. The nature oasis is run by LIPU (Lega Italiana Protezione Uccelli, the Italian association for the protection of birds). For information and guided tours, call 340 6192175.

THE FORTIFICATIONS The Republic of Venice protected the la-

goon city by controlling its harbour entrances and erecting fortifications, nine of which still remain on Pellestrina. Most of these were extended and expanded by the Austrians, who occupied the area after the fall of the Republic. Before World War

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

145

I, the rapid development of technology in weapons and explosives made further reinforcements necessary, this time undertaken by the Kingdom of Italy. Canons were installed in order to hold back attacking ships. None of these fortifications is open to visitors, since many passed into private hands and were allocated to other purposes. One of these fortifications, the former Forte Ca’ Roman now known as Forte Barbarigo, faces the lagoon entrance between Chioggia and Pellestrina and dates back to the French occupancy around 1800.

south is a narrow, 13.8-kilometer-long strip of land. A stone dam (the murazzi)) on the seaward side follows the only road along which the residential estates of Pellestrina, Porto Secco, and San Pietro in Volta are located at the widest points. In the north, from Santa Maria del Mare, the ferries cross over to the Lido while in the south there is a ferry connection to Chioggia. Around 4,000 people live on the island. Although Chioggia is nearer, the island is far closer to Venice in economic and cultural terms. Historically speaking, the origins of Pellestrina date far back in time and legend has it that the Fossiones philistinae were built here as early as the fourth century BCE by Philistus of Syracuse, from whom the name of these first fortifications originate. Pellestrina was destroyed during the wars with the Genoese and was rebuilt with the patronage of the Busetto, Scarpa, Vianello, and Zennaro families. The districts on the island are named after these four families, and the municipal coat of arms is also divided into four sections, which respectively bear the symbols of each of the families. The seaward side is an ideal place for sunbathing and is never overly crowded – there are many undisturbed spots between the breakwaters which jut out into the sea at regular intervals. In the fishing villages time seems to have stood still – each village gives an idea of what life in the lagoon must have been like at the time of the maritime Republic of Venice, when everything was centred around the sea, boats and ships, and fishing. Many women in Pellestrina have preserved the traditional local craft of bobbin lace-making, and offer their precious lacework for sale.

FROM CHIOGGIA TO MESTRE

PELLESTRINA 2 The island which lies next to the Lido in the

146

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

SANTUARIO DELLA MADONNA DELL’APPARIZIONE 3 This church,

literally called the “sanctuary of the apparition of the Virgin”, is of great importance for Pellestrina. It dates back to August 4, 1716 when the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared before a young boy. News of the event spread like wildfire and pilgrims flocked to the place of the miracle where a magnificent church was erected. The façade of the octagonal building is clad in marble. The revered painting of the Virgin is located on the main altar, between the statues of Saints Vitus and Modestus.

EATING AND DRINKING DA CELESTE 625, Sestier Vianelli, Pellestrina, tel. 041 967043, closed on Tuesdays A traditional inn, where the main ingredient is naturally fresh fish. Lovely terrace on the water with a sea view.

FROM CHIOGGIA TO MESTRE

ALBERONI 4 In the south of this long island there is a character-

istic area known as the Alberoni, which takes its name from the high poplar trees (or alberi) alberi which pointed distant fishermen to the entrance to the lagoon. In this peaceful green haven, consisting partly of a public beach, a well-cared for golf course, a WWF oasis, a promenade with characteristic snack bars and a handful of hotels, the holiday mood is assured. An area of 160 hectares has been designated as a nature reserve. One of the area’s characteristic features are the sand dunes which, though not that high, are quite striking and overgrown and strengthened by Ammophila littoralis, a beach grass. There are also many other plants, some of which rare, which have adapted to the particular environmental conditions. A pine forest covering thirty hectares which is cared for by the forestry commission of the Veneto region stretches up to the lagoon. This nature reserve is also home to 113 species of birds, including the rare little tern (Sterna albifrons) and the Kentish plover (Charadrius alexandrines), both ground-nesting birds which incubate their

147

eggs in sand wells. It is thus forbidden to stray from the designated footpaths in order not to disturb these bird species, which hatch in early summer. Free admittance in Via dei Bagni Marini. For guided tours, contact mobile 348 2686472 or WWF Veneto, tel. 041 971384, www.dunealberoni.it; information can also be obtained from the kiosk in Piazza Alberoni.

This small, picturesque district lies in the heart of the island and is crossed by a few canals along which the boats of the locals bob up and down. Hardly any traces remain of its former past, but this was once the nucleus of what would later become Venice, and the first doges and bishops lived here into the ninth century. The church of Santa Maria Assunta dates back to the twelfth century, while the Gothic Palazzo del PodestĂ (or chief magistrate) is from the sixteenth century. 5

EATING AND DRINKING AL PONTE DI BORGO 27, Calle Merceria, Malamocco, tel. 041 770090, closed on Mondays A simple inn with garden, where fish

and seafood are naturally the key ingredients on the menu.

FROM CHIOGGIA TO MESTRE

MALAMOCCO

148

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

THE LIDO 6 The official name of this island is actually Litorale

FROM CHIOGGIA TO MESTRE

di Lido, in other words Lido shore (from the Latin litus, shore). This narrow strip of land, a spit off the coast of Venice, stretches from Chioggia to Jesolo and separates the inland sea of the lagoon from the Adriatic. It continues to the north in the somewhat wider strip of land of Cavallino, the long, narrow island of Pellestrina in the south, and the peninsula of Sottomarina, again somewhat wider, with its beautiful beaches. Around 18,000 people live on these islands, most in the town of Lido and 620 at Alberoni, on the southernmost tip. Malamocco lies in the centre of the Lido, of which it was once the capital and an episcopal seat. The first doges also lived here before moving to Rialto in the ninth century. The side of the island which looks out to sea consists of a wide, beautiful beach, the northern part of which lies just in front of the hotels and is reserved for the hotel guests. In the south there is a public beach protected by great white blocks of stone: THE MURAZZI 7 . This part was built as long as 250 years ago by the Serenissima to protect Venice from being eroded by the sea. Stone dykes lead out into the sea at regular intervals; both the dykes and the large stone blocks of the wave breakers are popular with the locals for sunbathing and coastline walks. Many sun worshippers use the driftwood they find on the beach to build make-shift windshields for grilling meat and enjoying picnics. A dyke has been built along the Murazzi that runs parallel to the shore, and includes a reinforced path for walkers and cyclists; on the side looking towards the lagoon there is a rather deserted motorway, which offers beautiful views of the skyline of Venice. Let’s take a closer look at the most important sights you can expect to encounter during a tour of the island. As a starting point, you could take the Santa Maria Elisabetta area on the north-western bank: this location has always been the main junction on the island and the landing stage for the public ferries and vaporetti. THE MAGNIFICENT ART NOUVEAU BUILDINGS 8 Seaside tourism

began on the Lido as early as the late nineteenth century. Elegant, high-class hotels and villas were built in Art Nouveau style and others featured a new eclectic style inspired by Is-

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

149

Anyone interested in more in-depth information can find detailed plans and suggestions for an architectural tour at www2.comune.venezia.it/lidoliberty

THE JEWISH CEMETERY 9 Not far from the airport grounds, at 70, Via Cipro, lies the Jewish cemetery. It is, along with the Jewish cemetery in Prague, one of the oldest in Europe and a gravestone bears the date 1389. The cemetery has been renovated in recent years and is a haven of peace and tranquillity. Guided tours are available in English and Italian, and advance booking is mandatory. Tel. 041 715359, www.museoebraico.it

GIOVANNI NICELLI AIRPORT 10 In the 1930s a large airport was built on the Lido, the largest in terms of passengers and goods handling after Rome. The Transadriatica airline company used the most modern aircraft, including the legendary Junker. Sea-

FROM CHIOGGIA TO MESTRE

lamic architecture, known as the stile moresco,, or Moorish style. The somewhat fading splendour is evident in impressive buildings such as the former casino, the Grand Hôtel des Bains (the set for Luchino Viscosti’s film Death in Venice,, based on Thomas Mann’s novel of the same name), the palazzo of the Venice film festival (a new one is currently being built), and the Excelsior Hotel. It is impossible not to notice the influence of Art Nouveau on the many buildings dating back to the turn of the twentieth century, such as the former Hotel Grande Italia at the Via Tiro junction or Villa Licia in Via Negroponte (no. 19), Villa Eva and the stunning Hotel Hungaria, both situated along the Gran Viale.

150

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

planes splashed down before the nearby island of Sant’Andrea where efficient workshops saw to their repair and maintenance. Since the passenger airport was moved to the mainland, the airport buildings and control tower on the island with their interesting 1930s architecture have been used as a reception area; they also house an elegant restaurant. Panoramic sightseeing flights are also offered

FROM CHIOGGIA TO MESTRE

www.aeroportonicelli.it

BRIDGE AND CHIESA DI SAN NICOLÒ 11 As early as the year 800 CE a small church dedicated to Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of sailors, stood here. Then the Benedictine monks, who reclaimed and farmed the land from the eleventh century, built a large monastery. The sarcophagus of doge Domenico Contarini, a benefactor of the monastery church, is embedded in the façade above the portal. The tall campanile was once also used as a lighthouse and marked the nearby entrance of the lagoon. The church was extended and rebuilt in the seventeenth century but the simple brick façade was left as it was. The interior is lavishly decorated. The wooden choir, a crucifix dating back to the fourteenth century and the Baroque altar in colourful marble are worth seeing. Today, the extensive monastery is used for secular purposes and accommodates the EIUC, the European Inter-University Centre for Human Rights and Democratisation (www.eiuc.org). In the thirteenth century, crusaders set sail for the liberation of Jerusalem from San Nicolò. It is believed that 30,000 French knights camped in 1204 around the Palazzo dei Dieci, an important court building on the island, before setting off for the Holy Land.

TEMPIO VOTIVO 12 This round, domed building, a memorial

built between World War I and II, towers above the low houses and can be reached by a flight of steps.

Without claiming to give a complete account, we would like to list some of the famous guests of the lagoon islands, starting with the acclaimed German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, who sailed to the Lido on a gondola in 1796 to visit the English cemetery. In his novel Italian Journey he describes the beach, the fishermen and their songs as well as his trips to Pellestrina and Chioggia. Another guest was Lord Byron, who searched and found inspiration for his poetry on the Lido in 1816. He roamed across the islands on foot and on horseback. Venice was the last stopover for Richard Wagner, who died here on

February 13, 1833. He went to the Lido regularly to admire the sunset. During his stay in Venice in 1895, Sigmund Freud loved the exceptionally fine sandy beaches on the Lido, where he would go swimming every day. In 1901, Hermann Hesse was very enthusiastic about the deep blue of the Adriatic Sea, and in 1911 Thomas Mann drew inspiration from the Lido for his famous novel Death in Venice. Naturally, we should also mention the Venetian playwright Carlo Goldoni, who often set his plots in his home town, its islands, and the lagoon city of Chioggia.

FROM CHIOGGIA TO MESTRE

ILLUSTRIOUS ISLAND VISITORS

152

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

Chioggia

Venice enice T

1 2 3 4 5 6 17 18 19 20 21

Monuments and historical sites Canal Grande Piazza San Marco Basilica di San Marco Palazzo dei Dogi Riva degli Schiavoni Rialto Ponte dei Sospiri Campo Santo Stefano Chiesa di Santa Maria della Salute Zattere Ca’ d’Oro

22 Campo dei SS. Giovanni e Paolo 23 Giardini della Biennale 24 Giudecca 25 Chiesa del Redentore Museums 7 Galleria dell’Accademia 8 Guggenheim 9 Scuola Grande di San Rocco Restaurants and pubs 10 Trattoria Bandierette 11 Osteria Alla Vedova 12 Da Rosa Salva

13 14 15 16 26

Trattoria alla Rivetta Pasticceria Tonolo Al Bacco Felice Taverna del Campiello Trattoria Rosa dei Venti

27 28 29 30

Hotels Hotel Bellini Hotel Santa Chiara Hotel Al Sole Venice Certosa Hotel

Barges 31 Ave Maria 32 Vita Pugna

Ponte degli Scalzi

Maercato Ittico

Stazione Ferroviaria San Lucia

S tr

San Giacomo dell’Orio

ad aN uo vo

Santi Apostoli

33 Piazzale Roma

28 Giardino Papadopoli

25 19,20

Campo di San Polo

nz era

de r an al G Can

Sco

Campo di San Margherita

26 Campo S. Angelo

Palazzo Grassi

SAN MARCO

Ponte dell’Accademia

Giu

Punta della Dogena

San Giorgio Maggiore

de c ca Le Zitelle

Cana

le de

i La vran eri

Bacino di San Marco

ella

La Gi u de c ca 22

31,32

Dogana da Mar

San Trovaso

C an ale d

Sacca Fisola

Canal Grand e

Laguna Veneta

San Nicolo

153

Campanile 4 Piazza di San Marco Piazetta

San Stefano

DORSODURO

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

SAN POLO

Bacino della Stazione Marittima

Ospedale Civile

SAN CROCE

154

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

Venice The province of Venice includes not only the lagoon and the island city of Venice but also a relatively narrow coastal strip along the mainland. A small number of locals (14%) work in manufacturing, and even fewer (4.2%) in agriculture and fishing, while the vast majority (a whopping 60%) work in the tourist, commerce and service industries. Alongside Venice, the jewel in the crown, the Adriatic beaches with the holiday resorts of Lido di Venezia, Cavallino, Eraclea, Caorle and Bibione attract 36 million tourists every year, mainly in the summer months, who choose to spend their holidays in the province of Venice. In the 1920s and ’30s a new town with a port and industries, including shipyards and petrochemical plants, was built on the mainland. Many of Venice’s inhabitants preferred to live

VENICE

THE PROVINCE OF VENICE IN FIGURES AREA: 2,462 square kilometres INHABITANTS OF THE PROVINCE: 863,000 THE SIX LARGEST TOWNS (IN TERMS OF POPULATION) ARE: Venice: 271,000 Chioggia: 50,700 San Donà di Piave: 41,600, Mira: 39.000, Mirano: 27,100, Spinea: 27,050

AUSTRIA

I TA L I A

155

and work in these new towns, and Porto Marghera and Mestre flourished. Young people found employment, city life with all its diversity and a wealth of sporting and leisure facilities that could not be found in the romantic lagoon city with its gondolas, canals, and vaporetti... and no commercial centres or large markets. Exorbitant rents and property prices are another good reason for turning one’s back on Venice’s glittering façade. The population of Venice has been falling for decades, now: in the 1950s there were still 130,000 people living in the island city, but now there are only 60,000 stalwarts. Just over 210,000 live in the towns on the mainland, which together with Venice proper make up the whole municipality of greater Venice. The wealth of art treasures and things to see in Venice and the surrounding area means that even the most comprehensive guide could offer only a sketchy outline of the town. Our little guide can therefore only provide a few tips for a fleeting visit. We know that our readers are cyclists, who love to travel light and will only need a general, overall impression. For a more detailed picture, you will need to spend at least three days in Venice, and good travel books about Venice are readily available in many different languages. APT VENEZIA (TOURIST BOARD) www.turismovenezia.it 4421 Castello, Palazzina del Santo, San Marco–Giardini Ex Reali

Other locations: Santa Lucia railway station; Piazzale Roma; ASM (road) bus terminus Tel. 041 5298711

VENICE

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

156

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

History of the city THE ROMAN PERIOD In 181 BCE Aquileia was founded on the

coast to the north-east of Venice as a Roman city and administrative centre for the coastal region. In 42 BCE the port town of Altino was established in the lagoon. This was the start of the Via Claudia Augusta Altinate, the paved military and trading road that runs through Feltre, Trento, Merano, the upper valley of the Adige River, and then goes over the Passo di Resia between the valleys of the Adige and Inn rivers and over the Fern Pass towards Germany and Augsburg. In about 400 CE, a series of settlements (Altino, Concordia Sagittaria, Aquileia, Oderzo and Padua) sprang up along the mainland around the lagoon, which they used as a fishery. Legend has it that mainlanders fleeing before the invading Huns founded Venice on 25 March, 421 CE. THE BARBARIAN INVASION DURING BYZANTINE RULE After the fall of Rome, the Longobards occupied the mainland in 568. Byzantium retained control of the province of Venetia, that is the coastal strip, lagoon and islands. In 639 the Byzantines gave up Oderzo and, because of the frequent raids by Barbarian tribes, the inhabitants of the mainland retreated to the marshy, inhospitable yet easily-guarded islands of the lagoon. The church of Santa Maria, dedicated to the Virgin Mary was built on the island of Torcello. A dukedom under Byzantine sovereignty was established. According to tradition, Paoluccio Anafesto was appointed the first doge in the year 687 (the word doge derives from the Latin dux, or leader).

VENICE

THE REPUBLIC In 810 Pepin, the son of Charles the Great, tried

to conquer the lagoon. The attempt ended in failure when the inhabitants retreated to the Rialto Islands (rialto means riva alta or high, firm shore), and 811, the year in which Agnello Particiaco was elected doge, is considered to be the year when the Venetian Republic was founded. In 828 Venetian merchants in Alexandria stole the body of Saint Mark the Evangelist from Egypt and brought him to Venice. Work on Saint Mark’s Cathedral began the very next year, and Saint Mark replaced Saint Theodore as Venice’s patron saint. The winged lion, the symbol of Mark the Evangelist, was added to Venice’s coat of arms, asserting Venetian sovereignty.

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

157

The Venetians conquered Dalmatia in the year 1000, and was henceforth independent of Byzantium to all intents and purposes. In 1202 Venice took part in the Fourth Crusade, conquered Constantinople, the capital of Byzantium, and made off with the four gold-covered horses now adorning Saint Mark’s Cathedral.

val, the city of Genoa. Twenty years later, after further skirmishes, Genoa confirmed its predominance in Liguria and Venice its predominance in the Orient. In 1347 a galley brought the plague to Venice from the Crimea and over half the population was killed. 1389–1420 Neighbouring city states submitted more or less voluntarily to Venetian sovereignty. The discovery of America in 1492 gradually led to a shift in trade and economic influence to the new maritime powers. When the sea passage to India was discovered, Venice became the centre of trade with the Far East and consolidated its dominant position. The Venetian Republic ruled over most of the Adriatic coasts, Dalmatia, Istria, several islands in the Aegean, Crete, Cyprus and Corfu. 1508–1515 In the wars with the League of Cambrai Venice had to defend itself against an alliance of numerous European powers. Though retaining most of its territory, it was nonetheless weakened by the conflict. The Turks continued to expand in the Eastern Mediterranean and raided neighbouring Friuli. In 1571 the Turks were defeated at Lepanto in a naval battle, but the victory was short lived.

VENICE

VENICE AT ITS ZENITH 1257–1270 Venice defeated its trading ri-

158

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

THE SLOW DECLINE Between 1644 and 1718 Venice lost its ter-

ritories in the eastern Mediterranean (Cyprus, Crete, the Peloponnese). The Serenissima was left with Istria, Dalmatia, the Ionian Islands and parts of Albania. In 1797 Ludovico Manin, the Republic’s last doge, handed Venice over to the French, thus proclaiming the end of the Venetian Republic. In 1815 Venice was assigned to Austria, and in 1841 the Austrians built the Mestre-Venice rail link, thus linking the city to the mainland. UNITED WITH ITALY In 1866 the Austrians were defeated at Sad-

owa by Italy’s ally Prussia. Following a plebiscite, Venice joined the fledgling Kingdom of Italy. In 1895 the first Biennale, the successful art exhibition, was held and in 1932 the first film festival was inaugurated. Since 2001 the Mo.S.E. project has attempted to provide protection against the constant risk of flooding. Seventy-eight gigantic movable dam modules will close the entrance of the Venice lagoon in the event of exceptionally high tides. It must be said that this complex system is as expensive as it is controversial.

VENICE

VENICE ON THE INTERNET WWW.ACTV.IT Home page of the public transport authority with timetables and fares.

rities with a lot of useful information about events, bus and navigation timetables, and things to see; also in English.

WWW.CHORUSVENEZIA.ORG Organisation for promoting the religious buildings of Venice. Guided tours, events in seventeen churches.

WWW.VISITMUVE.IT The city’s museums introduce themselves. They range from the Doge’s Palace to the lace museum on the island of Burano. Tickets can also be purchased online; also in English.

WWW.NATURA-VENEZIA.IT Members of this group organise nature-inspired holidays in Venice, boat trips on the lagoon with ecologically-minded guides; also in English. WWW.COMUNE.VENEZIA.IT The city of Venice’s website with a fine tourism section; only in Italian. WWW.HELLOVENEZIA.IT Homepage of the public transport autho-

WWW.COMUNE.VENEZIA.IT/FLEX/ CM/PAGES/SERVEBLOB.PHP/L/IT/ IDPAGINA/893 Webcam coverage of Saint Mark’s Square. WWW.VENICECONNECTED.COM/DE A lot of useful (and some arguably less useful) information about Venice, from how to organise a wedding to the location of public conveniences, Wi-Fi points, etc.

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

159

Everything seems to have already been written about Venice, including its cats, lions, bridges, canals, islands, palazzi, fountains, legends, carnival, more than one hundred doges, victories and losses, illustrious visitors and much more besides. It is therefore hardly possible to report anything much that is new and exciting. Our advice is therefore to do away with fixed schedules and definite destinations. As it’s virtually impossible to really, really lose your way on the island, just let yourself be enchanted by the city’s architecture, light, sounds and smells. When you leave you will experience a yearning to return and uncover other faces of Venice!

Getting there Venice was once completely cut off from the mainland, but it can now be reached by car, train and bus. A long bridge links the city on the lagoon to the mainland. Buses and trains go directly to the Grand Canal – getting there could not be simpler. Just a few metres further on you will come to the vaporetto stop (vaporetto means “little steam boat”, even though the boats are now diesel-driven). The vaporetto is the public transport for the canals of Venice. Make sure you get the right ticket: Euro 7.50 for a single, one-way trip, but there are other tickets that provide unlimited access to vaporetti for a set period (you can get a 24-hour for Euro 20 and a 48-hour ticket for Euro 30). For further information: www.actv.it

160

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

Small Venice phrase book THE GONDOLA This asymmetrical, slim, shiny black boat that is

rowed by a gondolier who stands facing forwards is one of the hallmarks of Venice. The metal ornamentation on the bow has the following meaning: the helmet-shaped tip symbolises the Corno Ducale, or the doge’s crown; the six metal tongues that point forwards like spikes represent the city’s six districts, known as sestieri; the spike pointing towards the stern is the Giudecca archipelago. A 40-minute round trip in a gondola costs at least Euro 80 but a gondola can take up to six passengers, which of course brings the price per person down. Agree on the journey time and price before getting in the gondola because the trip might otherwise get rather pricey! You can pay less for the adventure of crossing the Grand Canal in a gondola; crossing the Grand Canal in the public gondola, called the traghetto costs just Euro 0.50. Venice has plenty of vaporetto stops and the furthest and therefore longest crossing goes from San Tomà to Sant’Angelo.

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

161

THE CITY OF ISLANDS Venice is built on more than 100 islands, and boasts 150 canals and 400 bridges. A canal is called a rio, a road or alley a calle, a square is a campo, a small square a campiello, and a footpath or wide pavement along the canal is known as a riva or fondamenta. THE CITY OF BELL TOWERS AND CAMPANILI A book from the end

THE LAGOON The lagoon measures about 500 square kilometres and is a shallow, almost landlocked sea. A narrow strip of land with a few openings (at Porto di Lido, Malamocco and Chioggia) separates the waters of the lagoon from the open Adriatic. Every six hours, with the ebb and flow of the tide, water flows from the sea into the lagoon and out again, thus ensuring that the water changes. Major rivers such as the Piave, Sile, Brenta and Adige have been diverted and channelled and no longer flow into the lagoon but into the sea because (by now their sediment would have filled the lagoon had they not been diverted). The canals of Venice are dredged regularly to stop them from filling up with mud and sludge. All the houses in the lagoon are built on stilts, mostly larch or oak, that are pressed through the shallow layer of mud into a firmer layer known as the caranto. The lagoon is criss-crossed by a network of somewhat deeper water courses marked by posts (bricole), and boats that do follow these routes run aground. In addition to the islands on which Venice stands, about twenty other islands in the lagoon are also inhabited, many by just a few families or even a handful of

VENICE

of the nineteenth century counted 178 campanili and bell towers in Venice. The largest is the campanile in Saint Mark’s Square. At an impressive 99 metres, it is Italy’s third-tallest after Cremona’s (111 metres) and the Torre del Mangia in Siena (102 metres). There was a tower here back in the ninth century which was apparently built over Roman foundations. The original campanile was rebuilt and partially destroyed by lightening and finally, in 1513, given its present shape and size. In July 1902 the tower unexpectedly developed large cracks and collapsed on the fourteenth of the month (fortunately there were no victims). Just one year later it was rebuilt, the e com’era“, mayor pronouncing the famous words “dov’era “ com’era (“where it was and the way it was”). Visitors must take the lift up to the balcony at the top of the campanile.

162

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

VENICE

monks in a monastery. The most picturesque island is Burano, where the gaily painted houses that used to be homes to fishermen line the bank of the canal. Murano is the centre for glass production. The Lido (the narrow island separating the lagoon from the Adriatic) is famous for its beautiful beach and Film Festival. The cemetery is located on the island of San Michele, and other islands are dedicated to vegetable gardens. The waters of the lagoon are full of fish, and Venetians have their own fishing methods – in the remote channels and waters of the lagoon large flat nets (bilance ((bilance), bilance are suspended in the water and periodically pulled up. THE “SCHOOLS” OR FRATERNITIES Groups of merchants or craftsmen formed fraternities or guilds known as Scuole, or schools, each with its own patron saint. These guilds amassed great wealth, found business for their members and built magnificent houses. Tintoretto was a member of the fraternity of Saint Rocco (the Scuola Grande di San Rocco), and adorned its Renaissance palace and church with fifty-six magnificent panel paintings. LANDSCAPE The old town of Venice consists of a multitude of

islands in the middle of the Venice lagoon, but larger islands and the mainland actually account for 83% of the surface area of the municipality of Venice. Until 1846, when the railway bridge was completed by the Austrians, the old town was com-

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

163

pletely cut off from the mainland. The railway bridge was later joined by Ponte della Libertà (literally “freedom bridge”, 1933), which provided a road link for motor vehicles between Mestre and Piazzale Roma. From the air, the old town looks like a fish whose tail points east. This central part of the city is divided into six sestieri (sixths): Dorsoduro, Santa Croce, San Polo, San Marco, Cannaregio and Castello. There are myriad canals running through the city, but the most important are the Grand Canal (Canal Grande) and Canale della Giudecca. The former divides the city into two halves and is shaped like a back-tofront S; the latter divides the city centre proper from the Iisland of Giudecca ito the south. This is where the incredibly large cruise ships enter Venice to dock at Venice’s port, the Stazione Marittima, each ship disgorging thousands of visitors. The superstructures and funnels that dwarf the houses and palazzi of the city offer a strange spectacle and fuel debates about how many tourists the city can cope with. Until the railway and road bridges were built, the city could only be reached by water, which is why the façades of the more important palazzi all face the water.

164

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

The best in brief THINGS TO SEE You will have to pick and choose, as there are just too many important art and cultural treasures in a really confined space crying out to be noticed. We shall limit ourselves to the few highlights that can be visited in the course of a day. CANAL GRANDE 1 The Venetians affectionately call it the canal-

VENICE

azzo,, or ugly old canal. It was the watercourse along which goods and people had to pass. From the fifteenth to the eighteenth centuries gleaming palaces sprang up and now reflect the entire stylistic repertoire from Gothic to Renaissance and Baroque, whereby everything is lent a touch of typical Venetian playfulness. The construction of various bridges (Ponte degli Scalzi, Accademia, Rialto and, last but not least, the bridge by the famous modernist architect Santiago Calatrava from the railway station to the main bus station of Piazzale Roma) emphasises the increasing importance of pedestrian traffic in relation to boat traffic. SAINT MARK’S SQUARE 2 When people talk about Venice they inevitably think of Saint Mark’s Square, the heart of the city and the symbol of the Venetian Republic. It is the only square in the city called a piazza rather than campo. In the east it is bounded by the impressive complex of Saint Mark’s Cathedral and the Doge’s Palace. The 99-metre tall campanile dominates the middle of the square. On the canal bank, two large pillars mark the entrance to the city from the sea. Today’s square is the result of a thousand years of endless restructuring and im-

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

165

position of different styles (from the Byzantine Gothic of the cathedral to the neo-Classicism of the Napoleonic Procuratie), all contributing to create a harmonious whole. The square can best be appreciated from the top of the campanile or from the terrace of Saint Mark’s Cathedral. Anyone visiting Venice eventually comes to Saint Mark’s Square, so it is therefore always crowded. Formerly, having a photo taken while feeding the pigeons was a must, but feeding the pigeons is now forbidden because their droppings seriously damage the historic buildings. If you can bear the exorbitant prices of the espressos and drinks in the square, you can sit at the tables of one of the beautiful cafés and enjoy the atmospheric bustle. 3 This has always been Venice’s main place of worship and stands at the centre of the city’s public and religious life. The first church to be dedicated to Saint Mark was built in 828 next to the Doge’s Palace and housed the remains of Saint Mark the Evangelist, which are said to have been removed from Alexandria by merchants. The cathedral was rebuilt several times after fires in the tenth and thirteenth centuries. The church’s wonderful golden mosaics date back to before the twelfth century and measure an incredible 4,200 square metres. In the centuries that followed, the cathedral was decorated even more lavishly with columns, friezes, sculptures, and marble and gold objects, which sometimes found their way into the ships of the Venetian merchants in a somewhat unorthodox manner. The basilica is laid out as a Greek cross with five cupolas. The floor mosaics are also magnificent (they are now partially covered by carpets and raised walkways to protect them). The high altar houses the bones of Saint Mark. You will need to buy a ticket to view the church treasures of Saint Mark’s marble throne and the golden Pala d’Oro or altarpiece, which is decorated with jewels, pearls and enamel. The cathedral treasure also has a crypt and four gold-covered bronze horses from Constantinople that for hundreds of years stood on the terrace of the basilica and were then replaced by copies after restoration.

Admittance to the basilica is free, but a ticket is required to visit the cathedral treasure and Pala d’Oro (Euro 3 and Euro 2, respectively) Admittance to the loggia of Saint Mark’s basilica with its fine view over Saint Mark’s Square is Euro 4

VENICE

SAINT MARK’S CATHEDRAL

166

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

THE DOGE’S PALACE 4 This is the greatest Venetian Gothic building, symbol of the power of the Venetian Republic, the seat of the doges and Venice’s Council and Senate Chambers. Today it houses the city museum, the Museo Civico di Palazzo Ducale It started off in the ninth century as a castle and was then continuously extended. It was destroyed by fire several times, but always rebuilt. The two filigree rows of arcades give it its distinctive appearance. On the first floor you will find the Loggia that runs around the building. The museum contains countless masterpieces from the greatest of Renaissance artists (Titian, Tintoretto, Veronese, Bellini, Carpaccio, Bosch). From the first floor of the east wing the famous Bridge of Sighs crosses a little canal and connects the Doge’s Palace to the prisons, the Prigioni Nuove. It was from here that Giacomo Casanova made his daring escape in 1756.

VENICE

Mid March to 2 November 9am–7pm (no admittance after 6pm). The San Marco Museum Plus ticket costs Euro 13 and gives you admittance to the Doge’s Palace, the Correr Museum, the Archeological Museum, the Marciana Library and one more city museum.

RIVA DEGLI SCHIAVONI 5 This popular promenade along the extended curved quay that runs from Saint Mark’s Square eastwards to Rio della Ca’ di Dio owes its name to traders from Slavonia who tied their boats here to ply their trade. Today’s tourists thronging around the souvenir stands and landing stages of the ferries in no way detract from the wonderful view of the island of San Giorgio Maggiore. Canaletto’s eighteenth-

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

167

century vedute show that ships were mooring on this bank even then and that the Riva degli Schiavoni was full of gondolas, sailing ships and barges. The famous hotels Danieli e Gabrielli and the house where Henry James stayed in Venice are also along this promenade. At the end of it, at the corner of Calle Vallaresso (at number 1323), you can pop into the celebrated Harry’s Bar where Orson Welles, Truman Capote and Ernest Hemingway also sipped, or rather knocked back, their drinks. This is where the cocktail Bellini (prosecco and peach brandy) is said to have been created in honour of the painter Giovanni Bellini. RIALTO 6 In this area, which was originally the centre of Venice

and hosted the food market, there has always been a bridge over the canal. The first was a pontoon bridge, which was then replaced by a wooden bridge with two rising ramps and a movable central section to let the boats through. Today’s Rialto bridge is a single-span stone bridge over the canal, and was built in the second half of the sixteenth century. Both ramps of the bridge are lined with shops fronted by arcades. A fruit and vegetable market (Erberia) and a fish market (campo della Pescheria) are held daily and are one of the city’s favourite tourist attractions.

168

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

MUSEUMS

VENICE

del Merletto (the lace museum on the island of Burano); the Museo di Storia Naturale (the natural history museum). For more information, call the toll-free number 848082000 (only from Italy) or visit www.vivaticket.it and go “Venezia – art – Civic museum of Venice”.

MUSEUM PASS Unfortunately, there is no general pass for all of Venice’s museums. A combined ticket for the city museums costs Euro 20.50 and provides admittance to the four museums in Saint Mark’s Square (Palazzo Ducale, Museo Correr, Museo Archeologico Nazionale and the Sale Monumentali della Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana) and another city museum of your choice, such as Ca’ Rezzonico - Museo del Settecento Veneziano (dedicated to eighteen-century Venice), Casa di Carlo Goldoni (the home of the playwright Goldoni), Museo di Palazzo Mocenigo, Ca’ Pesaro, the Galleria Internazionale d’Arte Moderna + Museo d’Arte Orientale, the Museo del Vetro (the glass museum on the island of Murano), the Museo

7 GALLERIE DELL’ACCADEMIA www.gallerieaccademia.org 1050 Campo della Carità, Dorsoduro, Tel. 041 5200345, Tuesdays–Sundays 8.15am– 7.15pm, Mondays 8.15am–2pm; Euro 6.50. Prices may vary for special exhibitions. Venice’s most important art gallery is at the foot of the Ponte dell’Accademia and takes its name from the Accademia delle Belle Arti, or academy of fine art, that was opened in 1817 and located here until 2004. Since it was founded (1750) the Accademia has acquired works of art for teaching purposes or to restore them. The collection includes sculptures, drawings and Leonardo da Vinci’s famous Vitruvian Man (on display only on special occasions), and especially art from the fourteenth to eighteenth centuries, including works by Carpaccio, Bellini, Veronese, Canaletto, Giorgione, Mantegna, Piero della Francesca, Tintoretto and Titian. 8 PEGGY GUGGENHEIM COLLECTION www.guggenheim-venice.it 704 Dorsoduro, Tel. 041 2405411, Daily 10am–6pm, closed Tuesdays; Euro 12 Until 1979, Palazzo Venier dei Leoni was the Venetian home of the

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

American collector and patron Peggy Guggenheim. It houses an important collection of modern European and American works, including Mondrian, Klee, Miró, Magritte, De Chirico, Picasso, Kandinsky, Brancusi, Duchamp and Pollock; the garden also contains sculptures by other artists. The remarkable selection of the twentieth-century collector Gianni Mattioli includes the most important names of Italian Futurism (Sironi, Carrà, Soffici and Rosai), as well as many Morandis and a wonderful portrait by Modigliani. It can be reached via the Ponte dell’Accademia and is on the south bank of the Grand Canal. 9 SCUOLA GRANDE DI SAN ROCCO www.scuolagrandesanrocco.it San Polo 3052, Tel. 041 5234864, daily 9.30am–5.30pm,

169

no admittance after 5pm; Euro 8 The church and the palazzo of prosperous Venetians belonging to the fraternity of San Rocco were built in the years 1508 and 1560. The inner rooms were decorated only by Tintoretto and his pupils and work began in 1564. The palazzo and picture collection are well preserved and are one of Venice’s greatest attractions. The Sala dell’Albergo is particularly impressive. The marvellous cycle of the teleri,, the wall paintings on canvas in the three halls on the ground floor, constitutes a unified whole comparable to the cycle in Rome’s Sistine Chapel. On 16 August each year there is a traditional procession in honour of Saint Rocco, to whom the people of Venice turned for protection from the plague in the sixteenth century.

Eating and drinking course characterised by fish, which is mostly accompanied by polenta, especially the little seppioline or squid. Bisato (pickled eel) is also popular. Starters include not only the ever present pasta dishes but also rice dishes. Typical fare includes sarde in saor (sardines cooked with onions and vinegar and eaten cold or lukewarm as a light starter), risi e bisi (rice with peas), fegato alla Veneziana (liver cooked in the Venetian manner with lots of onions), black squid risotto and cicheti, tasty starters similar to Spanish tapas that are eaten as appetisers or with an aperitif. Venice is also famous for all sorts of biscuits and sweetmeats, which include baicoli and pan del pescatore, a sweet flat cake made with almonds and pistachios, crema fritta (baked custard), bussolai from the island of Burano (s-shaped or round butter biscuits), crostoli that are eaten during Carnival, fregolotta (a cake with almonds made with short pastry), a milk pudding called rosada and yellow polenta biscuits known as zaleti.

VENICE

A LOT OF FISH AND A HOST OF DESSERTS Venetian cuisine is of

170

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

VENICE

EATING AND DRINKING

10 TRATTORIA BANDIERETTE 6671 Castello, Barbaria delle Tole, Tel. 041 5220619, closed Tuesdays, www.bandierette.it The good, reasonably priced fish menu and the friendliness of the hosts make this place the ideal location for eating in good company.

13 TRATTORIA ALLA RIVETTA 4625 Castello, Tel. 041 5287302 Near Saint Mark’s Square, east of the basilica, coming from Calle delle Rasse, on the bridge to Campo San Provolo. The only drawback is that the premises are tiny and there’s always a bit of a fight for the few tables. Get there early!

11 OSTERIA ALLA VEDOVA – CÀ D’ORO 3912 Cannaregio, Tel. 041 5285324, closed Sundays for lunch and all day Thursdays. Though very popular, this osteria is still authentically Venetian; the counter is always groaning with snacks such as small fried fish, stuffed vegetables, baccalà (salt cod) and prawns on skewers.

14 PASTICCERIA TONOLO 3764 Dorsoduro, Tel. 041 5237209, closed Mondays A small, fine pasticceria with a great tradition and an enormous cake counter. Their bomboloni alla crema (puffs filled with confectioner’s custard) are rightly feted.

12 DA ROSA SALVA Calle Fiubera, Tel. 041 5210544, open every day, www.rosasalva.it Just three minutes from Saint Mark’s Square, go under the clock into the thoroughfare called the Mercerie, take the left, go over a small bridge and turn into Calle Fiubera. This is a traditional pasticceria and snack bar. You can eat round the clock: fresh, deliciously succulent tramezzini (small triangular sandwiches made with white bread), hot starters and wonderful desserts. You can also eat at open-air tables without any extra service charge, which is highly unusual in Venice.

15 AL BACCO FELICE 197/e Santa Croce, Tel. 041 5287794, open every day The very name (literally, the happy Bacchus) is enticing. They do not just serve pizza but also good, quick dishes. The service is friendly and attentive, the surroundings modern and the prices reasonable. Conveniently near the bus and train stations. 16 TAVERNA DEL CAMPIELLO REMER 5701 Cannaregio, Tel. 041 5228789, closed Tuesdays Not far from the Rialto bridge, this bacaro offers a plentiful lunchtime buffet at a reasonable fixed price. Though taken by storm by young people in the late afternoon for the happy hour aperitif, by 7.30pm the tempest has passed. The evening restaurant is good, but not cheap. Good view over the Grand Canal.

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

171

The easiest way to get to Venice from Mestre is by train or bus (buses, especially, are very frequent, and there’s even a very good night service). Both the train and bus will take you to Venice, where vaporetti, vaporetti or water buses, leave for different destinations in the lagoon and the city proper. Our tip: take a vaporetto to Saint Mark’s Square (either from the boat stops in front of the railway station if you’ve come by train, or at the foot of the new Calatrava bridge if you’ve come from Mestre by bus), and then walk back. The number 1 vaporetto stops at all the boat stops, which is fun but lasts ages, so we suggest you catch the number 2 vaporetto, which only makes a few stops takes about half an hour to get to Saint Mark’s Square. During the journey along the sshaped, 3.8-kilometre canal you will sail past the most beautiful palazzi and come across all sorts of traffic, including barges transporting vegetables, removal-van barges, barg-

es lugging building materials and, every so often, a stylish pleasure boat or one of the smart looking water taxis. Even the police get around by boat. On Saint Mark’s Square, dubbed by Napoleon “Europe’s drawing room”, the finest buildings lined up before us: the Doge’s Palace, Saint Mark’s Basilica and the campanile. You are literally spoilt for choice: art lovers will go to the Doge’s Palace and wander through the museum, and visiting the magnificent church with its gold mosaics is free. People keen to take in a breathtaking view of the city can take the lift up to the top of the campanile, look down on Venice and scout for the neighbouring islands and the island strip of the Lido. On clear days you can see as far as the mountains in the northwest. A small snack (cicheto) such as half a hardboiled egg, sardines, cooked octopus, polenta and squid, washed down with a glass of wine, tastes best in the small bars or

VENICE

VENICE AT A GLANCE

VENICE

172

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

bacari in the little side streets. The places on the canal are certainly picturesque but they are mostly on the dear side and you will hardly ever meet Venetians there, but almost always only other tourists. Locals do not take their aperitif (usually an orange-red spritz) or espresso in the really expensive cafés on Saint Mark’s Square but in the small bars in the little calli off the main thoroughfares. But if you want to go to the historic, and very expensive, Café Florian in Saint Mark’s Square and enjoy the plush seats, fine wooden and glass decor, feel free. And a tip for the etiquette-conscious: cappuccino or latte macchiato washes down your breakfast croissant (which the locals also call brioche, and rarely cornetto), and Italians usually only have one in the morning, after which they will stick to espressos or

caffè macchiato (an espresso with a drop of milk). Thus fortified, you can make your way back to the station. The best thing is to move away from the hordes of people and just drift – the many signposts, and especially the stream of people, will get you back to your starting place later on, when you need to. And if you let yourself drift, you will get a glimpse of every-day life in Cannaregio, the most heavily populated part of Venice, at close quarters. The same goes for the city’s typical food and bars: the further you move away from the streams of tourists, the more genuine and unworriedly Venetian it gets. But always remember that Venice is an expensive city, and the prices (for souvenirs, clothes, shoes, jewellery, glass and food) are rather higher than on the nearby mainland (Mestre). Now enjoy!

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

173

EVENTS , February/March: Venice Carnival: see and be seen. The carnival has been celebrated since the eleventh century with a fantastic masked party in the streets, on the bridges and along the canals. On Saturdays and Sundays there will be an almost impossible throng, while other days it is quieter and more relaxed. In the evening, performances and concerts are held in the most important campielli (small squares) and Saint Mark’s Square. , April: Su e zo per i ponti – The race, known as “Up and down over the bridges”, takes place throughout the city on a Sunday in the middle of April. , May: Vogalonga – A rowing regatta in the second half of May. Anyone with an oar to their name can take part. , July: Festa del Redentore – The city’s feast dedicated to the so-called “redeemer” celebrates delivery from the longest of the plagues to hit Venice. It is a gigantic spectacle with fireworks, a procession, masses and concerts, and, of course, lots of eating and drinking. On the third Sunday in July. , End of August–September: International Film Festival. Festival Since 1932 this festival has been a key event for cinema and the film world, and every year it attracts actors, celebrities, fans and film buffs from all over the world to the Venice Lido. , September: Regata storica – the most important rowing regatta on the Grand Canal (and the world’s oldest) takes place on the first Sunday in September. , Riviera Fiorita: a procession winds its way from Stra to Mira to commemorate the meeting of the doge with the king of France in 1574. The banquet is held in Mira in front of the Villa Contarini dei Leoni. www.rivierafiorita.it

13 14

Mestre Monuments and historical sites 1 Piazza Ferretto

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Restaurants and pubs 2 Al Calice 3 Rosa Salva

Hotels Hotel Ai Pini Hotel Vivit Hotel Venezia Hotel Quid Hotel Michelangelo Hotel President Hotel San Carlo

11 Hotel NH Laguna Palace 12 Hotel Ambasciatori 13 Bikeshops 14 Breda Cicli

176

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

Mestre Greater Venice has about 271,000 inhabitants, only about 60,000 of whom live in the old city in the lagoon. Most people now prefer to live and work on the mainland, in Mestre and Marghera, Venice’s “ugly sisters”. Mestre, with its sprawling commercial and industrial areas, highway, ring roads, viaducts, railway junction, industrial port of Porto Marghera, airport and working class blocks of flats is a striking contrast to Venice, the city of art and culture. But even Mestre has its beautiful side. As soon as we leave the suburbs for the old town, we find a historical centre with restricted traffic, smart shops, renovated merchant houses and a sturdy medieval town keep. Elegantly dressed Italians stroll along the Corso and hardly any of the throngs of tourists in neighbouring Venice venture this far.

MESTRE

PIAZZA FERRETTO 1 This is Mestre’s main square. It is actually

a wide street that grew into a market place in the Middle Ages and has recently been made the tramway terminus. At the south-eastern end of a small neighbouring square you will find the Teatro Toniolo, an elegant, art nouveau glass-roofed shopping gallery. The square itself contains the Cathedral of San Lorenzo and the Palazzo del Re, in the portico of which the grain market used to be held. It is named after the wealthy Re family. At the other end, in the continuation, Via Palazzo, there

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

177

stands the massive rectangular, crenellated, medieval clock tower. In the 1990s the square was transformed by modern features, one of which is a large, centrally placed fountain with a bronze statue by Alberto Viani, a leading contemporary sculptor.

2 AL CALICE 70/B Piazza Ferretto, Tel. 041 986100, open every day, closes at 8pm. This trattoria in the centre of town in Piazza Ferretto is the favourite meeting place for young mainland Venetians, especially in the evenings, when they come for the generous buffet with aperitifs. A passageway covered with the signed photographs of actors from the Venice Film Festival and local celebrities leads to an inner courtyard with restaurant tables.

3 ROSA SALVA 19 Via Cappuccina, Mestre, Tel. 041 988400, closed Mondays, www.rosasalva.it This “mainland branch” of a famous Venice pasticceria, or patisserie, is ideally placed near the town centre and not only does it have its own bakery and delicious desserts but also a small menu of good, cheap, fast dishes. It is a favourite rendezvous spot for Mestre’s locals.

MESTRE

EATING AND DRINKING

178

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

USEFUL INFORMATION

EMERGENCY NUMBERS

United Kingdom

113 State Police stations are found

Venice

only in larger towns 112 General emergency number for the Carabinieri (Italian national police force) who are stationed in all larger villages and small towns 115 Fire service 118 Emergency medical services, hospitals

Address: 2/5 Piazzale Donatori di Sangue 30171 Venice-Mestre Telephone: +39 041 5055990 E-mail: britconvenice@tin.it United States Venice Consular Agency Venice Marco Polo Airport - General Aviation Terminal Address: 30 Viale Galileo Galilei 30, 30173 Tessera (Venice) Telephone: +39 041 5415944 MONEY The currency is the euro and other currencies are not normally accepted but

INFORMATION

they can be changed in any bank. You

ENIT Italian State Tourist Board

can pay nearly everywhere with credit

1 Princes Street - London W1B 2AY

cards or cashpoint (instant teller) cards.

Telephone: +44 020 7408 1254

Cheques are not always accepted.

(Information Office) Fax: +44 020 7399 3567

HEALTH

E-mail: info.london@enit.it

EU citizens can use the National Health

Website: www.enit.it

Service in Italy. For emergencies, you can find a doctor via a hospital, tourist office

630 Fifth Avenue - Suite 1965

or hotel. A medical care card for non-EU

New York, New York 10111

citizens or a European Health Insurance

Tel: +1 212 245 5618

Card entitles you to free treatment (for all

E-mail: newyork@enit.it

items or services directly covered by the

Website: www.enit.it

Italian National Health System). See www.ehic.org.uk/Internet/home.do.

CONSULATES

Non EU citizens will have to purchase

Australia

insurance in their country of origin.

Venice Address: Edificio Porta

INTERNET WI-FI

dell’Innovazione,

You can find Internet cafés easily in larger

12 Via della Libertà,

towns and in tourist centres. Middle and

Venezia Marghera 30175

top-end hotels have Internet. In most

Telephone +39 041 5093061

tourism offices and near universities WI-FI

Canada Padua Address: 25 Riviera Ruzante, 35123 Padua Telephone: +39 049 8781147

Internet access is free.

B o l z a n o – B r e n t a Va l l e y – Ve n i c e

179

ELECTRICITY You will need to take an adapter with you for three-point UK and Irish plugs; if you come from another English-speaking country, find out if your plugs are compatible with Italian sockets before you PUBLIC TRANSPORT

leave home.

There are railway stations in the centre of nearly all the towns in which you stay and

LANDLINES AND MOBILE PHONES/

the bus stations are also nearby. Nearly all CELL PHONES the towns can be reached by train. Many

Do you make a lot of calls with your

local and regional trains have compart-

mobile/cell phone? If you do, you should

ments that take bicycles (they are marked

get an Italian phone card to avoid high

by a bicycle symbol on the timetables in

roaming fees. You can get one from 5

the stations; see

euros. The main providers are Vodafone,

http://www.trenitalia.com, also in English). Tim, Wind and 3, who have their own TAXIS are expensive. It is advisable to

stores in all the larger towns. The interna-

use the bus in town.

tional code for making calls from Italy to the UK is 0044, 00353 for the Republic

OPENING TIMES

of Ireland, 001 for the United States and

Pharmacies Normal opening times:

Canada, 0061 for Australia and 0064 for

Mondays-Fridays 8.30am–12.30pm;

New Zealand. To call Italy, dial 0039 then

3.30pm–7.30pm

the number including the first 0. 0

Saturdays 8.30/9am–12-30pm. Each pharmacy will display information showing where you can find a pharmacy open outside these times. Banks Normal opening times: Mondays–Fridays 8.30/9am–12.30pm; 2.30pm–3.30pm Post offices Mondays–Saturdays

TIPS

8.30am–1.30pm

People no longer expect to be tipped

Shops Mondays 3.30/4pm–7.30/8pm;

as a matter of course, but hardworking

Tuesdays–Fridays 8.30/9am–12.30/1pm;

and courteous staff are pleased if you

3.30/4pm–7.30/8pm. Food shops and

round up the bill. On the menu of most

groceries are normally closed on Wednes- restaurants the cover charge is listed at day afternoon.

the bottom: it can be 10-15% of the bill,

Some supermarkets are open non-stop

although no tip is then expected. In pizze-

from Mondays-Saturdays from 9am to

rias it amounts to a couple of euros.

7pm. Shopping malls also open on Sundays. In Venice many shops are also open on Sundays. Normal opening times for eating places 12pm–2pm; 7pm–10.30pm. August is the traditional holiday month also for retailers and some restaurants.

L I B E

· · · · ·

G I

R E E N S

GR EE N S were born from the need to provide cyclists with information on the Girolibero tour in Italy and France. GR EE N S consist of 3 books: • a tourist guide for cyclists • a complete set of maps for the tour • a roadbook Other G R E E NS are being prepared for: Tuscany, Loire Valley, ...

Further information at: greens@girolibero.com

This guide accompanies the Girolibero cycling tour and aims to whet your appetite for the Trentino-Alto Adige and Veneto Regions: , sights of cultural interest and natural beauty , historical information , practical information , tips on where to eat and drink