Veneto

What a pity that many visitors think only of Venice when it comes to Veneto region. For lovely though the 'Serene Republic' is, this area of north-eastern Italy, where Italy curves around the northern shores of the Adriatic to meet Friuli and then the Balkans, has much more to offer. With historic cities such as Padova, Vicenza, Verona, Rovigo and Treviso; the Adriatic coast to the east and Lake Garda to the west; Palladio's marvellous Ville Venete peppering the Venetian plain; national parks such as the Parco Nazionale Dolomiti Bellunesi; and of course the Dolomite mountains there is no shortage of things to do and see in Veneto. It is, in fact, by far the most visited region in Italy, with 13.5 million travellers coming here each year.

Venice is and remains the main attraction for many visitors, of course, for the simple reason, that this is a city like no other all over the world. Built on the mud banks of the Venetian lagoon by fishermen, hunters and then refugees from the marauding Germanic tribes of the Dark Ages, Venice grew to become on the greatest and grandest maritime empires of the Middle Ages. It grew incredibly rich too, and the evidence is everywhere in this magnificent city. There is the superbly opulent Basilica di San Marco and the glory of St Mark's Square. There is the Doge's Palace, seat of power in old Venice. There is the Accademia, the Arsenal and La Fenice opera house. And of course there are the canals. To most visitors, Venice is evoked simply by the sight of a gondola drifting slowly beneath the Bridge of Sighs, an impossibly romantic city second to none.

But Veneto region is, as already mentioned, so much more. Historic cities abound, much used by Shakespeare in his plays, though he never actually visited northern Italy. There is Verona, home of history's most famed lovers, Romeo and Juliet. You can in fact visit Juliet's 'house' and stand beneath her balcony. The entire city of Verona has been named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The world famous Roman amphitheatre, or Arena, is home to the summer opera season every year.

Padova, the also called “City of the Saint” (St. Anthony in this case) is a delight. Though this ancient Roman town was much bombed in World War II it has been sensitively rebuilt and has a superb medieval centre. Padova is worth a visit for the Giotto frescoes alone housed in the Scrovegni Chapel. The city is surrounded by 11km defensive walls. The Orto botanico di Padova is on UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites. Padova province has the lovely town of Montagnana, sitting within one of the best preserved defensive medieval walls in Europe. We have Bassano del Grappa, home to the eponymous liqueur, which sits on the banks of the River Brenta. A lovely little town, its best known sight is the wooden Ponte degli Alpini, built by Palladio in 1569 and still standing.

Vicenza is another UNESCO heritage site, and boasts a number of the Palladian Veneto Villas (Ville Venete) for which this part of the region, and the Brenta Riviera, is famous. The great Palladio and his words dominate. The Villa Venete are spread right across the Brenta Riviera, some 1400 of them deemed to be of special historic and cultural interest. We have national parks in the massif of Cansiglio in the north-eastern Veneto; and the Parco Nazionale Dolomiti Bellunesi, towards Belluno, and with beautiful woods, mountains and lakes. The region edges the lovely Lake Garda, with resorts including Bardolino, Malcesine and Garda itself. And skiing is beautifully taken care of in the upscale resort of Cortina d'Ampezzo, in Belluno province.