Veneto’s Innermost

The heart of this enchanting region reserves for the culturally keen traveller three of the most marvellous cities in whole northern Italy. A walk through the charming Treviso's quiet alleys is the perfect antidote to the noise and commotion of St. Mark's and the Rialto. Start at the Ponte della Campana, a bridge on the street of the same name, where the traveller can find a row of benches facing the banks of the Cagnan Grande, the right place to settle in to relax and adapt to the city's pace, which seems to follow the rhythms of the waterways. Heading west, there is Vicenza, a must for lovers of great architecture. This is the embodiment of the Renaissance humanists' theory that a city should be a select meeting-place for great men and everything within it should intrinsically reflect a resulting sense of dignity. At least, in the southern part of this area, the city of Padova, the real economic centre of region Veneto, presents itself as a picturesque and welcoming city, with a dense network of arcaded streets opening into large communal Piazze, and many bridges crossing the various branches of the Bacchiglione, which once surrounded the ancient walls.