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Vicenza - V.Le G.G. Trissino 89
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Have you ever considered Vicenza as a destination for a weekend in Veneto? It is a viable alternative to the most famous and visited art cities, Venice and Verona: less crowded, cheaper, smaller and therefore easier to get around, yet it condenses an incredible artistic heritage into an easy-to-walk around historic centre.
Some of Vicenza’s most beautiful buildings, such as the Teatro Olimpico and the Villa Rotonda, have made architectural history. Both bear the signature of Andrea Palladio, the brilliant 16th century artist to whom we owe all the most important architectural gems in the centre and its immediate surroundings.
Although the centre of Vicenza can be described as an open-air museum, do not imagine this city as an old lady resting on the triumphs of the past. On the contrary, it is a dynamic and lively city, always busy but also always ready to indulge in a well-deserved aperitif – of course with spritz, the typical Veneto drink – at the end of a working day, like any province in the rich north-east.
It is easy to get to, has plenty of parks and green oases in the historic centre and cycle paths in the surrounding area, boasts a busy calendar of cultural and sporting events, and many pretty little places to spend the evening.
It can be visited on a day trip from Verona, Padua, Venice or Treviso, but if you stay overnight Vicenza will captivate you with its vitality and the magic of its marvellous illuminated palaces.
Vicenza’s main attractions are concentrated in the historic centre, which is very small and easy to get around on foot. If you have little time available, it is advisable to make a walking itinerary in the centre and limit yourself to visiting the main monuments.
If, on the other hand, you stay longer, you can also include in your programme attractions outside the centre, which are also within walking distance, and enter more museums.
All of Vicenza’s most famous attractions overlook or are within walking distance of Corso Palladio, the pedestrian street that starts at Piazza del Castello and ends at Piazza Matteotti through the city centre.
It is a porticoed street lined with bars and shops: the typical city salon where you can stroll, shop and meet.
Along this route you will come across some splendid historical buildings including Thiene Bonin Longare Palace, Porto Breganze Palace, the Church of San Filippo Neri, Trissino-Baston Palace, the Church of San Gaetano Thiene and Leone Montanari Palace (the Vicenza headquarters of the Gallerie d’Italia).
The nerve centre of city life in Vicenza is the bustling Piazza dei Signori, a typical example of an Italian piazza flanked by elegant historical palazzi.
Inevitably, the monumental Palladian Basilica, the square’s top attraction, steals the show, but before you turn your gaze to this top attraction, take a look at the other artistic wonders that surround you.
You can start with the two white marble columns, somewhat reminiscent of those in St Mark’s Square in Venice: the one with St Mark’s lion is from the 15th century, the other, topped by a statue of Christ the Redeemer, is from 1647. They look teeny-tiny compared to the 82-metre-high Bissara Tower at one corner of the square.
Next you can admire the Capitanato Palace, a building designed by Palladio in 1565 and now the seat of the city council, and the Monte di Pietà Palace.
The landmark building of Vicenza is the Basilica Palladiana, an architectural masterpiece located between the central Piazza dei Signori and the smaller Piazza delle Erbe that will leave you speechless.
The original nucleus is the Palazzo della Ragione, a Gothic-style palace with a hull roof, built in the mid-15th century; about a century later Palladio was commissioned to make the palace look more elegant, according to the tastes of the time.
The ingenious architect endowed the palace with a double order of Serlian loggias, constant-light arch structures flanked by two lateral openings, completely changing the image of the building and giving Vicenza an incomparable treasure.
This was Andrea Palladio’s first major public commission and one of his most important works. To have a vague idea of the grandeur of this work consider that its construction cost the city of Vicenza 60 thousand ducats, it took 65 years to pay back the cost of the work, and the white stone quarries of Piovene Rocchette were completely emptied to procure the material needed to build the loggias.
Today, the ground floor is occupied by busy shops and bars that carry on the medieval tradition of under-saloon shops; the first floor is used as a fine exhibition venue.
The upper loggia leads to a splendid panoramic terrace: look out onto the elegant balcony to admire a magnificent view of the city and the nearby hills. In the summer months the terrace bar is open, a perfect place for a romantic aperitif at sunset.
The name Basilica Palladiana sounds a little curious. For a start, as we have seen from the building’s history, only the exterior is owed to Palladio; moreover, the work went on for decades and its author never got to see the work completed (the work finished 34 years after Palladio’s death).
Moreover, the term ‘basilica’ immediately makes one think of a religious building, whereas in this case it is a civil building. The choice of this name refers to its use in Roman times, when it indicated the place where important political and business affairs were conducted.
The other unmissable architectural masterpiece in the centre of Vicenza is the Teatro Olimpico (Olympic theater) inside the Territorio Palace. This too bears Palladio’s signature and here too the artist failed to see his work through: he completed the project a few months before his death (in 1580) and the theatre was completed three years later.
It is the first permanent theatre of the modern era: between this and the ancient theatres it is inspired by, there are centuries of performances in open-air spaces or indoor venues usually used for other functions.
As in the theatres of Greek and Roman antiquity, spectators at Palladio’s Olympic Theater sit on tiers of seats arranged in an elliptical shape. The real marvel, however, is the white stone backdrop of the stage, reminiscent of the elaborate façade of a Renaissance palace adorned with statues, columns, and arches: it is a triumph of chiaroscuro, perspective plays and harmonious lines. The inspiration is clearly classical, but the pomp and elegance are reminiscent of princely palaces of more recent times.
For the first performance held inside the theatre in 1585, a set designed by Vincenzo Scamozzi was built, which exploited a play on perspective to glimpse the seven streets of Thebes in the five openings of the proscenium. A masterpiece within a masterpiece, it was so acclaimed that it was never removed.
The next stop on an ideal Palladian itinerary in the centre of Vicenza is Chiericati Palace, one of the city’s most sumptuous mansions designed by the famous Venetian architect.
It is a marvellous Renaissance palace composed of a central body and two symmetrical wings with loggias that make the piano nobile stand out even more. The façade is richly ornamented with statues and columns reminiscent of classicism.
The palace is currently the prestigious seat of the Civic Museum of Vicenza. If you are an art lover, a visit to the museum is highly recommended: you can admire one of the most important collections of Veneto art, including works by famous artists such as Veronese, an artist much loved by Palladio, and Tiepolo.
By now you may be curious to learn more about Andrea Palladio, his innovative scope and the echoes of his work in contemporary architecture.
If so, before you leave the city centre to admire one of his most famous villas, pay a visit to the Palladio Museum, an original museum conceived by the scholars of the Centro Palladiano with the aim of bringing the non-expert public closer to the specificities of architecture.
Andrea Palladio becomes a sort of guiding thread, or if you like an incipit, to explore themes such as communication, technology, the relationship with the economy and the landscape, and other aspects of architecture of yesterday and today.
It is a museum of the most modern conception, which makes use of multimedia installations and visual and sound effects to involve visitors and make them participate in the discoveries made during the research carried out by the centre’s scholars.
There are also classic ‘museum pieces’ such as Palladio’s original drawings, his books, a well-stocked photo library of his buildings and more.
The venue itself is worthy of a prestigious cultural institution: the museum is in fact housed inside Barbarano Palace, the only building Palladio managed to see completed.
Let us leave the centre of Vicenza for a moment to go and see… guess what? A Palladian villa! Villa la Rotonda is probably the most famous Veneto villa in the world and is a sort of summa of the principles of Palladian architecture.
Designed by Palladio in 1556 for the Vicentine nobleman Paolo Almerico, the villa stands on a small hill 2 km from the centre, an area between the Bacchiglione and the Berici Hills that must have been open country at the time.
It is a magnificent circular dome-shaped temple-villa, clearly inspired by ancient temples and the Pantheon in Rome: geometric rigour and grace find their most successful union in this building, a symbol of perfection and harmony between architecture and landscape.
Palladio’s Villa Rotonda was studied in every detail: for example, the 45° rotation of the plan with the corners oriented towards the cardinal points served to mitigate the exposure of the façades to the sun and winds and to ensure a more pleasant temperature for the villa’s guests.
The villa has no parking, but can be reached from the centre on foot or by bicycle following the Fogazzaro Roi path; alternatively, you can take a bus from the station.
Another beautiful walk to one of the most famous attractions around the city centre is to the Sanctuary of Mount Berico, an important Marian pilgrimage site and a splendid monumental complex combining two churches, one Gothic and the other Baroque.
The walk to reach it begins near the Arco delle Scalette, just outside the centre. The name already gives you an idea of what awaits you… a flight of stairs; at the end of the stairs a long portico awaits you, leading up to the sanctuary.
The road is long, but at the end a square with a stone balustrade awaits you, one of the best viewpoints in Vicenza: you can admire the city and the Berici hills in the background. And if you do not want to struggle, you can arrive by car.
Not to be confused with Villa Valmarana ai Nani, the Loggia Valmarana is a treasure hidden among the cool paths of the Salvi Garden, a green area at the western end of Vicenza city centre.
Surrounded by greenery and overlooking a body of water, the Valmarana Loggia induces romance and contemplation. It is a perfect spot for photographs and marriage proposals, but also for a simple relaxing break!
The authorship of the work is not certain: for some it is by Andrea Palladio, according to others it is by one of his pupils.
The museum housed inside the Palladian Basilica is one of the few in the world entirely dedicated to jewellery, an object that has been present in the history of mankind since antiquity and here considered under all its meanings: art, design, beauty, magic, status symbol and icon.
Articulated on two levels, the Vicenza Jewellery Museum includes an area dedicated to permanent exhibitions and two spaces dedicated to temporary exhibitions.
In the following map you can see the location of the main places of interest mentioned in this article.
The choice of accommodation in the centre of Vicenza is somewhat limited because the historic area is small and most hotels are concentrated just outside, about 1-2 km away.
If you want to sleep in the centre, which is recommended for those travelling by public transport or those who want to enjoy the city until late in the evening, we recommend booking as early as possible so that you have a wider choice of hotels, b&bs or flats.
There is a good choice of modern hotels, including 4-star and international chain hotels, around the motorway exits. They are designed for a clientele of business travellers and are therefore particularly suitable for those travelling by car.
They are certainly not as charming as hotels in historic buildings or charming B&Bs, but on the other hand they are very comfortable and guarantee high quality standards.
If you don’t want to know about the city, you can look for an agritourism or a luxury country house in the countryside of the province: you don’t need to travel far from the centre, just a few kilometres!
Like all the main cities in Veneto, Vicenza is very easy to reach, both by car and by public transport.
For those arriving by car, the quickest route is the A4, the motorway artery that crosses northern Italy from west to east. The Vicenza Est exit is located about 4 km from the city centre.
For those arriving by public transport, the most convenient option is the train. Vicenza railway station is located on the outskirts of the centre (about 500 metres walk from the main streets) and is located along the Milan-Venice railway line, which is served daily by numerous regional, intercity and high-speed trains.
It is possible to get to Vicenza by bus from the main cities in the Veneto; there are also long-distance buses to other destinations in northern and central Italy.
Within a radius of 70 km there are three airports served by low-cost flights: Verona, Treviso and Venice. From all three you can easily reach the nearest station by shuttle bus and from there travel to Vicenza by train.
What's the weather at Vicenza? Below are the temperatures and the weather forecast at Vicenza for the next few days.
If you only stay in Vicenza for one day, you will have plenty to do with the attractions in and around the centre. If, however, you have the opportunity to stay a little longer, do so: there is quite a lot to see and do in the province of Vicenza.
The two prettiest towns in the province of Vicenza are Bassano del Grappa and Marostica. The former is a rich and elegant town nestled between the Brenta river and Mount Grappa.
The symbol of Bassano is the historic Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge), better known as the Ponte degli Alpini: a beautiful covered wooden bridge nowadays crossed by the people of Bassano strolling through the town centre, once by soldiers leaving for the front in the First World War. On one side of the bridge stands a mediaeval building housing the historic Grapperia Nardini, an obligatory stop on any visit to Bassano.
Marostica is synonymous with chess: the most famous chess game with living characters in the world is played here every year. The location of this particular historical re-enactment is the elegant Piazza Castello.
The province of Vicenza, and specifically Recoaro Terme, is the ideal location for a relaxing spa weekend. Relaxation is also guaranteed in the Berici Hills or the mountain resorts of the Asiago Plateau and the Vicenza Dolomites, perfect destinations for skiing, mountain biking or trekking.
Romantic souls cannot miss the castles of Montecchio Maggiore, known as the Castles of Love or the Castles of Romeo and Juliet: these are the two medieval manor houses that inspired the novel by Luigi da Porto where the characters of the two ill-fated lovers, later made famous by Shakespeare, first appear.
History enthusiasts, on the other hand, can follow a themed itinerary to the sites of the Great War in search of forts and trenches.
The province of Vicenza is located in the central part of the Veneto region, slightly to the west. The capital city is located in the southern part of the province; it is approximately 45 km from Padua, 60 km from Verona, and 70 km from Venice and Treviso.
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