City of Vicenza Italy, Seen from Above

Spread out in a gap between the Berici Hills to the south and the Lessini Mountains to the northeast, the city of Vicenza was developed between the bends of the Bacchiglione, Retrone and Astichello rivers. Since 1994 the city has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with 23 monuments in its historic center and at least 16 villas in the province, attributable to the late Renaissance creativity of Andrea Palladio, the famous architect born in Padua, but who moved here at 16.

The area can be explored anytime during the year because of the varied landscape and many points of artistic, cultural, and historical interest.  Also the area has a mild climate that is somewhere between Mediterranean and Temperate, although it can have a few days of harsh and rainy weather in the winter, as well as hot and muggy days in the summer. There are many intinearys destinations within the Vicenza Province: such as the Asiago plateau, the walled cities of Marostica and Bassano del Grappa, the Piccolo Dolomites, and Berici Hills, they offers all types of Outdoor Recreation activity, especially climbing, bike touring, hiking, and sking.

The train station is located on the southern part of the town, at the end of Viale Roma. Corso Palladio and the old town is about a 5-minute walk from the station. The train station of Vicenza is on the line connecting Milan to Venice. There are also a number of trains to other major cities and destinations such as Verona, Padova, Venice, and Trento. These trains to the towns and cities around Vicenza depart daily (times listed below are for the regional trains). The most common are to Verona (1 hour), Padova (25 minutes), Venezia (1 hour 15 minutes). This makes Vicenza an idea base for a few days of exploring the Veneto Region or a day trip destination if you are just stopping in Venice.


The Paleo-Venetians lived in the area as early as the 8th century BC. and became a Roman municipality in the year 49, with the name of Vicetia, reaching a certain economic importance. The city did not escape the invasions of tribes trying to reach Rome and thus was plundered many times. But it continued to restore itself and found it's importance again during the rule of the Lombards. But when the lomards were defeated around the year 773 by Charlemagne, it became a Frankish county. About a century later, the Hungarian invasions arrived and the first walls were built to defend the city center. At the end of the 9th century the city follows under control of Otto I and the Holy Roman Empire.  During that period the city of run by Bishops who heavely taxed the populas until they rebeled in 1100 to became a free community.  This was a short period freedom and by 1160 they were joining neighboring cities like Padua, Treviso, and Verona to fight against the invasion of Federico Barbarossa. In 1236, Federico II devastated the territory with his military and handed over the city to the Ezzelini family. After, Vicenza passed under the dominion of Padua, then the Scaligeri who controlled the Verona area and then again of the Visconti until 1387 when it became part of the Republic of Venice. Under the Venezian rule and through 16th century,  Vicenza enjoyed much splender and prosperity. The merchant families were enriched and when Andrea Palladio arrived, they surrounded themselves with new estates and works of art. Napoleon's troops occupied the city in the 1700's and with the fall of Venice in 1797, Vicenza was ceded to Austria the the agreements in the Treaty of Campoformio. Only to be invaded again by the French and returned once again to Austria, with the Congress of Vienna in 1814. In 1848, there were a series of riots against Radetzky, the Austria regent and on November 18, 1866 the troops of Vittorio Emanuele II of Savoy liberated the city, making it part of the Kingdom of Italy. In the First World War, Vicenza, with all its territory, was the front lines between the Allies and Austria Hungury with trenches along the Asiago plateau, Mount Grappa, the Mount Pasubio. Then there was about twenty years of peace and then the war again, the city was detroyed during World War II with bombings causing damage to many monuments and strutures. After the war Italy became a republic and Vicenza became part of the Veneto Region.

Today Vicenza has intense industrial activity, being one of the leading area of entrepreneurship and small business throughout the north-east, especially in the textile, tanning, and footwear sectors. Also the woodworking and furniture sectors, together with mechanical areas, clothing, plastics are also important. The city also carries on the ancient tradition in the artisan and industrial processing of precious metals, especially gold.

Throughout the year many events take place in Vicenza. The biggest is perhaps Vicenza Oro Trade Fair, the international exhibition of goldsmiths, jewelery, silverware and precious stones, usually held in January and September. Also there numerous events related to food and wine throughout the Province. Some to keep in mind are, in September the feast of the dumpling in Selva di Trissino; in October that of chestnuts in Durlo di Crespadoro, or of grapes and wine in Barbarano and Montebello; in December the festival of Corgnoi (snails) in Crespadoro. For music and theater, from April to June there is "The Sound of the Olympic", in the Olympic Theater. Between June, July and August a series of "Concerti in villa", live music events hosted in historical residences of Vicenza. In late August, "Lights and sounds under the walls"; in September "Night of Music and Magic", between the arcades of Monte Berico and the Piazzale della Vittoria. More music and pure cinema for the "Città del Palladio Festival", singing competition, or the "Vicenza Blues Festival", the "Perarock", the "Vicenza Film Festival".

The Vicenza cuisine is genuine and tasty, both from land and water (fresh and salt).  Among the first courses there are risotto, generally with vegetables, such as the famous white asparagus from nearby Bassano (also boiled and cooked with fried egg). Do not forget rice and peas, a slow rice soup. The gnocchi are cooked with different types of sauces, while the soups are still appreciated as an exquisite traditional dish: the mosa, for example, prepared with pumpkin and milk, sometimes enriched with a handful of rice; the pestarei, or stale bread baked in milk. For pastas, bigòi, large soft wheat spaghetti, prepared with duck meat sauce or in an onion and anchovy sauce. For meat, game, such as torresan, that is the colombo on the spit, or rabbit, consumed after being marinated overnight with a mince of garlic, lard, parsley and grappa and left to cook slowly in a crock pot. Another excellent product of the province of Vicenza, the Dop Asiago cheese which is produced in the mountain pastures of the mountain plateau. To taste a type of sausage usually around 8 centimeters in diameter, and also a DOP product is the sopressa vicentina, obtained with various types of pork flavored with salt and pepper and coarsely ground. This salami has a different flavor beween strong and mild based on the seasoning time. Do not forget the yellow or white corn flour polenta cooked until jelled to be cut into slices with the string tied to the tajér, the round cutting board on which it is "thrown" after being cooked. It is also eaten the next day, in slices with a peice of Asiago cheese, baked for a few minutes until the cheese melts. For those with a sweet tooth there is during Carnival period crostoli made with, flour, egg, grappa and sprinkled sugar on the surface; frittas, flour, egg, raisins, fried in lard. Aslo there is almond or the tongs, sweet focaccia made with yellow polenta, as well as the dry biscuits from Bassano or Schio. There are quality wines of white, red, sweert and sparkling wines, that deserve a separate chapter.  However a short list to remember are: Cabernet and the Tai Rosso of the Berici Hills, Gambellara Classico and the Gambellara Doc, and the Recioto di Gambellara D.O.C.G., dessert wine. In Breganze Doc Torcolato comes from the foothills area, with a sweet-not sweet taste, obtained from the native Vespaiola grape.