This tour offers the possibility to visit many villas in and around Vicenza beginning with the famous Palladian Villa La Rotonda and Villa Valmarana ai Nani to wonder at the frescos by the two Tiepolos. Other interesting villas painted by Tiepolo can be found at Villa Cordellina and Villa Loschi-Zilieri.

The Berici Hills
Continuing onto the Berici hills, we will visit Villa Barbarico-Loredan-Rezzonico in Noventa Vicentina, then to another exquisite Palladian Villa Poiana in Poiana Maggiore, proceeding to Villa Fracanzan Piovene in Orgiano, then continuing to another extraordinary Palladian Villa Pisani Ferri in Lonigo and finally to the San Pancrazio Benedectine Abbey, where we have the possibility to taste the local wine and food products.

Walled towns and Grappa
The medieval walled cities of Cittadella, Castelfranco and Bassano are well worth a visit and are the next stop on the tour. In Bassano there is the church of San Francesco whose cloisters are seats of the Civic Museum of the town. It is a must the visit to the Grappa Museum with possibilities for tasting the local brew (grappa). Not to miss the city of Marostica famous for its life-size chessboard in the main piazza. And if you are interested in pottery and earthen objects why not spend some time in the Ceramic Museum in Bassano and in that of Nove.

More Palladian villas and fortified town
Passing through Castelfranco, the tour also includes a short stop to see the Giorgione altarpiece called the ‘Castelfranco Madonna’ (his residence was next to the cathedral) and then off to visit Villa Emo-Capodilista. In the town of Maser, we will visit the beautiful Palladian Villa Barbaro-Volpi (where Palladio and Veronese worked together), and then continuing the tour until we reach the picturesque hill town of Asolo with memories of the Queen of Cyprus Caterina Cornaro. In Asolo we can take a walk admiring the wonderful landscape until we reach the last rest of two famous women: Eleonora Duse and Freya Stark.

Castles of Romeo and Juliet at Montecchio Maggiore

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