The Palladio and Bassano del Grappa Private Tour

Verona, Italy

Explore the Veneto region's Palladian architecture and the beautiful city of Bassano del Grappa on this full-day trip from Verona. See the genius of Italian architect, Andrea Palladio, with visits to some of his structures - including the Olympic Theater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Immerse yourself in the history of Bassano del Grappa and its breathtaking vistas.

You will be picked up at 8:00 AM from your hotel or other location in central Verona. The first stop is in Vicenza.

Begin at Villa Valmarana ai Nani called the 'Rotonda.' It gets the name from the statues of the 17 dwarves on the walls surrounding the house. The legend tells of a dwarf princess who lived secluded in the villa surrounded by dwarfs. Upon seeing a beautiful prince in the garden, she realized her handicap and threw herself from the tower. The pain the dwarves felt for the princess transformed them into statues of stone. The Villa is also considered to be at the height of 18th century painting and one of the best examples of the Giambattista Tiepolo’s genius.

Along the way, stop at Olympic Theater which is the absolute masterpiece of the one of the greatest Italian architects: Andrea Palladio. Palladio was openly inspired by the Roman theatres described by Vitruvius. The Olympic Theater is one of Vicenza’s artistic wonders and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Close by, there is Piazza dei Signori, Vicenza’s main square since Roman times and the center of the town’s life.

Stop in Bassano del Grappa (a village nearby Vicenza) at lunchtime where you will enjoy time on your own for lunch. During April and September you can taste the famous white asparagus (typical of this village) in several restaurants.

During the afternoon you can freely discover Bassano and visit the Alpini bridge, a symbol of the town. During the Great War it became famous as the elite mountain troops sang a sentimental song while crossing the bridge. The song called 'Sul ponte di Bassano' (on the bridge of Bassano) is about kissing a pretty girl and squeezing her hand as they parted.

The views of town form the bridge are gorgeous, and across the bridge are the Museum of the Alpini and the historic Nardini tavern overlooking the river.

Bassano del Grappa is also very famous for the production of grappa, which you can taste in famous distilleries or in a bar served with espresso. This drink is called 'caffè corretto,' which translates to 'corrected coffee.'

Travel back to Verona at the end of the day, getting dropped off at your preferred location in Verona at 7:30 PM.

Please note: Tour guide is not included, it is recommended that you bring a guidebook.