My girlfriend and I have booked flights and a hotel in Venice for a week this
spring. Perhaps we got carried away, as it now seems like a very long time.
Is it easy to do day trips from Venice, and where would you recommend we go?
We like art and soaking up the atmosphere of Italy, and a day away from the
tourist hordes would be nice. Jack Kearns, Faversham
Sunday Times travel expert Richard Green responds: Thanks to the
surprisingly cheap, reliable, and efficient Italian Railways, it's a doddle
to head off inland to explore the rich hinterland of the Venetian Empire,
now called the Veneto.
For a blast of student-fuelled vitality, and not a stripy t-shirt in sight,
I'd say head to Padua. It has a jumbled medieval centre, lively markets,
great street life, and it's the cradle for Giotto's spellbinding frescos.
It's probably here, in 1306 when the chapel interior was completed and Giotto
cleaned his brushes, that the art of perspective was borne. Sounds dull, but
believe me, it isn't. You have to book at least 24 hours in advance to see
the frescos, via www.cappelladegliscrovegni.it,
and entry costs £9 - about the most revelatory tenner you'll ever spend.
Padua is less than 30 minutes by fast Eurostar style train from Venice; £18
return (£5 on a standard train that takes 40 minutes).
Then there are Verona and Vicenza, the two big hitters of the Veneto, and each
is in comfortable day trip territory from Venice although you should avoid
weekends when they are at their most touristy. Verona has its pink-hued
Roman amphitheatre, Romeo and Juliet's balcony, and a romantic riverside
atmosphere to match, while Vicenza is Palladio central.
The famous architect left his magnificently well-proportioned marks all over
the town, with the best views from the exquisitely symmetrical Rotunda on a
hill to the west. Verona is from 1 horu and 20 minutes by train, and £7
return; Vicenza is 45 minutes, £10 return.
Vicenza's tourist office has good information on Palladio and his buildings,
and to really get a feel for his villas and their balance with the
landscape, you need to head out of town. There is a bus service that runs
every 30 minutes or so, but with so many villas to cover, it soon gets
frustrating. It's better to hire a car for the day.
Or maybe hire one for a couple of days. Then you can really wander the back
lanes of the Veneto, and drive to some of the smaller towns. Cittadella for
example, which as you might expect, is surrounded by spectacular fortress
walls and a moat; or along the Po valley, is Bassano del Grappa, home base
of the famous firewater, the Diesel clothing company, and an extremely
photogenic bridge. And save time for the climb up to the enchanting hillside
town of Asolo, once gifted to the Venetian queen of Cyprus and favorite
retreat of Robert Browning.
Book train tickets though www.trenitali.com,
or its UK agent www.italiaril.co.uk
Don't believe a week is too long in Venice. Explore the Arsenale and the quiet island of San Pietro. You may even get lost for a week. I do agree its wonderful to visit the nearby cities and why not take a Prosecco wine tour. in the hills. Guests who stay in my apartment Piccola Perla have a fantastic time exploring. Tuesday morning there is a mile long market on the Lido, just take the A or B bus a get off with everyone else and their shopping trollies. Drink a spritza bitte at Passegata 5pm on Via Garibaldi. Honestly you won't want to leave.
valerie du monceau, Cheltenham, uk