Vicenza

Vicenza is the city of Andrea Palladio, the 16th-century architect whose buildings shaped Western architecture, and it lies about 50 km east of Verona in the Veneto. Trains from Verona Porta Nuova take 30-50 minutes depending on whether the service is high-speed or regional, and driving takes about 45 minutes. From the railway station on Piazzale Stazione, the historic centre is a 10-15 minute walk along Viale Roma and Corso Palladio. The city and its surrounding villas are listed by UNESCO. The central sights are close together: the Basilica Palladiana in Piazza dei Signori, with its two-storey arcades; the Teatro Olimpico, the oldest surviving enclosed Renaissance theatre in Europe, with a permanent stage set that creates the illusion of long streets; and Corso Palladio, lined with palaces such as Palazzo Chiericati, which houses the civic museum, and Palazzo Barbaran da Porto. Outside the centre, Villa Capra, known as La Rotonda, stands on a hill about 2 km from the centre and can be reached on foot, by bus or by taxi; its grounds are open on set days. A one-day plan starts with a morning walk down Corso Palladio, then the Teatro Olimpico, which has limited visiting hours, followed by the Basilica Palladiana. Lunch can be taken at a trattoria in the old centre, where baccala alla vicentina, a salt-cod dish served with polenta, is the city's best-known speciality. The afternoon suits a walk or bus ride to La Rotonda, or a climb to the Basilica di Monte Berico, which offers views over the city and the Berici hills. Vicenza is a year-round destination, with spring and autumn the most comfortable seasons; summers are warm, and winter is quiet. Because many sights close on Mondays or have shorter hours, opening times should be checked before the trip. The city can be paired with Padua or Venice on the same rail line.