04 Ott Walking and cycling in Vicenza: a renaissance treasure

A weekend cycling and walking along the famous Vicenza riviera, discovering the elegance of the Venetian and Palladian villas. Listen to the local history and fall in love with the beautiful town center. A true architectural treasure. 

Thanks to its Renaissance-style buildings, Vicenza was declared UNESCO’s World Heritage site. Everywhere in Vicenza will make you feel like you are traveling back in time, a time full of elegant villas, dreamy parks with hidden neoclassical temples, and so much more. The pedestrian center is full of local shops and restaurants that promote the unique food of the area. Vicenza will take your breath away thanks to its architectural style that influenced the world. 

PROGRAM

First day: late afternoon arrival and meeting with the guide. When we are ready, we have dinner in a typical Vicenza restaurant and take a walk by the town’s alleys. 
Second day: after breakfast, we head north with our bikes towards the Riviera Berica – a cycleway that passes through the main points of interest of the city. Vicenza is known for buildings that go from medieval times to today. Our tour starts from Arco delle Scalette, built in 1595 by Andrea Palladio, for then see Villa Valmarana ai Nani. We then head to the beautiful Villa Almerico Capra, known as La Rotonda (the round one). The villa has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1994, the most famous built by Andrea Palladio, a central figure of neoclassical architecture. We hop back on our bikes to reach Costozza, a little treasure of ‘500 architecture. Here, we can find the Roman caves that provided the rock to construct buildings, and that now help cultivate the famous local mushrooms. We can stop here for a lunch break while tasting some wine in an old icebox-turned-bar. After resting for a bit, we can cycle back to the town center and go back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. Should we try some polenta and baccalà? Distance: 25-30 km 
Third day: today we walk around town. We set out to explore Querini park, one of the biggest green spaces of Vicenza. A few steps away, many famous monuments are at our disposal. Thanks to our Museum Card, we can freely access the main museums, churches, and buildings, including the Olympic Theater. The theater was designed by Palladio and was the first and oldest covered and stable theater in modern times. We then visit Palazzo Chiericati, newly restored, where we can find the civic museum, the Santa Corona church, Diocesan museum, or the Naturalistic museum. We then have to stop by Piazza dei Signori, the beating heart of Vicenza, where the majestic Basilica Palladiana jumps out with its green roof that resembles an inverted boat. We relax with a spritz and some cicchetti, a must-have in Veneto! In the afternoon, we get ready to say goodbye to our group and this beautiful town. 
Important: program subject to variation based on opening times of the locations to visit.

INFO

Holiday code: WVICENZA
Where: Italy – Veneto – Vicenza (VI)
Accommodation: Hotel Cristina, 5 minutes away from the town center. Equipped with bar, air-conditioned rooms with free wifi. The rooms offer a desk, private bathroom with bidet, flat screen TV, and hairdryer. Some rooms offer a view to the town. 
Guide: one of Jonas’ own
Individual price: €250
Single room fee: €50
Includes: accommodation in double/triple rooms, half board with dinners in restaurants, bike rental, Museum Card for 7 days (entrance to Olympic Theater, Palazzo Chiericati, Santa Corona church, Diocesan Museum, Naturalistic Museum), guided tours, guide, health and luggage insurance.
Does not include: journey, drinks, lunches, city tax, and anything not listed in “includes” section.

HOW TO GET THERE
By plane: the closest airports from Vicenza are in Venice (60 km), Verona (60 km), Milano Linate (200 km), and Milano Malpensa (260 km).
By train: Vicenza is located in the Turin-Trieste railway line and is easily reachable by train. It’s 2 hours away from Milan, 1h30 from Bologna, and only 20 minutes away from Padua and Verona (www.trenitalia.it). From Vicenza station, walk for 600m or take the bus. 
By car: Vicenza is two hours away from Milan, one and a half from Bologna, and half an hour away from Verona and Venice. There are two motorway exits on the A4 motorway Serenissima Brescia-Padua: Vicenza Est and Vicenza Ovest. From there, follow directions to the town center. 
The hotel offers private parking spaces for €10 a day. 

USEFUL INFORMATION
First excursion: 25-30km by bike
Second excursion: urban trekking in the town center
Type of path: paved
Equipment needed: technical-wear
Training needed: intermediate/low