Destination of the Week

To Veneto

If it's a marriage of wine, wine tasting, beautiful countryside and romance, the Venetoregion of Italy is the place.  On the countryside and romance side, the land surrounding Padua, Verona and Venice is breathtaking.   Traveling by train to Padua, the landscapes change as the Colli Euganei come into view.   These hills - rising to about 1800 feet - feature a collage of villages, vineyards, farms, orchards, forests and olive trees.

In this walled city most tourists visit the Basilica di Sant'Antonio with its crucifix sculpted by Donatello, paintings by Mantagna and Giotto frescoes.  This cathedral was actually reconstructed under the supervision of Michelangelo after an earthquake brought it to the ground in 1117.  

Housing is fairly easy to find and some reasonable hotels are available on a last-minute basis through much of the year.  

Verona is a great trip from Padua before heading east to Venice.   The Romanesque Basilica di San Zeno is impressively constructed in bands of pink and white.   The Ponte Pietra (stone bridge) spans the Adige river and has been reconstructed a number of times after being destroyed by earthquakes or wars!

If you're in Veneto, eventually you're heading for Venice.  The beauty of the canals and the piazzas set against them is unmatched.   The main tourist attraction is the Basilica di San Marco which underwent almost ten years of renovation and restoration.   The piazza is a meeting point as well as marketplace and restaurant row.  Wonderfully though, like much of Italy, great art is everywhere - as is great food and wine!

Everyone knows to drop off the rent-a-car in the previous city since there's absolutely no use for them here.  Water taxis are the way to go.   You can get a gondola if you want to get romantic or just be alone, but the cheapest, fastest way around are the vaporetti (water taxis).

Hotels? Everywhere and they run the gamut.  If you're a walkup, ask to see a room.   Most will gladly show you.  A better idea is to check before you go.   In winter, many hotels close and don't open again until spring.   For meals and drinks, be daring.   Everyone wants to go to Harry's Bar once for a Bellini (peach juice and Italian sparkling wine), but there are scores of family-run restaurants - call them "hole-in-the-wall" but they're much better than that - where you can get a fantastic meal for very little money!

Now, about the wines . . . fact is, the Veneto region is famous for both the quantity and quality of their wines.   With over 20 DOC zones many of its wines are respected worldwide including dry and sparkling varieties.   Look for wines from Treviso, Padua, Treviso, Venice and Vicenza.   You won't go wrong whether you enjoy Prosecco or Breganze.  Of course, remember the Valpolicella and Soave which are the most popular.  And it's the right place to try lots of the Amarones including the famous Amarone della Valpolicella.  The Amarone is produced by drying the grapes on mats for months until they begin to "raisin."   It creates an extremely concentrated high-alcohol wine.  

One last item - if you haven't tried it, this is the birthplace of Grappa.  The last pressing of the grapes, Grappa is definitely an acquired taste but there are hundreds of varieties and you'll find any number that you will enjoy.  And when you're deciding which "two bottles per person" you'll bring back with you, Grappa and Amarone are your best choices.

The Wine Experience^sm is your gateway to wine country travel throughout the world. Whether it's a visit to Champagne, a getaway weekend in Sonoma, barging in Burgundy, wearing out your shoes walking the hill towns of Tuscany, or four-wheeling in Australia, the world of wine offers just about any travel experience you're looking for.

Got a destination in mind? Start planning your trip here.