Vicenza – Outside the city - Monte Berico and its surroundings
W 1426 there was a plague in Vicenza and twice, during the plague, Our Lady appeared on the top of Monte Berico - a hill on the southwestern edge of the city, to announce the salvation of the city. A chapel was built there, which became a pilgrimage destination, and at the end of the 17th century. was replaced with the present Basilica di Monte Berico. Buses climb the hill from the bus station approximately every half hour; walking from the city center it takes about twenty-five minutes to reach the summit.
Pilgrims come here regularly by coach, and the showy interior of the church is kept in pristine condition for their welcome; a well-stocked cloister shop sells devotional items. Skeptics should visit the church for the sake of Pieta Montagni (in the chapel to the right of the apse) and the Supper of Gregory the Great Paolo Veronese (in the refectory). The second prototype of the Feast at the Venetian Accademia in the house of Levi - was in 1848 r. used by the Austrian army to practice bayonet engraving; a small reproduction outside the refectory shows, how conscientiously they did the job.
Villa Valmarana
Walking ten minutes from Monte Berico, you will get to ViUa Valmarana "ai Nani"; it's a common house, distinguished by this, that the decorations were made by Giambattista and Gian-domenico Tiepolo (half. III-IV codz. 14.30-17.30; V-IX code. 15.00-18.00; 10th-half. XI 14.00-17.00; and Thu., sb., nd. 10.00-12.00 in all three periods; open on certain public holidays; 0444/221803; 4000 L). By the way, nani means "midgets", which can be understood by seeing the wall around the garden. To come to the villa, you should come down from Monte Berico, go through 100 m along via M.. D'Azeglio, then turn right, in the paved via S.. Bastian, which leads to the house itself.
The house consists of two parts: the first is Palazzina, with six rooms decorated with exquisite frescoes by Giambattista (scenes from Virgil, Tassa and Ariosta - at the entrance you can take a brief description of the paintings), and another - Foresteria, where one room was covered with frescoes by Giambattista, and six Giandomenico, whose interests were a little less sophisticated than those of his father.
The Rotunda
The narrow slope of Valmarana leads from Villa Valmarana down the slope to one of the most imitated buildings in Europe - Villa Capra by Palladia, known as La Rotonda (half. III-half. X Wed. 10.00-12.00 i 15.00-18.00; 5000 L). La Rotonda is an exception among the Palladia villas, because it was designed as the main building of the estate, but as a pavilion, where you could have balls and admire the landscape. The subtlety of the villa's design can only be appreciated by visiting it from the inside, and the surroundings of the house itself are not worth the price of the entrance ticket (open area: half. III-half. X wt. and Thurs.. 10.00-12.00 i 15.00-18.00; 2000 L).
Practical information
The APT office is located next to the entrance to the Teatro Olimpico in Piazza Matteotti (pn.-sb. 9.00-12.30 i 15.00-18.30, nd. 9.00-12.30); there you can get a passable map of the city and the area and a very good brochure on the Teatro.
Among the one-star hotels, the best accommodation is in a scarcely equipped one, but conveniently located Villa Marzia, at via Mure Pallamaio 96 (reception 8.00-12.00 i 17.00-19.00; nd. close; 0444/227055), with doubles approx 25000 L. San Raffaele House, viale X Guigno 10 (0444/235619), boasts a beautiful location on the slopes of Monte Berico, but it's not much cheaper than the two-star in the center of Vicenza - 36000 L for two. Milano, little road of the Servants 5 ( 0444/238643), Two Moors, Against Do Rode 26 (•0444/221886), the Palladio, via Oratorio dei Servi (0444/221072) - these are decent 2-star hotels close to Piazza dei Signori.
As for the dining options, Antica Casa della Mahasia is worth recommending, Contra delle Morette 5 (pn. close), a busy tavern just off the square; food is cheap and unpretentious, and the menu changed daily; the bar is also excellent. Equally popular, but a little more sophisticated is the Yecchia Guardia, Contra Pescheria Vecchia 11 (thurs. close). Two Moors (next to the hotel; Wed. close), By Anna, Against Porta Nova 41 (wt. close) the gardens, Via Giuriolo 10 (Wed. close), are big and busy pizzeria restaurants, where you can eat something unsophisticated.