Veneto
There is plenty of beauty to be seen and enjoyed in this region, not just the famous, romantic city of Venice. It is as if a tourist’s dream came true: there are many places of historic importance with world-renowned works of architecture (with four cities fully or partly present in the UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites list), rolling hills covered with vineyards, notable mountain peaks, a striking lake, and the background for a Shakespearean tale of love and tragedy.
You can stroll, swim, bike or ski, enjoy flavourful wines and dishes, attend the theatre, look at paintings and Carnival masks and enjoy your trip to the fullest anywhere you go.
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How to get to Veneto
The famous Marco Polo airport in Venice is the main international airport in the region, and it is connected to Venice and Mestre’s train stations by special express trains and also buses. If you have a car with you, remember to park it (either at the airport or in the cities’ parking lots) and enjoy Venice, Mestre and all the other fantastic towns and cities by foot and public transport. Unless you plan to visit smaller towns and beach resorts, you will not miss your car much.
Verona-Villafranca Airport, also known as Verona Catullo Airport, is the closest airport to Verona and connected to its main railway station (Verona Porta Nuova) by a special shuttle bus service.
There is also a third airport, in Treviso, which is more or less an hour away from Mestre and Venice Santa Lucia’s railway stations (take the bus to Treviso’s train station, then the train to Venice).
Here are the official sites of all the airports of Veneto:
https://www.aeroportoverona.it/en/
https://www.trevisoairport.it/en/
https://www.veneziaairport.it/en/
Things to do in Veneto
Verona
Verona’s urban structure and architecture are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is rich in art (check the many museums and churches, for example the Basilica of St. Zeno), history (St. Peter’s Castle and Castelvecchio are stunning) and heritage back from Roman times, which is well represented by the gorgeous Roman Arena (you can visit it when it is not Opera season).
Over Piazza delle Erbe looms Lamberti’s Tower, which offers a breath-taking view from its top. And just off the Piazza, you will find fictional but romantic Juliet’s House, supposedly the location of the famous balcony love scene from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Useful information
| View location on Google Maps | |
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From Venice Santa Lucia railway station:
From Verona Catullo Airport:
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Padua
Padua, like most of Italy’s cities and towns, offers beautiful sights both inside and outside of it. Outside, you could travel to pretty Medieval towns and villages of Arquà Petrarca (resting place of the famous Italian poet Petrarch), Montagnana and Cittadella (with their well-preserved Medieval walls), Este and Monselice (nice Medieval castles).
There is a lot to enjoy inside the town as well: the botanical garden (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), the amazing Scrovegni Chapel (also known as the Sistine Chapel of Padua) and the beautiful Basilica del Santo (it houses the relics of Saint Anthony and magnificent art, attracting millions of pilgrims every year).
Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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| View location on Google Maps | |
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From Venice Santa Lucia railway station:
From Verona Porta Nuova railway station:
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Vicenza
Palladio was a Renaissance architect, influenced by Roman and Greek architecture and one of the most influential individuals in the history of architecture. Vicenza boasts the presence of 23 buildings designed by Palladio (all part of UNESCO’s World Heritage Site list), among which are: Villa Almerico Capra (or “La Rotonda”, located just outside the downtown area); Basilica Palladiana (in Piazza dei Signori); Teatro Olimpico (Olympic Theater); Palazzo Barbaran da Porto (where you can find a museum dedicated to Palladio).
Apart from architecture, remember to enjoy delicious local dishes, such as polenta, Asiago cheese, Baccalà alla Vicentina and Bigoli all’Arna.
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Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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| View location on Google Maps | |
| Official site |
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From Venice Santa Lucia railway station:
From Verona Porta Nuova railway station:
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Treviso
Treviso hosts the headquarters of world-renowned clothing retailers Benetton, Sisley, Stefanel and more, as well as bicycle maker Pinarello. Tales say it was the city where the delicious dessert Tiramisù was created, and it is surely the hometown of bubbly and delicate Prosecco wine.
While there, be sure to take a look around the Late Romanesque–Early Gothic church of San Francesco, The Loggia dei Cavalieri, Piazza dei Signori (with the Palazzo di Podestà), the Church of San Nicolò (with frescoes by Tommaso da Modena, depicting St Romuald, St Agnes and the Redemptor and St Jerome in his Study, among others) and the city’s Medieval walls.
Gary Houston, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
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| View location on Google Maps | |
| Official site |
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From Venice Santa Lucia railway station:
From Verona Porta Nuova railway station:
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Alps and Cortina d’Ampezzo
Veneto’s alps include the famous Dolomites (located in the regions of Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol and Friuli Venezia Giulia), the Garda prealps and mountains (for example, Monte Baldo, which is part of the provinces of both Verona and Trento), the Venetian Prealps, and the
Tolmezzo alps.
In particular, the Dolomites have become part of UNESCO’s World Heritage Site list and, in the province of town Belluno, you can find both the Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park and Cortina d’Ampezzo, small beautiful town where locals talk in Ampezzano, a local version of Ladin (in addition to Italian), and where Hemingway enjoyed a very inspiring stay.
kallerna, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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| View location on Google Maps | |
| Official site |
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To Cortina d’Ampezzo, from Venice Santa Lucia railway station:
From Verona Porta Nuova railway station:
The Cortina Express bus travels once per day and in the afternoon, so it is better to either go by car, or spend the night in one of Cortina’s hotels (Hotel Miramonti featured in the 1981 James Bond film For Your Eyes Only!). |
Veneto’s seaside
Lido di Jesolo
Veneto is a region that has it all: mountains, hills, isles, lakes, rivers and even beaches. The sea around Veneto is among the clearest in the Mediterranean, and the seaside resorts have well-groomed beaches and attractive squares, nature all around and top-notch facilities.
Some of the best beaches can be found in Eraclea, Rosolina, Cavallino, Lido di Venezia and Jesolo. Jesolo is perfect for both sunbathing while relaxing, as well as doing a few activities: you can try windsurfing, sailing, diving, or just dance to popular tunes during events. It is very popular among tourists from various European countries and a fashionable destination among Italians.
Triplec85, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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| View location on Google Maps | |
| Official site |
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To Jesolo, from Venice Santa Lucia railway station:
From Verona Porta Nuova railway station:
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Caorle and Bibione
Caorle is perfect for both cultural and beach tourism, having been a Roman port in the past. The historical centre offers nice cafes, bars and restaurants in a unique atmosphere. The Sanctuary of the Madonna dell’Angelo, a temple almost on the sea itself, is particularly beautiful, and so is Piazza Vescovado with the Cathedral of Santo Stefano in it.
Bibione too offers more than just nice beaches: the Valle Grande is a stunning landscape, and it is close to Roman Villa Marittima. In Bibione you can enjoy any sport, from minigolf to motocross, from sailing to horse riding (along the shores or around the lagoon itself!).
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stephanemat, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Useful information
| View location on Google Maps | |
| Official site |
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To Caorle, from Venice Santa Lucia railway station:
From Caorle to Bibione:
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