Jesolo
Jesolo promises a Fun and relaxting vacation to all who sojourn here; the city seems tailor-made to satisfy every whim and fancy of even its most demanding of guests. Visitors can expect kilometers of well-outfitted beaches, some featuring entertainment; beachside parties until late into the night; as well as shops, restaurants, bars and other locales. Those itching for outdoor activity can choose from a range of sports, including tennis, swimming, soccer and volleyball, golf on some of Italy’s finest greens in the Region of Veneto and, for those wanting something a bit more laid-back, Caribe Bay the most important water park in Italy.
Nature enthusiasts may want to enjoy the verdant and pinetree-filled scenery on foot or astride a horse or bike.
Cavallino Treporti
The Cavallino Treporti coast is a long and fertile peninsula between Venice and Jesolo that attracts people for the variety of its landscape and for the genuine hospitality of its inhabitants. Surrounded by the Adriatic Sea and the waters of the lagoon, the Cavallino Trepori coast stretches for 15 kilometres and is known for its environment of great natural importance. The long golden beach, the dunes, the pine forest, the farms and the fascinating lagoon landscape with its canals, salt marshes, mud flats and fish farms. All this against a backdrop of the elegant profile of Venice, in all its charm.
It will be really exciting to get lost in these little corners of paradise that this coast offers. Here, nature and history interact harmoniously. You can see seagulls, herons, cormorants and herons, observe elegant pink flamingos or discover the fish farms where they breed eels, sea bass, sea bream and sea bass. At the same time, you can delve into history by admiring the architecture and military fortifications which served to defend Venice both during the Austrian rule as well as during both world wars.
Padua
Padua is one of the oldest and most dynamic Italian cities. Founded more than 3,000 years ago along a curve of the River Brenta, today it is modern and cosmopolitan, and rather well-known for its historic University and for innumerable art masterpieces diffused throughout the city.
The best way to see Padua’s historic center is on foot, strolling its porticoed roads, splendid piazzas and ancient bridges.
Its piazzas are the perfect departure point, particularly Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza dei Frutti, for centuries a daily produce market that is a cross section of citizen life and commerce, as well as the idea venue for seeing and socializing.
Overlooking the two piazzas is one of Padua’s several symbolic monuments, Palazzo della Ragione, also referred to as the “Salone,” a unique work within its genre. Close by is Piazza dei Signori, an elegant piazza with Renaissance touches, circumscribed by famous monuments including the Church of San Clemente, Palazzo del Capitanio, and the imposing Tower adorned with its famous Astrological Clock that marks the hours and minutes, in addition to month, day, moon phases and the astrological place. Also quite nearby is Piazza del Duomo, dominated by the majestic Cathedral and and by the ancient St. John’s Baptistry. The Baptistry is decorated by a fantastic fresco cycle by Giusto de’ Menabuoi. Next to the Duomo rises Palazzo Vescovile, made seat of the Diocesan Museum in 2000: inside are magnificent artworks and the impressive Bishops’ Hall.
Another of Padua’s symbols is Caffè Pedrocchi built in the early 1800s. Commissioned by Antonio Pedrocchi, it is still today a beloved Paduan locale, and plays host to important cultural exhibits and events. The Caffe faces Palazzo Bo, main office of the prestigious Università di Padova. The University is a place of excellence in the sciences and culture, it boasts Galileo Galilei among its esteemed past professors. Not only, but the oldest intact anatomic theatre in the world – that can still be visited – resides here. Yet, certaily no visit to Padua is complete without taking the time to admire the renowned Scrovegni Chapel, one of Giotto’s absolute masterpieces.
The lovely Piazza del Santo, with Donatello’s equestrian statue at the center dedicated to Gattamelata, hosts a grand monumental work dedicated to St. Anthony, via the Basilica di Sant’Antonio. On one side of the Basilica is the ancient Oratorium of St. George, attached to the Scoletta del Santo with its famous Sala Priorale, superbly frescoed by the big names of its era. In the vicinity is the oldest Botanical Garden in the world, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Founded during the epoch of the Venetian Republic, it was conceived as a place dedicated to the study and cultivation of medicinal plants. The Chiesa degli Eremitani houses the famous Ovetari Chapel.
Venice
Venice is elegant, precious, inimitable, entertaining, and romantic. It is a jewel in the Italian touristic landscape, where churches, buildings, old bridges, monuments and piazzas are the evidence of the artistic and cultural vivacity that marks the history of this city.
The heart of Venice is the wonderful Piazza San Marco – the most elegant in Europe – surrounded by outstanding buildings: the impressive bell tower and the Cathedral – with its five portals of marble and mosaic decorations (foreshadowing the luxury of the interiors); the Ducal Palace, a symbol of the golden age of the Serenissima; Torre dei Mori (the clock tower), the engineering masterpiece that has been telling Venice the time for centuries; and the Napoleonic Wing, site of the Correr Museum.
Not far away is Campo Santo Stefano, with the church of the same name (i.e. St. Stephen’s), one of Venice’s biggest.
Venice is the best of outdoor museums, and it can be toured by boat or by gondola, most teasily along the Canal Grande, the main Venetian thoroughfare. The Peggy Guggenheim Collection is another must-see, exhibited in the Palazzo Venier de’ Leoni; it is considered the most important collection of the 20th Century.
On the right bank of the Grand Canal – also accessible by crossing the Ponte del Rialto – it is possible to reach the districts of San Polo, Santa Croce and Dorsoduro, where some of the most famous campi of Venice are surrounded by wonderful religious buildings and palaces: San Rocco, with one of the old Grandi Scuole di Venezia and the church dedicated to the Saint; the renowned Basilica of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, one of the most important Franciscan structures; San Polo; San Giacomo dall’Orio with the church of the same name at its center and decorated with wonderful Venetian Renaissance artworks; San Sebastiano masterfully decorated by Paolo Veronese; San Pantalon; San Nicolò dei Mendicoli with one of the city’s oldest churches; and Santa Maria della Salute.
From Piazza San Marco, crossing the renowned Bridge of Sighs – with a wonderful view of the lagoon – is the Castello district, rich in architectural and artistic masterpieces. The campi of Venice are historic piazzas, usually embellished with remarkable monuments in the middle, and dominated by impressive religious buildings whence they take their names. This sestiere (district) also hosts plenty of interesting churches: the Chiesa dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo (Church of St. John and St. Paul), where state funerals were once held; the Church Santa Maria dei Miracoli, a fabulous example of Renaissance architecture; the Church of San Zaccaria in the homonyous piazza; the Church of San Giovanni in Bragora – considered one of the most beautiful churches in Venice – and the Church of Santa Maria Formosa, based on a design by Codussi.
Treviso
Treviso is a tranquil oasis where a peaceful walk lets visitors admire the sober elegance that characterizes every corner of this charming “città cortese” (courteous city).
In the city center stands the Duomo, surrounded by its old defensive walls; it is a superb example of the complex stratification of architectonic styles. Such is due to the numerous restoration works implemented over the centuries. Borgo Cavour leads to the Luigi Bailo Civic Museum and its archaeological collection, an interesting art gallery with pieces by great Venetian artists, in addition to a Modern art collection.
The elegance of Treviso Province matches that of the city, with its villas constructed during the times of the Venetian Republic. Along the Terraglio River and towards Mestre lie numerous of these villas: Villa Fabrizi Franchetti, a Venetian-style aristocratic mansion surrounded by a wonderful park; Villa Taverna, with its beautiful Italian-style garden; Villa Trevisanato, within the green of a small wood and an example of the harmonious landscapes of architect Antonio Caregaro Negrin; and Villa Furlanis, based on a design by Palladio.
The past has left its mark all over the Province, and many cultural routes offer a journey into the past, through the places touched by World War I, the architecture of the Renaissance and Middle Ages, all the way back to relics from the period of Roman domination.
There is a reason why the small town of Asolo is defined as the “city of a hundred of landscapes.”
Caorle
Out of all the cities of the Veneto, Caorle, an original Roman settlement, is by far the most picturesque and fascinating. Here culture, art and leisure all meet in one.
A main tourist attraction is the wall of rocks along the west coast promenade of Caorle. Visitors can admire magnificent works of art which have been sculptured into these granite rocks. Each July new works of art are added by great national and international artists who carve away for three days. This is known at the “Scogliera Viva” and it’s by far one of the most popular events as one can literally see plain rocks came alive into magnificent sculptures. Along the Promenade is situated the small church called “Madonna dell’Angelo“, known as the fishermen’s church, it hosts their patron Virgin Mary of Caorle, the “Madonna dell’Angelo”.
The town centre is characterised of colourful buildings and small squares that remind visitors of the Venetian influence on this town. Along these bright narrow streets, tourists can enjoy going shopping, stopping at the various pubs and winebars and just walking along enjoying a tasty Italian icecream.