Verona& Vicenza: Lake Garda, Asiago, Valbrenta & Beyond

Writers, painters, historians and philosophers have long been inspired by the dramatic landscapes of the Veneto Region and, by translating astute observations on canvas or in print, have captured the beauty of a land and a people that have evolved over many centuries. Situated in Italy's northernmost zone, few other regions boast such diverse landscapes. From the low sandy coastline where the Veneto meets the Adriatic Sea, to the mighty Alpine peaks, rolling hills, thermal springs and lagoon systems, the varied landscape makes for lively getaways any season of the year. Veneto, a name that derives from Veneti, a pre-Roman people who once inhabited the area, is divided into seven provinces: Belluno, Padua, Rovigo, Treviso, Venice, Verona and Vicenza. Here, we focus on the last two provinces. Verona and Vicenza. Lake Garda, a popular summer vacation spot, is both the region's and the country's largest natural lake. Most other lakes in the region are artificial and considerably smaller. Vicenza is an important Renaissance city with an impressive number of buildings dating back to the 1500s, many of them attributed to Andrea Palladio. It was during this period that Andrea di Pietro della Gondola came to Vicenza as a 16-year-old stone mason and through a combination of his own talent and a fine network of mentors, grew to be the great architect who dramatically transformed Vicenza's urban image. His finest works in the city include the Teatro Olimpico, the Basilica Palladiana and the Palazzo Chiericati. Despite Verona's status as a forward-thinking cosmopolitan province, the vast ruins, castles, churches and fortifications anchored throughout the territory provide a solid reminder of its significance to the Holy Roman Empire, the Scaligeri dynasty and the Venetian Republic over the centuries. On the western side of the Veneto region, Verona is an extremely diverse province that is divided into several zones: Lake Garda and the Olive Riviera, Monte Baldo, the Lessini Mountains, Valpolicella, Est Veronese, Bassa Veronese and, of course, the city of Verona. As one of the most prosperous cities in northern Italy and the second-most visited in the Veneto, Verona's streets exhibit an interesting melange of Roman, medieval, Renaissance and Venetian influences. And with unmistakably firm roots in classical tradition, the city that underwent significant urban development following World War II has a cosmopolitan identity that its high-fashion stores and impeccably dressed businessmen reflect. At the crossroads of two important Roman roads, Verona served as a critical strategic and commercial center for many centuries. It began as a colony of the Roman Empire in the first century BC and was joined with the Empire in 49 BC. The arena, one of the world's best-preserved Roman amphitheaters, was built to accommodate upwards of 20,000 spectators and, along with the Roman theater and the city's gates, Verona maintains its Roman identity today. This guide tells you everything you need to know about this region - the history, the culture, then and now, the places to stay and eat, the sights, and the best ways to see them, the hotels, the restaurants, how to get there and how to get around. Loaded with color photos.