Bassano and roundabouts: discovering the high Vicenza province

In the High Vicenza province: from Bassano known for the "grappa" and for the bridge of Alpines, to contemporary art in the Casabianca Museum in Malo. With a visit to the Medieval pearls of Marostica and Thiene.

What do alpino soldiers, grappa and the king of pop-art Andy Warhol have in common? Apparently nothing, but there is an itinerary, in the high Vicenza province between Valsugana and Valdastico, connecting the whole of them. And in between a couple of detours to see the Medieval pearls of Thiene and Marostica may be to see the famous living chess contest.

Basssano del Grappa is a calm marvellous town at the feet of the homonymous massif (1775 m.) with a completely uphill historical centre. The finding of flintstone and bone instruments, as well as ceramics and bronze artifacts, prooves the existence of human settlements since prehistorical times.

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Bassano has been disputed by the neighbouring towns for a long time. It has been dominated by the Ezzelino, the Scaligeri, the Carraresi and the Visconti (from Milano) who reinforced the second circle of walls. From the XV and to the whole XVIII century the town laid under the domain of the Serenissima Venice Republic. This is the period of major development of the artistical life in Bassano: in the XVI century thanks to the famous dynasty of the Da Ponte painters and in the XVIII century thanks to the Remondini who dominated the books and printings market in Europe.

But Bassano is mostly known for its bridge over the Brenta river. The Ponte Vecchio (Old bridge) was probably built about the year 1156 to connect the two hamlets of Angarano and Margan and its reputation is due more to the song of the alpini soldiers (who took it as a symbol of their value) than to its stability. Of its many recontructions we recall the one directed by the famous Paduan architect Andrea Palladio (1569), in which the bridge took its present form.

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In the centre of Bassano there is a "casone" (typical rural house) dating the end of the XVIII century. It was restored, renewed and transformed in the Casabianca Museum which collects over 1200 works of 700 artists, from Andy Warhol to Keith Haring, gathering the history of the Avant-garde.

Malo and its roundabouts are famous for a gastronomic speciality: quails and luganighe, characteristic dish to which they dedicate a feast at Mid-September in Molina di Malo. This detour is also worth because of the beautiful Villa Saraceno (1548), a project by Palladio which has recently been perfectly restored.

Vacanze a Bassano del grappa Marostica e Thiene

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