Guide to Bassano del Grappa, Northern Italy

Unique PointsBassano sits in a stunning location by				including work being done on the cell which was
the River Brenta with				used by
Monte Grappa in the background. It is about 35				the two saints.The Church of San Francesco was
kilometres				started in the mid 12th
north east of Vicenza. The town's symbols are				century, after the return of Ezzelino 11, the
said to be the				Stutterer, from the
Palladian bridge, white asparagus, ceramics and				Holy Land. The Church of St John the Baptist
the				was originally
Grappa liqueur. I visited the town for the day in				built in 1308 but reconstructed in the 18th
February				century by local
2005. I really liked the location, the fresh air, the				architect Giovanni Miazzi. Giambattista Piazzetti
fast flowing				made the
river and the picturesque bridge. If you like to be				altarpiece of John the Baptist and Orzio Marinali
slightly off				created the
the tourist track and would prefer a more rural				statues of angels and the bas-reliefs.The
setting for				Cathedral of Holy Mary was a 10th century parish
short break or as a base for a touring holiday,
Bassano is				church in the original high part of the town. The
ideal.How to get thereThe nearest airports are				present
Treviso, used by Ryanair as it's				cathedral dates from the 17th century. The high
airport for Venice and Venice Marco Polo. You				altar piece
could hire a				and the painting of St Stephen are the work of
car from the airport. It is possible to reach				Leandro di
Bassano by train				Ponte, and the sculptures are by Mainali. Di
on the Vicenzia - Trento or Padova - Bassano				Giacomo Dacci
lines.HistoryIt is often assumed that the city takes				made the organ and the three ceiling paintings
its name from the				are by
well known liqueur Grappa. This is not the case; it				Volpata.AccommodationVilla Brocchi Colonna,
is named				Bassano del GrappaThis lovely agriturismo,
after Monte Grappa. The mountain's name is said				country farmhouse hotel, is located
to				two kilometres from Bassano in spectacular
originate from crapp or greep, meaning crag in				countryside,
an ancient				surrounded by hills. The west wing was
pre-Latin language. The liqueur Grappa's name				converted in 2002
stems				to provide eleven elegantly furnished bedrooms.
from grappolo, meaning a cluster of				Breakfast,
grapes.Grappa liqueur has been produced in				prepared by the owner, offers home made
Bassano since 1779				jams, breads,
when Bortolo Nardini bought a Grapperia on the				biscuits and cakes, prepared using her own
Brenta				natural farm
River bank. Grappa is made from the				produce.Rooms cost from 90 - 150 euros per
by-products of wine				night including
making, the seeds, stems and skins. The				breakfast. There are two rooms with an internal
company is still				door
run by members of the Nardini family, accounting				suitable for a family and two rooms suitable for
for around				disabled
one quarter of annual grappa production.Ponte				guests.Albergo Contarini, near BassanoThe
Vecchia has become synonymous with Bassano.				Contarini is in the lovely village of Compologno sul
The bridge is first mentioned in the 11th century.				Brenta, in the Brenta valley, at the foot of the
The bridge				Dolomite
has been rebuilt several times due to flooding or				Mountains, a few kilometres north of Bassano.
destruction during wars. It is still the original				There is a
design by				large garden and private parking. Each of the
Palladio from 1569. The bridge is built of wood,				three annexes
making it				has its own character and contains bedrooms,
more resilient to the fast flowing River				studios and
Brenta.There is a record of the city on St Mary's				one-bedroom apartments.Double rooms cost
Hill from the 10th				from 55 - 72 euros per room per night,
century. From the 14th to 18th century the city				single rooms cost from 40 -54 euros. If you
was under				stay for at least
Venetian rule. It became well known for the				three days there is the option of half board at
manufacture of				40 - 54 euros
ceramics, wool, silk, iron and copper. The				per person per night, or full board at 48 - 62
Remondini				euros per
family ran one of the most up to date printing				person per night.Col delle Rane ApartmentsThese
houses in				four farm agriturismo apartments are located 10
Europe from the17th to the 19th century.Grappa				km
liqueur has been produced in Bassano since 1779				east of Bassono, in the green hills of the
when Bortolo Nardini bought a Grapperia on				Trevisan March.
theBrenta				The agriturismo is run by the Gallina family. There
River bank. Grappa is made from the by				are lovely
products of wine				walks in the nearby hills and vineyards, and you
making, the seeds, stems and skins. The				can hire
company is still				bicycles too. There is a shared leisure garden.The
run by members of the Nardini family, accounting				apartments are all on the ground floor, with
for around				garden
one quarter of annual grappa production.The				views. There is a living room/kitchen. The kitchen
Town Hall was first constructed in1405.				has a
Bartolomeo				fridge and gas rings. There is a double bedroom
Ferranci installed the present clock mechanism in				and a
1743.				bathroom.The price is 385 euros per week,
The interior walls are adorned by frescoes of				based on two sharing,
120 coats of				which includes linen, water, electricity, gas and air
arms.White asparagus was first produced in the				conditioning. It is possible to accommodate an
16th century after				additional
Bassano experienced a hailstorm which				two guests in the apartments, at a cost of 5
destroyed the				euros per
asparagus crop. The farmers dug up the part of				person per night. There is a final cleaning charge
the plant				of 15
below the earth and discovered that it was so				euros.
tender and				Where to eatTrattoria del Borgo is a traditional
delicious that they started to grow it				restaurant with a garden,
underground				via Margan 7, tel 0424 522155Birreria Ottone is
permanently.Parolini, a local nobleman, designed				an a 13th century palazzo. They offer a
the Giardini Parolini in				selection of Italian, Tyrolean and Austrian dishes,
the early 19th century. In 1829 Parolini catalogued				via
3000				Matteotti 48 - 50, tel 0424 522206.Day
plant species in the garden.During the First World				tripsMarosticaMarostica is a 14th century medieval
War the Italians took a last stand				town where the
against the Austrians in Monte Grappa where				original town wall stands intact.
they				It is best known as the "town of chess". Every
entrenched themselves in tunnels and bunkers to				second year a
repel the				match, with people dressed in elaborate
Austrian attackers. Over 12,000 Italian and				costumes to
10,000 Austrian				portray the pieces, is played on the giant
soldiers lost their lives in the numerous				chessboard below
battles.During the Second World War Italian				the castle. This takes place on the second Friday,
partisans hid in Monte				Saturday
Grappa, organising raids on the main supply route				and Sunday every second year, when the year
from				ends in an
Germany to the German troops stationed in				even number. This commemorates the chess
Italy. In 1944				match
the Germans took revenge by marching up the				played in 1454 when the victor was to win the
mountain				hand in
behind women, children and elderly local				marriage of Lianora, the daughter of the Lord of
inhabitants. Any				the Castle
partisans discovered or civilians suspected of				of Marostica. Two suitors, Rinaldo d'Angarano and
assisting				Vieti da
partisans were killed. There were public hangings				Vallonara, had fallen in love with Lianora and were
and				to fight a
shootings with families forced to watch.In 1946				duel to see how would marry Lianora. The Lord
the Italian prime minister awarded Basssano the				forbade the
gold medal for military valour. Every year the				duel and order decreed that the victor of the
city				chess match
commemorates these events during				would marry Lianora. However all was not lost
September.The Museo degli Alpini was established				for the
in 1948 in memory				defeated suitor, as he would marry Lianora's
of the Italian Alpine Troops It is located on the				younger sister,
eastern side				Oldrata.
of the Ponte Vecchio. You have to enter it				The period costumes are permanenly displayed in
through a cafe. I				the
found this rather confusing but the museum is				Lower Castle.Marostica holds a Cherry Festival
down stairs				every year during May and
to the left when you enter the cafe.				June. There are kiosks in the streets selling a
Originally the collection was very small but has				variety of
grown as				cherries including morello, roame,marostagne and
more war relics have been gathered together.				sander.
There are				There is an annual exhibition of comic cartoons in
many original photos, uniforms and				the town.
armoury.Museo della Cermica is near the eastern				Every July and August local craftsmen display
side of the Ponte				their work the
Vecchio. The building was constructed as the				exhibition hall of the Lower Caste.
residence of				There are some lovely walks through the
Ferrari family, owners of a local silk factory. The				surrounding hills.AsolaAsola is a charming hilltop
entrance				town, with a castle, a cathedral
hall is adorned with a fresco by Giorgio Anseli.				with a altar piece by Lorenzo Lotto and the 15th
There are				century
pieces of engraved ceramics from medieval				Palazzo della Ragione. It was called the "city of
times, Mainardi				one
majolica pieces from the 17th and 18th century,				thousand horizons" by Giosue Carducci, because
along with				of all the
modern pieces.The Civic Musuem is one of the				fantastic views. It was much favoured by the
oldest in the Veneto region.				Venetian
It was built in1828 on the site of the convent of				nobility. Caterina Corona, the former Queen of
St Francis. It				Cyprus, lived
houses a collection of paintings by the Da Ponti				here in the late 15th century. Robert Browning,
family,				the English
Guariento and Magnasco, a collection of prints by				poet, bought a house ere in the mid 17th
the				century. Eleanora
Remondini family. There is also an archaeological				Duse, credited with being the greatest actress of
section				the Italian
and pieces by Antonio Canova.Bassano boasts				stage was also a resident. The travel writer
several churches. San Donato was built in				Freya Stark was
1208. It is claimed that St Francis of Assisi and				brought up in Asolo and spent a lot of time here
St Anthony				between
of Padua both stayed here during the third				her various expeditions. There is an antiques
decade of the				market every
13th century. The church was a hospital, run by				second weekend of the month, except during
Benedictine				July and
nuns in the 14th century, then a Fransican				August.Karen Bryan is an independent travel
monastery during				consultant and writer,
the 15th century. The church was restored in				specialising less well known destinations in Europe.
1900,

Blueridge Hunt

Guide to Bassano del Grappa, Northern Italy

Articles