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Guide to Bassano del Grappa, Northern Italy

Unique PointsBassano sits in a stunning				including work being done on the cell which
location by the River Brenta with				was used by

Monte Grappa in the background. It is about				the two saints.The Church of San Francesco
35 kilometres				was started in the mid 12th

north east of Vicenza. The town's symbols				century, after the return of Ezzelino 11,
are said to be the				the Stutterer, from the

Palladian bridge, white asparagus, ceramics				Holy Land. The Church of St John the Baptist
and the				was originally

Grappa liqueur. I visited the town for the				built in 1308 but reconstructed in the 18th
day in February				century by local

2005. I really liked the location, the				architect Giovanni Miazzi. Giambattista
fresh air, the fast flowing				Piazzetti made the

river and the picturesque bridge. If you				altarpiece of John the Baptist and Orzio
like to be slightly off				Marinali created the

the tourist track and would prefer a more				statues of angels and the bas-reliefs.The
rural 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 present
ideal.How to get thereThe nearest airports
are Treviso, used by Ryanair as it's				cathedral dates from the 17th century. The
				high altar piece
airport for Venice and Venice Marco Polo.
You could hire a				and the painting of St Stephen are the work
				of Leandro di
car from the airport. It is possible to
reach Bassano by train				Ponte, and the sculptures are by Mainali. Di
				Giacomo Dacci
on the Vicenzia - Trento or Padova -
Bassano lines.HistoryIt is often assumed that				made the organ and the three ceiling
the city takes its name from the				paintings are by

well known liqueur Grappa. This is not the				Volpata.AccommodationVilla Brocchi Colonna,
case; it is named				Bassano del GrappaThis lovely agriturismo,
				country farmhouse hotel, is located
after Monte Grappa. The mountain's name is
said to				two kilometres from Bassano in spectacular
				countryside,
originate from crapp or greep, meaning crag
in an ancient				surrounded by hills. The west wing was
				converted in 2002
pre-Latin language. The liqueur Grappa's
name stems				to provide eleven elegantly furnished
				bedrooms. Breakfast,
from grappolo, meaning a cluster of
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				biscuits and cakes, prepared using her own
the 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
company is still				internal door

run by members of the Nardini family,				suitable for a family and two rooms suitable
accounting for around				for disabled

one quarter of annual grappa				guests.Albergo Contarini, near BassanoThe
production.Ponte Vecchia has become				Contarini is in the lovely village of
synonymous with Bassano.				Compologno sul

The bridge is first mentioned in the 11th				Brenta, in the Brenta valley, at the foot of
century. The bridge				the Dolomite

has been rebuilt several times due to				Mountains, a few kilometres north of
flooding or				Bassano. There is a

destruction during wars. It is still the				large garden and private parking. Each of
original design by				the three annexes

Palladio from 1569. The bridge is built of				has its own character and contains bedrooms,
wood, making it				studios and

more resilient to the fast flowing River				one-bedroom apartments.Double rooms cost
Brenta.There is a record of the city on St				from 55 - 72 euros per room per night,
Mary's Hill from the 10th
				single rooms cost from 40 -54 euros. If you
century. From the 14th to 18th century the				stay for at least
city was under
				three days there is the option of half board
Venetian rule. It became well known for the				at 40 - 54 euros
manufacture of
				per person per night, or full board at 48 -
ceramics, wool, silk, iron and copper. The				62 euros per
Remondini
				person per night.Col delle Rane
family ran one of the most up to date				ApartmentsThese four farm agriturismo
printing houses in				apartments are located 10 km

Europe from the17th to the 19th				east of Bassono, in the green hills of the
century.Grappa liqueur has been produced in				Trevisan March.
Bassano since 1779
				The agriturismo is run by the Gallina
when Bortolo Nardini bought a Grapperia on				family. There are lovely
theBrenta
				walks in the nearby hills and vineyards, and
River bank. Grappa is made from the by				you can hire
products of wine
				bicycles too. There is a shared leisure
making, the seeds, stems and skins. The				garden.The apartments are all on the ground
company is still				floor, with garden

run by members of the Nardini family,				views. There is a living room/kitchen. The
accounting for around				kitchen has a

one quarter of annual grappa production.The				fridge and gas rings. There is a double
Town Hall was first constructed in1405.				bedroom and a
Bartolomeo
				bathroom.The price is 385 euros per week,
Ferranci installed the present clock				based on two sharing,
mechanism in 1743.
				which includes linen, water, electricity,
The interior walls are adorned by frescoes				gas and air
of 120 coats of
				conditioning. It is possible to accommodate
arms.White asparagus was first produced in				an additional
the 16th century after
				two guests in the apartments, at a cost of 5
Bassano experienced a hailstorm which				euros per
destroyed the
				person per night. There is a final cleaning
asparagus crop. The farmers dug up the part				charge of 15
of the plant
				euros.
below the earth and discovered that it was
so tender and				Where to eatTrattoria del Borgo is a
				traditional restaurant with a garden,
delicious that they started to grow it
underground				via Margan 7, tel 0424 522155Birreria Ottone
				is an a 13th century palazzo. They offer a
permanently.Parolini, a local nobleman,
designed the Giardini Parolini in				selection of Italian, Tyrolean and Austrian
				dishes, via
the early 19th century. In 1829 Parolini
catalogued 3000				Matteotti 48 - 50, tel 0424 522206.Day
				tripsMarosticaMarostica is a 14th century
plant species in the garden.During the First				medieval town where the
World War the Italians took a last stand
				original town wall stands intact.
against the Austrians in Monte Grappa where
they				It is best known as the "town of chess".
				Every second year a
entrenched themselves in tunnels and bunkers
to repel the				match, with people dressed in elaborate
				costumes to
Austrian attackers. Over 12,000 Italian and
10,000 Austrian				portray the pieces, is played on the giant
				chessboard below
soldiers lost their lives in the numerous
battles.During the Second World War Italian				the castle. This takes place on the second
partisans hid in Monte				Friday, Saturday

Grappa, organising raids on the main supply				and Sunday every second year, when the year
route 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
mountain				the hand in

behind women, children and elderly local				marriage of Lianora, the daughter of the
inhabitants. Any				Lord of the Castle

partisans discovered or civilians suspected				of Marostica. Two suitors, Rinaldo
of assisting				d'Angarano and Vieti da

partisans were killed. There were public				Vallonara, had fallen in love with Lianora
hangings and				and were to fight a

shootings with families forced to watch.In				duel to see how would marry Lianora. The
1946 the Italian prime minister awarded				Lord forbade the
Basssano the
				duel and order decreed that the victor of
gold medal for military valour. Every year				the chess match
the city
				would marry Lianora. However all was not
commemorates these events during				lost for the
September.The Museo degli Alpini was
established in 1948 in memory				defeated suitor, as he would marry Lianora's
				younger sister,
of the Italian Alpine Troops It is located
on the eastern side				Oldrata.

of the Ponte Vecchio. You have to enter it				The period costumes are permanenly displayed
through a cafe. I				in the

found this rather confusing but the museum				Lower Castle.Marostica holds a Cherry
is down stairs				Festival every year during May and

to the left when you enter the cafe.				June. There are kiosks in the streets
				selling a variety of
Originally the collection was very small but
has grown as				cherries including morello, roame,marostagne
				and sander.
more war relics have been gathered together.
There are				There is an annual exhibition of comic
				cartoons in the town.
many original photos, uniforms and
armoury.Museo della Cermica is near the				Every July and August local craftsmen
eastern side of the Ponte				display 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				surrounding hills.AsolaAsola is a charming
factory. The entrance				hilltop town, with a castle, a cathedral

hall is adorned with a fresco by Giorgio				with a altar piece by Lorenzo Lotto and the
Anseli. There are				15th century

pieces of engraved ceramics from medieval				Palazzo della Ragione. It was called the
times, Mainardi				"city of one

majolica pieces from the 17th and 18th				thousand horizons" by Giosue Carducci,
century, along with				because 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				nobility. Caterina Corona, the former Queen
convent of St Francis. It				of Cyprus, lived

houses a collection of paintings by the Da				here in the late 15th century. Robert
Ponti family,				Browning, the English

Guariento and Magnasco, a collection of				poet, bought a house ere in the mid 17th
prints by the				century. Eleanora

Remondini family. There is also an				Duse, credited with being the greatest
archaeological section				actress of the Italian

and pieces by Antonio Canova.Bassano boasts				stage was also a resident. The travel
several churches. San Donato was built in				writer Freya Stark was

1208. It is claimed that St Francis of				brought up in Asolo and spent a lot of time
Assisi and St Anthony				here between

of Padua both stayed here during the third				her various expeditions. There is an
decade of the				antiques market every

13th century. The church was a hospital,				second weekend of the month, except during
run by 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
1900,				Europe.

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Guide to Bassano del Grappa, Northern Italy