Tucked between Venice and Verona lies one beautiful little Italian city without the crowds of its popular neighbours, or the tourist tax. Less than an hour from Venice, it’s an ideal retreat during a North Italian road trip to escape the crowds and soak up Italian life, after working your way around other big hitters nearby like Bologna and Milan.
Whether you’re hopping around, or you fancy a dedicated getaway that feels truly Italian, Vicenza should be on your list to experience stunning landscapes, delicious food and incredible architecture. Travel blogger, Wander Your Way, summed it up perfectly, proclaiming it an “amazing” and “underrated” destination in a post. They added: “What I love about this city is simply wandering about it and feeling like I’m in a city that belongs to the people who live here — not a bunch of tourists.”
One of the best ways to soak up local life is through regional cuisine, although this city’s specialty might surprise you.
Bacala’ alla vicentina – cod cooked the Vicenza way – is unlike anything we’d normally associate with Italian food, but comes with centuries-old traditions of serving air-dried cod atop a bed of piping hot polenta.
Elegant buildings are dotted throughout the city designed by the renowned 16th-century architect, Andrea Palladio, and one of his most unmissable works is the Basilica Palladiana, originally a medieval town hall that he covered in a Renaissance shell.
Then there is Palladio’s Teatro Olimpico, which resembles a classic outdoor theatre, except it’s indoors, while his hilltop Villa Capra La Rotonda has four identical facades and stunning views.
There is also plenty of Roman history to explore, including the Criptoportico Romano, a covered passageway that is half-underground and once part of a lavish Roman house.
Uncovered in Vicenza during the Second World War, it is now open for guided visits to learn about Roman life and the relics that were uncovered.
The city has its own archaeological museum, called by the same name, where you can admire Roman mosaics and artefacts from the region.
Vicenza can be reached easily by train from the main airport cities of Milan, Bologna or Venice, with a flight time of approximately two hours.