Veneto Travel Guide

The Veneto province in north-east Italy on the Adriatic Coast is a tourist magnet. A major wine-growing region (big names include Soave whites, Valpolicella reds and the fizzy Italian version of champagne, Prosecco), it boasts several major tourist destinations.

Key sights are La Serenissima aka Venice; Verona where Romeo wooed Juliet; Vicenza, where the influential architect Palladio honed his skills; Padua, rich with a cycle of Giotto frescoes and Chioggia, a mini-Venice without the crowds. Elegant Palladian villas dot the vine-striped landscape while the snow-covered Alpine peaks are reflected in the calm waters of Lake Garda, surrounded by lemon and olive groves.

Take time out to sample regional specialities including white asparagus (grown all over), risotto with cuttlefish, spaghetti alla vongole (clams) and fegato alla Veneziana (liver with onions). Montasio and Asiago are local cheeses while Treviso is the birthplace of radicchio, a red and white-striped bitter lettuce leaf.

Summers are hot (max. temp. Aug 36°C), winters are cold (min. temp. Jan -2°C). The best time to visit is spring or autumn for balmy days and fewer crowds.