I lived in Italy for almost 3 years in what feels like a lifetime ago! I was keen to see how the city had changed or not over the past 20 or so years. Intially, coming out of the train station it felt new and familiar at the same time. As I walked through the historic centre I soon found my way to the street I used to live. Below is me standing outside what used to the fruit and veg shop, next to one of the historic gates to the centre.
It was quite awesome to walk around the historic centre and visit familiar places. Top of my list to revisit was the Teatro Olimpico . This historica theatre was constructed by Andrea Palladio a famous architect between 1580- 1585. It was the first indoor theatre with masonry in the world!
Next on my list of places was Monte Berico, which sits on a hill and a UNESCO heritage site. It is said that the Madonna appeared to Vincenza Pasini around 1356-1431. At that time, the area was just orchards and vineyards. The message from the Madonna brought hope during 20 years of plague affecting the city. The request was to commit to building a church dedicated to the apparitions, leading to a small chapel being built quickly. Pilgrims increased over time, and in 1578, Andrea Palladio enlarged the area with a square nave, which was unfortunately demolished in 1688; however, Palladio’s influence remains in the design.
The view from the top out over the city is stunning.
Whilst we were in Vicenza there was a jazz festival going on. This was amazing as the whilst you could watch formal performances in the late afternoon the performers took to the streets. It was just, lovely to see people dancing and enjoying the music.
The Palladian Basilica, designed by Andrea Palladio, is stunning. It is in the the centre of Vicenza and a UNESCO heritage site. I thoroughly enjoyed relaxing at one of the charming cafes in the piazza right in front of this building and enjoying the atmosphere.
All in all I really enjoyed my time revisiting Vicenza. It is definitely worth a visit. Located between Venice and Verona makes it an easy destination to get to.
