Day 1 Fly to Verona and transfer by coach to Vicenza.
Day 2 Morning cruise on the River Brenta with guide introducing the various Palladian villas as they pass, including, 'La Malcontenta', the Villa Gradenigo, containing frescoes partly attributed to Benedetto Caliari, and the Villa Barchessa Valmarana, still sumptuously furnished with notable paintings from the Venetian-Baroque school. Cruise past attractive villages, through the locks of Miro and Dolo and swing bridges. After time for lunch at Dolo, continue to the Villa Pisani Nazionale with its great dancing hall and the frescoed ceiling, which depicts the Pisani family, painted in 1761.
Day 3 Morning guided walking tour of Palladio's home town of Vicenza, a city that the great architect transformed with his imposing civic buildings, basilica and aristocratic residences. The highlight of the guided walking tour is a visit to Palladio's Teatro Olimpico, considered to be one of the purest creations of Renaissance architecture. Then visit, by coach, Villa Porto, Villa Valmarana, Villa Trissino and Villa Godi, the first villa designed by Palladio. Finally, visit Villa Rotonda, the most famous in the region of Veneto.
Day 4 Visit Bassano del Grappa, famous for both its Palladian bridge and for being the home of Grappa 'the firewater of the mountains'. Pass through the village of Asolo where 'every house is a poem', and on to the Villa Barbaro at Maser. Continue along the Prosecco Wine Road, into the hills of Veneto that are home to several world famous wines and visit a local vineyard for a cool refreshing glass of Prosecco.
Day 5 Transfer to Verona airport and fly home to the UK.
All tours are tailored to your requirements and can be adapted for travel by coach and/or air as you prefer. Occasionally itineraries change. Please see our current brochure or contact us for the latest version.