Holiday apartments, villas and hotels in The Veneto
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During one holiday in The Veneto, you can visit the unique city of Venice, experience the wonderful vineyard rich wine countryside, enjoy days on the family-friendly beaches, and travel around charismatic mountain towns. This is all possible when you are on tour in The Veneto. Or you can take your pick, just head to the beach, take a city break, stay in the mountains for hiking, biking or skiing, or stay in a countryside vineyard resort. You can come back time and time again and there is always more to see.
The landscape is also beautiful with its soft rolling hills around Verona and the River Adige, which runs through the countryside, the majestic mountains in the north and the wide sandy beaches in the coastal areas. Neither should we forget Lake Garda and its beautiful natural surroundings and green areas where you can immerse yourself in nature. This is probably why The Veneto is the most visited region throughout Italy.
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We must also mention the great wine such as Amarone, Valpolicella and Bardolino that are produced in the area, and the many great culinary delights which the Veneto has to offer. The climate with its cool breeze from the north, and warm summer wind from the east, has a kind influence on the grapes. Verona plays host to the largest wine fair every year called Vinitalia, during which time, some 3 - 4000 wine producers gather to taste and judge each other's products. The Veneto is also the home of the white sparkling wine Prosecco, that represents a very excellent aperitif wine.
The splendid towns of the Veneto reveal the region's former status as a Mediterranean strong power better known as the Republic of Venice. Venice is probably the most famous of all the cities in the Veneto. The city is not only unique because of its canals but also because of its wealth of history and an atmosphere that can only be described as fantastic
.Beautiful Verona has everything you could possibly wish for, atmospheric piazzas, Roman monuments, lovely restaurants and it is surrounded by wonderful scenery, not to mention the Roman amphitheatre with its magnificent opera performances.
Compared with Venice and Verona, Vicenza seems almost untouched by tourism but the city is still an architectural treasure with many beautiful Renaissance buildings. The city has an air of culture and is wonderful for simply wandering around - an overseen jewel of the area.
Padova also belongs to the overseen towns of the Veneto, however strange that may sound, and this despite the fact that Padova is incredibly fascinating with its wealth of history, magnificent villas and great eating places both in and outside the town.
The Veneto is characterised by Venice's former days of glory. But you can also find traces of the Roman Empire here, for example in Verona with its impressive arena and the small theatre on the outskirts of the historic centre. Many of the towns also show signs of the Renaissance period combined with medieval monuments. The sense of history is all around you in the Veneto.
The history of the Republic of Venice dates right back to around 1000 AD when it held a position of dominance because of its trade between the East and Europe. Trade with the Byzantium Empire was also significant and when the Ottoman Turks conquered important parts of the formerly great Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Republic of Venice found itself constantly at war with the Turks.
The republic was a considerable power in large parts of the Balkans, the Danube area and the Levant. Later the republic fought against other Italian maritime states such as Genoa, Amalfi and Pisa.
If you want to swim in the Veneto region, then there are plenty of opportunities. Here, you will find both broad sandy beaches and beautiful lakes and the beaches are very child-friendly hence the Veneto makes a great destination for a family holiday.
The coastal line stretches from Porto Tolle, south of Albarella to Bibione with a total of around 170 kilometres. Most parts of the beach are private and when you book a hotel or apartment in the coastal cities, it often includes two sunbeds and a parasol per pair. You can also find public beaches where you can take your own parasol without paying. The shores are often low so are perfect for small children to paddle safely. There are generally many children's activities such as playgrounds and various sports activities in the beach resorts so your children will never get bored.
In addition to coastal bathing, it is also possible to swim in the beautiful surroundings of the various lakes such as Italy's largest lake, lake Garda. At Lake Garda, you will find small natural "beaches" with gravel and small stones. The beaches are narrow and not large, but the possibility of sunbathing and swimming, are plenty. It should be noted that the lake is especially cold in the northern part where the water comes down from the mountains. It is also in the northern part of the lake, where there is much stream and where the lake gets deep faster than it does in the southern end. If you are a family with children it is therefore better to stay in this part of the lake regarding swimming. On the other hand, there is great opportunity for various water activities in the northern part. Windsurfing is very popular among other things, because here you will find perfect conditions.
Regardless of where you choose to swim in the Veneto region you are always close to interesting towns. Therefore, the Veneto is a good choice if you wish to combine sunshine, beaches, water and cities.
The Veneto is a varied landscape, which in the north is dominated by majestic mountains and towards the south by the flatter landscape which is prevalent in the coastal areas. Close to the towns of Verona, Vicenza, Treviso and Padova you find soft green hills and a landscape covered with beautiful vineyards.
The mountains are an experience in themselves. High peaks, waterfalls, beautiful forest areas and everything you could possibly hope for from the natural world. Among others you can climb Monte Baldo, the most western mountain of the Venetian Pre-Alps. Thanks to its peculiar position, Mount Baldo is considered as the "terrace on the Garda Lake"; in fact, there are many spots from where you can enjoy wonderful views, the highest of which is the Valdritta peak, at 2,218 metres. Lazier tourists can reach the Baldo peak in total comfort using the Malcesine-Monte Baldo cableway, with rotating cabins allowing a 360°C view of the surroundings, including the Garda Lake, of course.
Monte Baldo is the perfect summer destination for scenic walks in an environment of considerable geological and naturalistic interest. The mountain is also sought-after by sport enthusiasts, as many activities can be performed here in close contact with nature: mountain bike, horse riding and hiking, but also hang gliding and paragliding for the lovers of the flying experience.
Lake Garda is also a wonderful natural environment, as well as being Italy's biggest lake. Surrounded by mountains and green areas there are opportunities to experience the magnificent scenery regardless of where you are on Lake Garda.
The cuisine of the Veneto is characterised by fresh fish and seafood in the coastal areas prepared in simple, delicious and elegant ways. Further inland more meat is eaten, and you will typically find butter used instead of olive oil. The Venetians appreciate calves and pigs jaw and polenta, risotto with butter or sage and in some places horsemeat. The Veneto is also full of wonderful well-reputed restaurants, which make for most enjoyable visits.
Fish and seafood: Venetian cuisine is rich in elegant fish and seafood dishes. Anglerfish is a fish, which often appears on the menu in the Veneto in all imaginable variations. Oysters and shrimps are also popular.
Meat, game and poultry: The people of the Veneto eat lots of meat. Veal, pork and lamb are among their favourites. But they also eat plenty of game including hare, which can be found in all kinds of creative variations. The Veneto can also boast of its own breed of chicken "Gallina Padovana" which tastes more like pheasant or guinea fowl than chicken.
Sausages and ham: There are a few types of sausage that set the Veneto apart from some of the other regions in Italy because they are produced from horsemeat. These include "Bresaola di Cavallo" and "Salame e sopressa di cavallo" and produced from donkey meat "Salame d'asino". But many other delicious sausages and hams are produced from pork such as "Ossocòlo", "Prosciutto veneto berico-euganeo" and from Vicenza "Sopressa vicentina".
Cheese: Many wonderful cheeses are produced in the Veneto made from sheep's, cow's and goat's milk. The especially good ones made from cow's milk include "Asiago stravecchio di malga" and "Morlacco del Grappa e vacca Burlina".
Wine and vineyards: Veneto is becoming known as one of the largest wine regions in Italy. Who has not heard of the legendary Amarone wine or the great Valpolicella Classico or the Soave? There is plenty of scope for enjoying great wine in the Veneto. A visit the Valpolicella area is an excellent choice for those who want to combine wine tasting with exciting excursions to Lake Garda or beautiful cities such as Verona and Venice.
Another wine region which has not yet been explored as much by tourists, is the beautiful Grappadal or "Strada di Prosecco" that runs between the towns of Cornegliano and Valdobbiade in northern Veneto. Here is where they primarily make Grappa and not least Italy's answer to Champagne, Prosecco. If you are interested in Grappa, the town of Bassano del Grappa highly is recommended, as it is in a beautiful town centre where there is an interesting grappa museum. In the area you will also find many other interesting cities, such as Cittadella and Cornegliano.
The following are some of the Veneto's best vineyards: Romano Dal Forno, Le Ragose, Giuseppe Quintarelli, Sartori, Brunelli, Speri, Masi.
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