Oct 14, 2014
A very picturesque Bassano del Grappa
Tucked away at the foot of Monte Grappa, Bassano del Grappa was the final destination of our Italian Escapade 2014. This was also where we celebrated L&P’s wedding – truly, no better place could have been chosen. We got in a couple of days ahead of the wedding so we could chill out and rest our weary feet – we’ve been walking a lot in 10 days! Good thing this is a small town, easily explored in a few hours.
The most iconic feature of the town is the Ponte degli Alpini, formerly Ponte Vecchio (“old bridge”), a 16th century timber bridge designed by Andrea Palladio. What stands today in River Brenta is a reconstructed bridge, having been destroyed many times, most recently during the World War II. It was the Alpine soldiers who raised the fund to finance the rebuilding of this bridge, and thus they were honoured, with the bridge renamed after them.
The other fame of the town is hinted in its name – grappa. I am not a fan of this strong, clear spirit but must concede it does help massively in digesting a full Italian meal! There are a couple of famous producers in Bassano, right on/by the Ponte degli Alpini. The Museo della Grappa – owned by Poli – is across the street for anyone curious about the production of grappa before tasting a few, and at the eastern entrance of the bridge itself, Nardini – whose logo bears the image of the bridge – has been serving its customers since 1779!
We walked a lot randomly, without checking for historical information and the likes. I guess we were in less touristy mode and rather were in celebratory mood, often busy chatting with friends that we’ve met up with and just exploring the town together. West- and south-bound from the bridge, we came across the Porta Dieda, the main gate to enter the city. Along the river, several old palazzo stand proud, including Palazzo Sturm, now a ceramics museum.
Southbound, we came across old palazzo along the river front and further along, Tempio Ossario which was closed for works. I later found out that it is also known as Temple of the Fallen, where nearly 6,000 soldiers who fought in the World War I were buried. We also discovered the bridge on viale Armando Diaz to be the best spot to photograph the town together with the charming Ponte degli Alpini.
The historic centre focuses around Piazza Libertà and Piazza Garibaldi. Column bearing the Lion of St Mark, an impressive sundial of Loggia dei Podestà, and the church of St John the Baptist are but a few of the sights to admire. These squares are lively, with numerous cafes and bars suited for large gatherings.
Be it sunny or rainy, the many arcades of the loggias around these squares provide perfect cover from the elements. Anyone itching to have a shopping spree will also find it fairly easy to soothe their craving among the arcades. For a small town, Bassano del Grappa shows much sign of wealth if the many designers’ labels available are any indicator.
The rolling hills of Monte Grappa to the north brought forth a dramatic setting, especially when the weather changed between sunny and stormy. Each day, F and I would strolled over viale dei Martiri, parked ourselves on one of the benches overlooking Monte Grappa, and stayed there for some time. Not talking, just holding hands, and scanning the horizon.
We set off for a little walk in the north-east direction once but only got to as far as the Parco Ragazzi del’99, before turning back in order to meet another friends’ appointment. Along the way, we spotted some old gates – including the Grazie gate – and city fortifications, part and parcel of life that kept the town safe and prosperous in the past.
We found a most wonderful B&B in town, where our hosts only receive a couple of guests at any one time. Our “room” was the size of a T2 Parisian apartment, and we had access to their internal private garden too. Each morning, our hostess – the namesake of this B&B who spoke only Italian – sent down freshly baked cake for our breakfast. Despite language barrier, we managed to convey to her just how wonderful these treats were!
Our hosts also sent us along to Al Caneseo da Amadeo, a small local restaurant just one street away, when we asked for a dining recommendation. Situated apart from most businesses, this restaurant was nevertheless bustling and filled with locals. We enjoyed our dinner so much that we brought AL&E here the next day for lunch. Prices were reasonable, service was friendly, and the food was good.
If I am ever in need of a retreat from everyday rat-race, I think Bassano del Grappa could easily be my first choice of place to be. I will stay with Antonio and Edita again, to be pampered daily with home-made goodies, and take long mind-clearing walks along the river. Jogging would be an option too, and it seems cycling is very much a popular sports here too.
Next time you find yourself visiting Venice and its environs, why not consider taking a detour to this wonderful town?
Bassano del Grappa: full photoset on Flickr
All posts in this series:
Italy: Postcards: Centro Storico di Roma | Flickr Photoset
Italy: Postcards: 2-hours in Florence | Flickr Photoset
Italy: The walled city of Lucca | Flickr Photoset
Italy: Dining in Lu.C.C.A – L’Imbuto
Italy: Sunsets of Cinque Terre
Italy: The villages of Cinque Terre | Flickr Photoset
Italy: Postcards: Lost in Parma
Italy: Bologna: the city of a gazillion porticoes | Flickr Photoset
Italy: The Sanctuary of Madonna di San Luca
Italy: Verona: a lot more than a Shakespearean drama | Flickr Photoset
Italy: Postcards: In search of Padua
Italy: A very picturesque Bassano del Grappa | Flickr Photoset
Very nice….hidden shopping gem eh…dangerous kekekeke ;)
Unless you don’t shop, like me ;)
Hahaha…lucky F!
Lucky both of us – he doesn’t shop either! :D
Yeay…double thumbs up :)
I take it back: we went shopping today and I wasn’t the one buying ;)