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The Legacy of the Serenissima
Trieste,
Udine,
Bolzano,
Trento,
The
Dolomites,
Lake
Garda
 From
Trieste
to the Dolomites, we shall drive through small and
large towns and cities stepped in the art and
history of
Venice,
at the crossroads of
Eastern Mediterranean and European culture and trade for
centuries.
After bidding a farewell to Venice, we will head for Trieste,
with short detours to visit the picturesque coastal
resort of Caorle (cylindrical bell-tower on the
Romanesque cathedral), Portogruaro, and Aquileia,
with its Roman and Mediaeval remains: the sturdy
Romanesque Basilica, with its magnificent mosaic
flooring, the crypt with the excavations of two
Early Christian basilicas and a Roman villa, the
Roman forum and burial grounds, and the
Archaeological Museum. A few miles further on is the
beautiful Grado, famed for its spa waters which
exploit the therapeutic properties of the sea water.
Visit the churches of S. Maria delle Grazie and
S. Eufemia (paleo-Christian), and the Baptistery,
and see the picturesque fishermen-houses. Passing
through Duino, Sistiana and Miramare (Habsburg
Castle in a magnificent grounds), we reach
Trieste
- the Austro-Hungarian Empire's port. The streets of
the old city meander down to the foot of San Giusto
hill. We will visit the Roman Theatre, the 16th century
Castle and museum, the remains of a Roman basilica,
the Cathedral of San Giusto made up of two churches,
and Trieste's chief monument and the symbol of the
city, the "Museo di Storia ed Arte" (Archeological
exhibits and a collection of coins, drawings,
including over 200 by Tiepolo alone,
 and paintings),
the Museo Civico Revoltella, and the Aquarium (Civico
Acquario Marino). Towards the port, is the 17th c.
Church
of S. Maria Maggiore, and the Romanesque Church of
S. Silvestro. About 14 miles from Trieste is Gorizia
with its 12th c. Castle that the Venetians enlarged
in 1508. The district known as "Borgo Castello" is
built of a typical Venetian houses.If we have time
we can see the Museum of History and Art, and the
Gothic Church of S. Spirito. We are now on the way
of the Julian Alps, and our first stop is Cividale
del Friuli, in the Alpine foothills where the
Adriatic civilization acquired many
Lombard features as it moved inland. Noteworthy are
the Cathedral , the
Archaeological
Museum and the "Tempietto", a mediaeval church
richly decorated with sculptures and frescoes. 10
miles further is
Udine,
the historical heart of the
Friuli. This graceful city on which
Venice has left its mark, is dominated by the 16th
c. castle built on the older mediaeval fortress,
which now houses the municipal Museum and the
Ancient and Modern Art Gallery. Nearby is the
Lombard Church of S. Maria di Castello, and the fine
Piazza della Liberta` with its porticoes of S.
Giovanni and the 15th c. Venetian Gothic town hall,
known as the "Loggia del Lionello". In the Cathedral
are works by Tiepolo, who also frescoed the
Archbishop's Palace. Let us try to find time to
visit the 18th c. Villa Manin of Passariano (17
miles)
 before heading for Pordenone (35 miles
from Udine) , with its late Gothic Cathedral and Sacile, where we will join the "Strada d'Alemagna"
(the German road) at Vittorio Veneto to visit
Belluno, a pre-Roman and mediaeval town that has
managed to preserve the imprint of Venice on its
alpine character. Let's stop in the nice Piazza del
Mercato with its Renaissance buildings, the
Cathedral with Juvara's bell-tower, the Palazzo dei
Rettori and the Church of S. Stefano. Continuing up
the Piave Valley we reach Pieve di Cadore, where we
can visit Titian's birthplace, and see his Madonna
and Saints in the parish church, and the Palazzo
della Comunita` Cadorina with its 50 meters high
tower. The road takes us on through the majestic
Dolomites
range to Cortina d'Ampezzo, the international winter
sports resort with every facility and amenity for
the visitor who wishes to ski, or climb, and an
ideal base for a great many excursions into the
surroundings mountains: to Lake Misurina, Lake
Bianco, or the summit of Mount Cristallo and the
Tofane. The road from Cortina winds across the
Dolomites passes, through some of the most
enchanting landscapes and along the Gardena Valley,
to
Bolzano
(Gothic Cathedral, municipal museum and the 13th c.
Castel Roncolo, just outside the city, commanding a
magnificent view over the
Dolomites
- 14-15th c. frescoes of mediaeval courtly life).
60 kms is
 Trento,
an alpine town built on the site of the ancient
Roman settlement which has merged the features of
Venetians, Austrian and
Lombard
art. In Trento’s main street ( Via Belenzani) are
the 16th century city hall and Palazzo
Geremia with its frescoed façade. We must visit the
13th century Palazzo Pretorio, the
Romanesque-Gotic Cathedral, the Diocesan Museum and
the “Museo Nazionale Trentino” in
Buonconsiglio
Castle where the Middle Ages and the Renaissance
have left their imprint, and where we can see the
anonymous 15th century frescoes of the
months.
A relax short drive through the mountains and we are at the
popular health resort of Riva del Garda on the
northermost tip of
Lake Garda.
Along the western shore, driving through tunnels and
skirting the precipices that form part of the
breathtaking beauty of this part of the world, are
Limone, Bogliaco, Toscolano and Gardone (a major
resort famous for the villa-museum of Gabriele
D’Annunzio, il Vittoriale). Further on is Salo’,
with its ancient houses, typical streets and late
Gothic cathedral with its richly adorned Renaissance
doorway. Then come Desenzano, Sirmione, Peschiera,
Verona
and Vicenza. From Vicenza, the road through the
Monti Berici takes us to Montagnana, whose 13th
century walls are a marvel of Italian Military
architecture. The Gothic renaissance cathedral is
full of art treasures, including Veronese’s “Transfiguration”.
6 Kms on is Este with Museo Nazionale Atestino which
has a fine collection of the Venetian exhibits from
prehistoric times onwards; there is also a imposing
castle, villas, buildings from various ages, and
Tiepolo's masterpiece "St Tecla freeing the town
from the plague". Monselice is quite near, with its Romanesque-Gothic
cathedral, famous castle with medieval and
renaissance art and furniture, and Villa Nani-Mogenigo. Padua and Rovigo are not far away,
and 21 kms after
Rovigo
is Adria, the ancient Graeco-Roman
city which gave its name to the Adriatic Sea; the
Museo Archeologico contains many fascinating
exhibits. Driving along the Bianco Canal, through
the poetic and relaxing Po Delta, we reach the
ancient hamlets of Loreo, Mesola and Donzella Island
standing on the plain lands formed by the silt
carried to the sea across the centuries by the River
Po and its branches. This enchanting area can only
be compared with Camargue in the South of France or
the mouth of the Danube for beauty. North of Loreo
is
Chioggia,
a fishing town and coastal resort; its bridges,
canals, narrow streets and buildings make it a
Venice in miniature.
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