Bassano Del Grappa Travel Guide, Italy

Just 16km (10 miles) West of Asolo and 47km (29 miles) away from Treviso, Bassano del Grappa is easily reachable by car. You can reach Treviso by air as it has an international airport or fly to Venice.

It is a millenarian city set on an amazing location near Monte Grappa that can be seen in the background and the River Brenta slicing through the city. The name of the city derives from the name of the mountain that stands there as if to protect it.

The word Grappa also refers to the hot drink that is linked to the town’s history. Locals have been producing this drink since 1779 and the forefather of this industry is Bortolo Nardini who started the business here. As Italians are used to passing the business on to their children the Nardini family is still a great producer of the grappa. To understand the process of how this drink is made there is a grappa museum where you can see different types of utensils used in the production of the alcoholic drink.

It is a beautiful historic center dominated by the famous Ponte degli Alpini, one of the symbols of the city. The wooden covered bridge that attracts thousands of visitors was designed by Andrea Paladio and you can see the original design dating 1569 even if the bridge was rebuilt many times due to flooding. The picture of the bridge illuminated in the night is what you will most often see in brochures or postcards as a representative picture of the city.

The city is also known for hosting the works of great painter Jacopo da Ponte, the fine handcrafted ceramics, and the production of grappa (a strong drink). The historical center is a masterpiece of architecture with arcaded homes of painted facades, medieval buildings, small squares, and baroque palaces. The medieval heritage mixes with the Venetian architectural style showing the town’s development since the Roman time.

Around the historic center the town continued to develop and new quarters were built. The number of the residents grew too and it reaches about 40 thousand.

The walls of the old fortress offer marvelous views over the town and the surrounding area. From inside the walls the visitors can see the Castle of the Ezzelini. There are actually three circles of walls denoting the strength and the power and well development of the town in the past.

The town’s heritage as a great producer of fine porcelain can be traced at Palazzo Sturm, an 18th century building hosting the ceramics museum with exhibitions of porcelain objects dating the same period and the from the modern period. The palace is in the center of the town on Via Schiavonetti.

Another museum to be visited is Museo Civico one of the oldest civic museums in Veneto region. It hosts a picture gallery with works by Jacopo da Ponte, Antonio Canova and other artists. The works exhibited here date from the 13th to the 20th century so there’s plenty to visit.

The entertainment scene in Bassano is of royal stature, there is a rich cultural life with plenty of events, performances and important exhibitions. The most important events are the Bassano festivals that gather together musicians of all kind to perform in the streets or in halls. One of these festivals is the Opera Estate Festival lasting from July through August.

All those who are not in favor of big crowded cities come to Bassano for a tranquiller vacation and emerge in history and tradition of the area.