Addio a San Vigilio.....Andiamo a Asolo

Leaving San Vigilio was a bit emotional.  We had always remembered this place in time as something very special.  Our return trip did not disappoint, and in many ways reinforced the memories that we had (except the influx of tourists so early in the season!).  I think we both felt fortunate that we were protected in this way as we dug a bit back into our past.  

lakeside view of the Locanda the morning we left

We thought it would be fun to show how little things have changed in the past three decades.  Below is a picture of a water color I did at San Vigilio in 1988......and a picture taken this week.  Our lives may have certainly evolved quite a bit, but the character of this place continues unchanged.

1988 and 2016........28 years!

So now on to another dream from the past, Asolo. 

This is beginning to sound like a rock band doing a final tour!  We need to change the dynamic quickly!  In any case, Asolo was a surprise visit that we made decades ago as well, making last minute changes after four days in Venice to get out to see more of the Veneto. We loved it then and thought it was worth a revisit. 

We had a couple of ideas about places to stop along the way.  The first thought was Brescia, but the guidebooks said it was large......and was effectively the industrial center of northeast Italy......so we scratched that idea.  There is a great castle there, but it is in the center of the city and very tough to get there with a car.  We opted to go to Vicenza.

Vicenza has been a favorite for us, primarily due to the influence of Palladio. Back in a century gone by, Palladio was of great interest to me (actually to both of us) and we had visited several of his villas around Vicenza and the Brenta area.  Also, the center of Vicenza has several Palladio works and is a wonderful place to walk.  We asked Siri what to do and she guided us on the autostrada and down into the city, traversing a maze of narrow streets, arriving at a small parking area right next to one of our favorite buildings - the Teatro Olimpico.  

The sun was out and we had a great time walking the streets.  Our first stop was a visit to the Teatro Olimpico.  It is an amazing theater designed by Palladio and built in the late 1500's.....unfortunately not completed until shortly after his death.  The interior simulates the outdoor setting of classical theatres, with a monumental rectangular proscenium. Seven wooden perspective scenes depicting the streets of Thebes depart from here in a sunburst pattern. They were made by Scamozzi for the inaugural performance.

It has been carefully preserved and restored.......and is still used today for performances.  It had been restored even further since we were last there, with new lighting - which makes a huge difference.  Again, we will defer to the photos to best describe this remarkable space. 

the small piazza leading to the Teatro Olimpico

the main stage and proscenium

the central triumphal arch (porta regia)

We continued our walk through the main arcaded streets to the main piazza, where it was market day (just starting to close down) so we decided to find a place for lunch.  We ended up in a great cafe, sitting outside in an arcade next to a small corner park.

we must have missed the height of the market activity......things were closing down.
In the background is the famous Basilica Palladiana

flower market

Arcade in the Basilica Palladiana

headed for a cappuccino!

statue of Palladio.......not sure why we got the back side!

The Bacchiglione River in Vicenza

another view of the Bacchiglione

couldn't resist the white flowers!

Pranzo!

After lunch we headed off to Asolo.  The drive was through the rather flat landscape around Verona, with a strong presence of major manufacturing and distribution facilities.  The road were rather small........and there were clearly more trucks than cars!  We arrived in Asolo around 3:00.  I think we had forgotten how beautiful the town was.  We found our way to the main square and parked the car to get our bearings and stretch our legs.  There is a special charm to this place, resulting from a blend of scale, architectural character and a maze-like organization of streets.  It is on a hill top, and the topography is more than you expect. 

the hillside looking east from Asolo

the central Piazza and Roman Fountain

We walked around for about a half an hour, and found out that the next day, Wednesday, there was going to be a major bicycle race through the historic town, ending up with the finish for this leg on the flats below Asolo.  The entire town would be closed down from noon to about 6:00 - and cars would not be allowed.  We wanted clarification on this so we drove to our hotel, which was on one of the main streets, about 100 yards from the piazza.  We immediately recognized the entrance, as it is tightly wedged up against the street with literally no place to pull over except a small 8' wide strip of paving where the road bends. We parked and checked in, allowing them to get our bags and find a place to park the car.  

Hotel Villa Cipriani entrance......

walking from the Hotel to the center of town

we never would have managed parking our car or carrying our luggage in and out without Paulo's help!

Our room is in the same outbuilding that we stayed in before, but this time on the top floor in a newly renovated room.......they were so proud to show it off, saying we were the first people to stay there since the work was completed!  It was a great room with a bath, a desk/entry room and a large bedroom with a sitting area.  Large double doors opened to an incredible view out into the gardens, the vineyards and the valley beyond. 

the view from our balcony

We also found out that the bicycle race was the Giro d'Italia, second only to the Tour de France in bike racing. The theme for the race was a dedication to one of the past organization presidents.......and his love for 'rosa'.  We never did figure out if it was literally roses.......or just the color.  In any case, the entire town was decorated with rose colored flower, ribbons, balloons, banners, and everything rose (pink).  It was amazing.  I went a bit wild with the camera, but the unique nature of this 'recoloring' of the town was stunning. We are going to post a separate blog on 'race day' and the 'pinking of Asolo!'

We finished the afternoon in lazy style by putting a good dent in the bottle of prosecco they left for us.  We walked around a bit more in the gardens of the hotel.  They clearly have been working hard to make the landscape one of the key attractions here.  They must also be using a strong fertilizer as the colors and health of the plants was almost surreal. Dinner was fantastic in the dining room. It was great to be back in Asolo.......and the Hotel Villa Cipriani was just as lovely as we remembered.

the approach to the outbuilding where our room was located

the view across the terraces and pool level

Our room was the entire top floor

view from the room at sunset

In fact, here is another comparison with a water color from the same vintage as the one we showed of San Vigilio from 1988.  The vegetation has grown a bit in the foreground, but the distant views are the same. 

Finally, we have decided to do yet another separate blog for the gardens and outdoor spaces at the Hotel Villa Cipriani.......the weather and lighting were astonishing when we were there.