Vicenza Con Gabrielle

Our afternoon is quiet, probably too much so. The 16th century architecture of Vicenza, especially the main piazza and Duomo, is wonderful. This is the city of Andrea Palladio, considered by many to be the most influential individual in the history of Western architecture and whose designs inspired some of the greatest buildings in Europe and the U.S.  His facades represent the best of Venetian Renaissance with arched doors and windows, most famously the arched three-part windows modeled after classical Greek and Roman forms. The entire old city is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The villas, Olympic Theater, and galleries carry the creativity of this great architect whose statue holds a place of honor in the main square.

I ask about an Osteria for dinner and am told by the bookseller there are two options in the city. Though the city closes for the afternoon, the evening is a little livelier and the main Piazza dei Signori with its 250′ tower, palazzos and Basilica is a favorite gathering point for families and a wonderful father/son guitar/violin duet. Our  inactivity may prepare us for the last great rush in Verona and Milano.

In the morning, I make rather weak coffee for breakfast, collect some extra bread, and head for the park just behind our room. There the pigeons and ducks reap the benefits of our having an hour or so before our train.