PGI Combai Chestnut
The production and conditioning area of the combai chestnuts covers the following municipalities in the Treviso province: Cison di Valmarino, Cordignano, Follina, Fregona, Miane, Revine Lago, Sarmede, Segusino, Tarzo, Valdobbiadene and Vittorio Veneto. The physical and organoleptic characteristics of the Combai Chestnuts are strictly linked to the geographic production environment.
The orography of the territory and the characteristics of the ground are the main reasons that make this area particularly suitable for quality chestnut production. The presence and special qualities of these chestnuts can be found in area from Segusino to Cordignano, with Combai as its centre, confirmed by numerous historical testimonies dating dates back to the XII century.
The historical papers gathered, spanning the period from 1200 to 1700, identifies the Treviso foothills to the left of the Piave as an area naturally suited to chestnut growing, as further confirmed by the many place names. In more recent periods, the value of the Combai Chestnuts has been brought to the fore by the Pro Loco Combai thanks to the Combai Chestnut Festival, which since 1945 constitutes an important event at both a local and national level.
PGI Marostica cherries
The oldest known document making reference to cherry growing in Marostica, a town famous for its annual chess game, dates back to the early fifteenth century. Cherry farming has always played an important role in this area and in the local agricultural economy. Buyers have been able to choose from cherries from this and neighbouring areas at the local specialist market held in Mason Vicentino since the 1950s.
The Protection Consortium was established in 1957. It continues to group and deliver the cherries grown on 460 hectares of land, almost exclusively on the fertile and rich soil of the hilly region that produces sweet and delicious fruits. The Marostica cherry P.G.I., the only Italian kind to bear this precious geographical indication, is heart-shaped and is picked by hand without removing the stalk, a technique which represents a small, yet meaningful quality guarantee, helping the fruit maintain its short-term organoleptic properties. The Marostica cherry grows to a size of between 21 and 30 mm and its colour can be anywhere from pink to dark red according to the variety. It is juicy and has a full, sweet and very palatable taste.
The best-selling varieties are Sandra, Romana, Francese and the distinctly sweet Duroni rossi. Their characteristics include a short period between setting and ripening of only thirty days, and, at the same time, excellent fruit size. Such rapid growth and ripening reduce exposure to environmen-tal agents and parasites (especially to the cherry fly) thereby reducing the need for measures to protect the plant and guaranteeing a better quality. Most of the varieties are easily preserved and boast good resistance to handling, making the fruit particularly suited for exporting.
The growing area stretches across hills strewn with old towns, such as Marostica, with its Upper Castle, Lower Castle and city walls, all built in the fourteenth century. The historical centre is home to numerous palaces and religious buildings, such as the charming seventeenth-century Carmini Church, the San Marco Church, built by the Venetians in honour of the Patron Saint of the Republic, and the Sant'Antonio Abate Church.
In even-numbered years in early September, the world famous human chess game is played with living pawns in the famous Piazza degli Scacchi in front of the Doglione Palace and Lower Castle. Seven hundred people, including characters and staff, become involved in a wonderful game of light and colour, with strolling players, ladies and knights; every edition drawing a larger audience.
The game dates back to 1454 when it was organised to settle a courtly duel between two noble lords competing for the hand of a lady, the daughter of the Lord of the Castle of Marostica. The match is represented today in the full splendour and costume of the day.
Marostica is also known for the Sagra delle ciliegie, a local cherry festival celebrated on the last Sunday in May every year. This event celebrates the ""red gold"" of Marostica, the first spring fruit. Throughout the harvest season cherrybased delicacies are served in the most traditional restaurants of the area.
Vicenza and Venetian Pedemontana
When you are in Vicenza, everything around you expresses art. Look up to see how the Palladian Basilica dominates Piazza dei Signori with its majestic covered walkway or loggia. Enter the streets of the historic centre and at every corner you can find a palazzo, a church, a museum, a detail that reveals the greatness of Andrea Palladio. Its Olympic Theatre will leave you breathless, as though crossing the threshold of a fantasy. Then follow the afternoon light, cross the Bacchiglione River and reach Villa La Rotonda, an icon of architectural perfection surrounded by greenery.
But Vicenza is also a lively city, withfamous shops, restaurants that celebrate culinary tradition, open-air markets and events that animate the squares. You can explore on foot or by bike, stopping in hidden gardens or historic cafes to enjoy the laid-back pace of this city of art.
Nearby await walled cities, villages and ancient noble residences to complete your journey. Each place has a story to tell and an atmosphere all its own with unique experiences.
After the art and history, it's time to take some long deep breaths of fresh air. The Berici Hills are an ideal break and an opportunity to venture through vineyards, woods and scenic roads. You can cross them on foot, by bike or on horseback, with the scent of grapes accompanying you along the way. And then there is the cuisine: at a farmhouse surrounded by greenery, with a dish of Vicenza salted cod and a glass of Tai Rosso, the flavour of this land is slowly discovered.
The journey continues through the hills and valleys of the Venetian Pedemontana, the foot of the mountains, a territory that surprises with its variety. Here you can walk along paths that encounter medieval castles and villages, or travel the historic pilgrimage roads and cycle routes. Just follow the thread of local traditions and excellence to discover villages, huts and authentic flavours.
As you move from one location to another, the Palladian Villas will appear before your eyes, like gems embedded in the fields and hills. The villas are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but also living places, which reveal an aristocratic past and the inimitable genius of Andrea Palladio.
After crossing cities, hills and villages, the journey ends at high altitude, where the air becomes cooler and nature dominates the landscape. On the Vicentine Prealps and the Asiago Plateau of Seven Municipalities, you can choose from many sports in winter or trails to explore in summer, all with an expanse of landscapes and delicious food and wine traditions.
Segna il confine tra le Province di Treviso, Vicenza e Belluno, ma più che dividerle, le unisce in un paesaggio straordinario. Qui la montagna è dolce e selvaggia insieme, con pascoli d'alta quota, boschi fitti e valli scavate dall'acqua. Ma è anche un luogo di memoria: il Sacrario Militare, con le sue bianche arcate, domina la vetta e racconta una storia incisa nella pietra e nel vento.
Verona
It is the Adige that draws Verona. It envelops her, models her, reflects her in its depths, like an artist with his own work. Admire it from Castel San Pietro: the city lies in the bend of the river as if born from its own whim, with Ponte Pietra, Ponte della Vittoria and many others stitching it together, almost in pursuit of its rhythm. Water has brought trade, wealth and stories. Perhaps this is why everything flows here, transforming without ever losing its true soul.
All you have to do is set foot in the historic centre to feel history vibrate under the cobblestones. Piazza delle Erbe has seen centuries of merchants, noble ladies and warlords, and continues to be the beating heart of the city; the frescoed facades reflect the shadows of the market while the clinking of glasses in historic cafes mingles with the voices of the people. Pass under the battlements of Castelvecchio, feel the solid strength of the Scaliger bridge and imagine the medieval defensive troops that crossed it. Then enter the streets that distance you from the river until you reach Piazza Bra, where, ancient and solemn, the Arena preserves the deep beat of the city, made up of art, music, scenery and applause.
Just outside the city, history continues to intertwine with beauty: castles, medieval villages, frescoed villas and ancient walls draw a landscape that changes with every curve. Whether it's an escape to the hills, a walk along the river or a day of art, there is always something here that is worth discovering.
A few kilometres from the city, the hills of Valpolicella are tinged with green, gold and purple. Here beauty is a pleasure that can be enjoyed with all the senses: in the glasses filled with Amarone, in the scents of tradition, and in the views that open up between the rows of trees.
In every season, these hills have something to offer. In summer you can walk along paths through the vineyards and discover hidden ancient parishes; in autumn the foliage offers unprecedented scenery; in winter the cellars welcome you with the warmth of wines; and in spring the flowers bloom in the gardens of the villas and at the foot of the waterfalls.
And as soon as the hills rise to 800 metres above sea level, the Lessinia plateau appears. In this Regional Park, nature is magnificent: woods, pastures, valleys carved out by water, thousand-year-old caves. In summer, it acts as the perfect companion together with a cool breeze along the trails, in winter it is the realm of cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. And all year round, among mountain huts and shelters, the local cuisine makes a strong impression.
Round off your trip at Lake Garda with its irresistible appeal. This shore with its lakeside villages, castles overlooking the water, small harbours and scenic paths, is able to change emotions from season to season. With sports, relaxation and culture, you will find the right rhythm to make the most of your trip.
Moving south, the Plain of the Doges opens up, a land of rice fields and historic residences where tradition meets rural elegance. This is where Nano Vialone Veronese PGI rice comes from: the "white gold" that tells a story of peasant culture and the authentic taste of this territory. With its manor houses, cycle paths, genuine flavours and popular festivals, this area invites you to slow down, to explore and experience authentic tourism consisting of real experiences and sincere hospitality.
Treviso and the Prosecco hills
Some call it the Garden of Venice, but Treviso is so much more: an intertwining of elegant streets, snug squares, canals that reflect frescoed palaces, and arcades under which everyday life flows. Walking through the centre, every glimpse invites you to discover more: Piazza dei Signori with its vivacity, the Duomo that houses the Titian Altarpiece, the Church of San Nicolò with its fourteenth-century frescoes, and the former Convent of Santa Caterina, today a museum with an archaeological section.
The Buranelli Canal branches out into the heart of the city: the houses are reflected in the water, lights are reflected on the rippling surfaces, and each bridge seems to be made specifically to stop and admire the city.
Gently skimming the city walls, the Sile River outlines the Regional Natural Park, inviting exploration. Here you can cycle along the GiraSile, paddle between the banks of the river, or follow the traces of history among the ancient water pumps, the local fauna, the testimonies of industrial archaeology and the Burci Cemetery.
Leaving Treviso behind, you will see the plain rise gently before turning into a hill. On your route, you will find villages and cities that preserve stories of traditions and art, along gentle curves revealing frescoed villas that whisper stories of ancient nobility.
Now, the Prosecco Hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene open up before you like a mosaic of vineyards shaped by man over the centuries. Today they are recognised as UNESCO World Heritage Sites not only for the beauty of the landscape, but also for the cultivation techniques that defy the slopes and produce a wine that is unique in the world.
Here, food and wine tourism is a sensory journey through historic wineries and vine rows, where Prosecco meets authentic flavours such as Treviso’s red radicchio PGI.
An experience to be enjoyed at a slower pace, with tasting sessions, trekking through the vineyards, and panoramic itineraries that always take you a little higher, as far as the next toast.
Thermal baths and Euganean hills
Imagine a place where you can start your day with a hike through the hills, continue it with a glass of quality red wine, and end it immersed in Europe's oldest thermal pools. It exists, and it's closer than you think. The Euganean Baths and Hills offer the perfect balance between sport, nature and well-being, a corner of Veneto where you can slow down and enjoy every moment.
The Euganean Hills are ideal for those who love outdoor activities, including scenic paths, cycle paths, vineyards, historic villages, Venetian villas and monasteries hidden in the countryside. Not to mention the food and wine: here we produce wines and local delicacies that tell the story of the territory with every sip and every bite.
The Euganean Hills Regional Park is an extraordinary ecosystem, where nature is expressed in all its variety: oak and chestnut forests, wild orchids and rock formations of volcanic origin.
And after the adventure, it's time to think about yourself. The Euganean Baths are precious allies for well-being, thanks to a water that is born pure and enriched with minerals along a millennial underground journey. For centuries, these spas have been a point of reference for wellness, thanks to treatments with certified thermal mud, rehabilitation paths and massages and rituals that dissolve any tension. But that’s not all as beauty services are also abundant here: thermal pools surrounded by greenery, state-of-the-art beauty farms and paths dedicated to relaxation will help you find the perfect balance between body and mind.
Rovigo
Small but intense, elegant but discreet. Rovigo is exactly so: a city of art with a somewhat reserved air that reveals its treasures to those who know how to appreciate them.
Stroll through its welcoming squares, amid the works of Palazzo Roverella, which hosts world-class art exhibitions, and the charm of the Tempio della Beata Vergine del Soccorso, known as "La Rotonda", with its richly frescoed interiors. Stop for a coffee under the colonnades of Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, where the pace slows down and time seems to permit you a respite. Then visit the Museum of the Great Rivers, formerly the Olivetan Monastery, a journey through the history of those civilizations that lived around the Adige and Po river areas. And before leaving, stop for a gastronomic break to discover PGI products: Po Delta Rice and Lusia Salad, and PDO products, Polesano white garlic and the famous Scardovari Mussel.
Simply leave the city to discover a territory dotted with small towns, centuries-old traditions and historic residences. The lands between the Adige and Po Rivers are a mosaic of landscapes and stories.
Follow the Po River to its delta: here the river fans out before embracing the sea, drawing a one-of-a-kind natural park made up of lagoons, reeds, islands and valleys that change with the tides. To be explored by bicycle along the banks, by boat between the branches of the river or on foot, following the paths that are lost among the vegetation. Each season brings a different face to the Delta: from the golden reflections of autumn to the vitality of spring, when nature awakens with an explosion of colours.
