Wednesday 28 June 2023
We’re in Vicenza now, staying in an actual literal Palladian villa designed by Palladio in the 16th century. Palazzo Valmarana Braga. Although this isn’t quite as deluxe as it sounds, since our apartment is actually fairly basic in equipment and furnished with vintage pieces. Still… Palladio, eh?
Before leaving Ravenna we visited Theoderic’s quirky ten-sided solid mausoleum where a lady was restoring the giant blood red stone bath that was apparently his tomb, and we stopped for one last eyeful of mosaic in Sant’Appollinaire in Classe; nothing new on what we saw yesterday except for the startling eye effect that seems to have been designed into it. God is watching you!
After a fast food piadini lunch we all wandered around Vicenza and found it to be a handsome and probably very liveable town, with a beautiful Palladian basilica as the centrepiece. We were mistaken at least once for Americans, because there is a big NATO base on the edge of town which – presumably – involves a lot of Americans.
In the evening we settled in at the winebar across the road from our palace – our apartment – and were looked after by another classic opinionated Italian waiter. Don’t get me wrong, they are all very genial and friendly, and want to provide the best possible experience… they just very much know what it is you want. Certainly a lot better than you do yourself!
Anyway, we ate a bunch of little Venetian-style snacks and explored the world of prosecco (and of course asked for a couple of recommendations for wineries to try tomorrow!) before heading over the road to bed.
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