Table of Contents:
NOT SO ANCIENT.
SHOULD SEE ASOLO.
JUST OUTSIDE.
FURTHER AFIELD.
The Nobel Prize-winning poet and writer Giosuè Carducci called Asolo “the city of a Hundred Horizons.” Although it was a gathering place for poets, writers, and other artists by the end of the 1800s, Asolo has been a destination since the middle of the 2nd millennium B.C.
Ancient History of Asolo.
The town was originally a settlement of the Veneti, a people who came to this area sometime in the middle of the 2nd millennium B.C.
They would inhabit the land between Lake Garda to the west and the Tagliamento River to the east. From the foot of the Dolomites to the Euganean Hills. Much of which is today the current Veneto region.
Archaeological finds support the time and location.
Where they came from is another question.
Circa 460 B.C., the Greek Sophocles writes (mistakenly?) that the Adriatic Veneti are related to the Paphlagonian Enetoi from near the Black Sea.
A few years later, the Greek historian Herodotus mentions the Veneti of the Adriatic in his writings, mistaking them for another tribe to the east.
The Greek historian Strabo (64 B.C.–AD 24) states they descended from Celts from the coast of Brittany who fought against Julius Caesar.
The Roman author Pliny the Elder says the Paphlagonian “Eneti” are ancestors of the “Veneti.” And you think one wrong vowel or consonant can’t cause problems?
Regardless of where they came from, many of their settlements live on. Patavium would become Padua. Belenum will become Belluno, Vicetia is now Vicenza, and Acelum is Asolo. Patavium would become Padua. Belenum will become Belluno, Vicetia is now Vicenza, and Acelum is Asolo.
Less Ancient Asolo History.
By 827, they are calling it Asolo instead of Acelum.
In 969, the Holy Roman Emperor Otto the Great assigned the territory, including Asolo, to Treviso’s church diocese. According to the Catholic Church, Acelum/Asolo is today a “dead diocese” or titular See.
Circa 1240 A.D., Alberico da Romano of the Ezzelini family conquers Treviso and adds it to the family’s real estate.
Circa 1259, and the death of Ezzelino III da Romano, Mastino I della Scala would inherit the role of podesta. He founded the House of Della Scala, whose members are known as Scaligeri, and they ruled for the next 125 years.
The Carrares family of Padua grew through marriages and raids and took over control of the area, including Asolo, near the end of the 1300s. By the early 1400s, Venice had annexed much of Northern Italy.
In 1489, Venetian Catherine Cornaro, now Queen of Cyprus due to her marriage to James II of Cyprus, became the Lady of Asolo. Venice gives her this as compensation for her giving them Cyprus.
During her short reign, she filled her court with a renaissance of painters, poets, and musicians.
Asolo was granted to her for life, but 20 years later, the League of Cambrai conquered Asolo. Caterina fled to Venice, where she died a year later.
The League was one of the Pope’s armies stealing land for the Pope under the guise of saving it from the Turks. It was an attack against Venice by the Pope, Maximilian I, the Holy Roman Emperor, Louis XII, king of France, and Ferdinand II of Aragon.
Maximilian took Verona, Vicenza, and Padua, and then, a year later, the Pope sided with Venice, ending the League.
Asolo Jewish History.
Evidence of a Jewish community in Asolo dates back to the middle of the sixteenth century.
Although a backwater of the Habsburg dynasty after Maximilian I took control in 1509, Northern Italy still feels many effects of his anti-Semitic hatred.
Between 1494 and 1510, Maximilian I authorized more than a dozen expulsions of Jews from his capital cities. Many of them end up in Southern Austria and Northern Italy.
The “Holy” Roman Emperor’s hatred protects locals who deem any non-Christian a threat.
In 1547, 10 Asolo Jews were killed by a mob, and five of their houses were destroyed. Some of the attackers were put to death or exiled. Others, such as Marco Cohen, founder of the Cantarini family, get a hand slap. The Contarini are one of the founding families of Venice.
The Venetians set up the first Jewish containment area in Europe in 1516. Venetian authorities forced the approximately 700 Jews to live where the foundries, known in Venetian as geti, once stood. The ghetto Vecchio and ghetto nuovo are on a gated island where the Jews must return each night.
The Asolo Ghetto (Jewish Quarter) is on a much smaller scale. The little evidence indicates there were approximately six houses—and 37 inhabitants at its peak.
The Habsburg dynasty will rule much of Northern Italy until that French man arrives.
Napoleon and the Italian Wars.
In the early 1790s, the French general began his march against the Austrians and the Republic of Venice in northwest Italy. By 1797, he was on Venice’s doorstep, causing the last Doge, Ludovico Manin, to abolish the Republic of Venice after 1,100 years in existence. Along the way, he tore down the gates and walls of the Ghettos. It was the beginning of Jewish emancipation in Italy. It would take almost another 70 years to abolish all religious restrictions in Italy.
After Napoleon’s defeat in 1815, the Italian states were restored to their former rulers. However, the mood in Italy was different after the French reforms. Having had a taste of living under their own rule, they were eager to have it again.
Risorgimento.
Today, this period is described as an ideological and literary movement that helped to arouse the national consciousness and freed the Italian states from foreign domination.
This fairytale version is only part right. After the failure of smaller liberal and religious groups to wrestle control of Italy, by 1848, the powerful house of Savoy seized power. With the help of the French, they regained control over much of Italy from the Austrians by 1859. By 1861, most of Italy was under their rule. With the 1866 annexation of Venetia and the 1870 addition of papal Rome, the Risorgimento ended.
Asolo For Artists.
Robert Browning arrived in Asolo in 1838, and it was love at first sight. He would use it as the setting for his verse drama Pippa Passes (1841). This would begin another renaissance of Asolo as a gathering place for artists and writers.
In 1846, he moved to Florence with his new bride, Elizabeth Barett.
The American writer Katherine De Kay Bronson, possibly lured to Asolo by Browning’s “Pippa Passes,” bought the La Mura house there. It became the “meeting salon” for intellectuals and artists, including Americans and British.
Asolo inspired Browning’s final volume of verse, “Asolando.” published shortly before his death (1889) at his son’s home Ca’ Rezzonico in Venice.
The word “asolare,” meaning living a pleasureful life, abandoning oneself to the beauty of nature, is credited to Browning.
Like Father and Mother.
Robert (Pen) Barrett Browning was the son of Robert and Elizabeth. He would study painting and sculpture in Antwerp and Paris under teachers such as Auguste Rodin. His painting was good, but he was successful due to his father’s promotion of his work. After marrying the wealthy American heiress Fannie Coddington, he only painted as a hobby.
They would purchase and restore the Palazzo Rezzonico on Venice’s Grand Canal. They would separate circa 1891 after several failed attempts to have a child.
Pen would divide his time between Florence and Asolo. Upon arrival in Asolo, he bought an old embroidery factory and set up the Scuola Asolana di Antico Ricamo (The Brown School of Embroidery), which will continue until 2016.
He would partially restore his father’s home, Casa Guidi, where he was born. 1902, he sold it and used the money to restore Asolo’s Torricella building, Villa De Mattia, and Villa Scotti. Pen would invite his artist friends from London and Paris to visit him in Asolo. Guests would include the writer Henry James. Pen would die in 1912.
Other Characters.
The Italian actress Eleonora Duse, known for her roles in plays by D’Annunzio and Ibsen, was a resident of Asolo in the early 1900s. Duse was considered one of the world’s finest actresses and was only rivaled by Sarah Bernhardt.
Rupert Guinness, 2nd Earl of Iveagh, would fall in love with Asolo and become a benefactor.
Succeeding his father as chairman of the family brewing business in Dublin in 1927, he grew the business, began their book of World Records, and then needed a new “hobby.”
While visiting Asolo, where he owned land, he noticed many poor, skilled shoemakers needing work. 1938 he financed SCARPA (Società Calzaturiera Asolana Riunita Pedemontana Anonima), the Associated Shoe Manufacturing Company of the Asolo Mountain Area. SCARPA still makes hiking shoes in the Asolo area.
Asolo would host other intellectuals and artists throughout the 1900s, including the Canadian writer Eugene Benson and composer Igor Stravinsky. Ernest Hemingway would write “A Farewell to Arms,” drawing from his experiences as an ambulance driver in the area during World War I. The American author John Dos Passos was also in the Red Cross near Asolo.
Asolo in the World Wars.
Battles along the Italian Front came within 40 miles of Asolo during 1916-1918. Luckily for Italy, the Alps helped keep Austria out for the most part.
Italy did not fare as well in the Second World War. After flipping from the German side to the Allies, Italy felt the wrath of Germany in September 1943. Allied forces would not force the Axis troops out of the area around Asolo until April 1945.
Freya Stark, an English explorer and writer, was also a political influencer chronicling world events. In addition, Stark wrote books on her travels, often from her home in Asolo. It is rumored that she reached out to her friend Winston Churchill to make sure no Allied bombs dropped near Asolo.
What is in Asolo for me?
Asolo stays off the mass tourism map and has no significant industries.
See & Hear.
In addition to its “Hundred Horizons,” Asolo has some interesting sites. It is easy to lose a lazy day of strolling and admiring.
Taste & Smell.
They don’t buy pre-made meals; they prepare them. Fresh ingredients make a difference in the smell and taste of their cuisine.
Many of the best local products are linked to the Venetian culinary tradition, such as the delicious Cicchetti.
Everything activity in Asolo should include a glass of sparkling Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG.
Feel.
This is the reason you come to Asolo. This charming hillside medieval town holds a magic spell that can calm anyone.
There is a reason artists and musicians came here for rest, relaxation, and recharging.
Stroll along a narrow street and watch a village come to life. There may be better ways to start a morning, but this way doesn’t suck.
Asolo Should-See Sites.
The City.
How do you describe Asolo? It is in the name. From Latin, Asolo means asylum, or refuge, a place to soothe your mind, be creative, and live in peace.
Putting yourself in the Asolo mindset. There is no parking. Well, there isn’t much, especially in the summer. The Romans did not build parking garages for some reason… The closer you get to the center of town, the less public parking you will find. For day-trippers, there are a few satellite parking areas outside the walls. Better yet, spend the night at a hotel that has, or knows of, parking. Then, plan to walk.
Most people want to see the historical area along two curving roads, with a piazza in the middle. Sounds simple. However, the streets change names every few blocks.
The upper road to the northeast of the piazza is Via Colmarion, but the road to the northwest is Via Canova and then Via S. Caterina.
The lower road is Via Pietro Bembo to the east and Via Regina Cornaro to the west until it becomes Via Sottocastello.
And then running somewhat north to south through the piazza is via Browning. Further down the hill, it becomes Via Forestuzzo or Via Foresto Nuovo, depending on which way you turn.
Confusing? Yes, but the locals I have asked directions from don’t use street names; they point.
Piazza Garibaldi.
This is the center of Asolo. You don’t believe me? Visit at Christmas (Natale) and see where the town’s Christmas tree is. The piazza holds much of its 16th-century charm.
Fontana Maggiore.
The Fountain, in the square of the same name, is adjacent to Piazza Garibaldi. Until the 1930s, it was the town’s primary source of water distribution. It was fed by aqueducts running under the city. There are references to a restoration in 1575, but much of what we see today is slightly newer. The winged lion of San Marco is a reproduction from the 1800s. The original, which signified the village’s connection to the Serenissima Republic of Venice for more than 400 years, was destroyed in 1797 by Napoleon’s troops.
Sala della Ragione.
The fifteenth-century Palazzo del Vescovado and Loggia della Ragione are now home to the Civic Museum. First built as a place for visiting minor Venetian representatives, it was later the administration building for the area’s Podestà (magistrate). The museum’s collection includes local Archaeological findings, treasures from the Cathedral Treasury, and personal items of some of Asolo’s most famous residents. The entrance is on the southwest corner of the Piazza Garibaldi.
Duomo di Santa Maria Assunta.
The central Catholic Cathedral of Asolo is to the east of the museum, along the piazza’s southern side. Documentation indicates there has been a building here since circa 969. Much of the structure you see today probably dates to circa 1584. In 1747, the Cathedral was rebuilt, retaining some of its original Romanesque structure.
The baptismal font dating from 1491 bears Queen Cornaro’s coat of arms. Two of the altarpieces are by Lorenzo Lotto and Jacopo Da Ponte.
Via Regina Cornaro.
Heading west on Via Regina Cornaro from the piazza:
Castello della Regina Cornaro.
A block west of the museum, turn left past the flagpole to access the castle. The castle possibly dates back to the 10th century, although there is no definite record of the origins. We know that it was the home of Ezzelino da Romano by 1242. The podestà of Venice moved in circa 1339. During the building of the city walls around the end of the fourteenth century, it became part of one of the walls. Three of the four towers from this period remain.
Caterina Cornaro took ownership in 1489 as part of her swap for Cyprus. She would live here for 20 years, filling the castle with a renaissance of poets, musicians, and artists. When the Pope’s League of Cambrai overthrew Asolo, it became their administrative center. Napoleon’s troops used it during their time in Asolo, and during this period, the podestà’s “Pretoria Hall” became a theatre. In 1816, much of the western side of the castle was removed.
On the Asolo Castle Grounds.
Duse Theater.
A theater in the castle dates back to 1798, when a simple wooden structure was built. The theater was rebuilt with three tiers of boxes adorned with figurative reliefs and paintings in 1857. In 1930, they dismantled the theater, which was later sold to the U.S. state of Florida. It is now located at the Ringling Museum in Sarasota.
The crystal chandelier of the old theater now hangs in the Council Hall of the Town Hall.
Today’s theater dates from 1932 and is named after Eleonora Duse. Receiving a restoration in the 1990s, the theater still presents performances.
Civic Tower.
One of the castle’s four towers now serves as an exhibition space on the lower levels. The tower was a prison during the First World War, and some of the writings left by the prisoners can still be seen.
The tower, which also goes by the name Bell or Clock due to an eighteenth-century clock addition, offers incredible views from the top. You can see from Monte Grappa to the Venetian coastline on a clear day.
Reata Tower.
Over the years, this much smaller tower along the wall line has served as many things, including a jail.
Carro tower.
The other remaining tower is no longer on the castle grounds but is part of the private residence called La Torricella.
Robert Browning bought the western part of the castle from the city a few months before his death, planning to restore the building inside as a school for the town’s youth. Browning’s son Pen took on the challenge of building a villa that would become the site of the school of Antico Ricamo (embroidery). He renamed the tower and estate La Torricella.
Today, you can only get small glimpses of the tower through the numerous cypresses Pen Browning planted to remind him of Tuscany, where he was a child.
Belvedere della Specola.
At the west end of the castle terrace is this belvedere (viewing deck) looking west towards Mount Grappa—a great place before sunset.
Porta Sottocastello.
Returning to Via Regina Cornaro and turning left (west), you will soon come to this small city gate. Along the way, there are several places to snap additional photos of the buildings of Asolo.
Piazza Gabriele D’Annunzio.
Across from the entrance to the castle is this charming triangular piazza offering just enough space for a few tables and motor scooters.
Comune di Asolo (City Hall.)
The Beltramini family from Lombardy arrived in Asolo in the second half of the fifteenth century. They became one of the city’s most famous families and built a mansion to prove it. In the eighteenth century, the building received much of its present-day facade. Later, in the same century, it became the property of the Pasini family. Circa 1895, The British government gifted the palazzo to violinist Lady Hallé, who moved in with her son, Ludvig. When he was killed three years later, hiking in the Dolomites, she left Asolo. The property would end up in the city’s possession and became the city hall.
Via Belvedere.
At the northwest corner of Piazza Gabriele D’Annunzio. is this narrow alleyway. From the 1500s until circa 1795, it was the main street of Asolo’s ghetto, comprising six houses and less than forty Jews.
Via Canova.
Facing Via Belvedere from the Piazza Gabriele D’Annunzio, turn left down Via Canova.
Casa Eleonora Duse.
Just over 400 feet from the piazza, you come to this terra cotta palace on your left at #306. It overlooks the Porta (gate) di Santa Caterina, part of the medieval walls. The year it was built is somewhat hazy, but Francesco Timideo, personal secretary to Queen Cornaro, was living here in the 16th century.
The Italian actress Eleonora Duse came to Asolo circa 1909 to retire and to tend to her destructive pulmonary issues. She moved into the house circa 1920. Her retirement only lasted a short time. She died in 1924 while touring the U.S. in a play. Her daughter would care for the house after her death and then her daughter. Today’s home is still private and cannot be visited inside.
Via Dante.
Walking back towards the town center, Via Conova becomes the Via Dante for two short blocks until it reaches the parking area (Piazza Brugnoli) above the Piazza Garibaldi. From here, going east, it becomes Via Colmarion.
Former Marcello house “Casa Gotica” (Gothic House.)
On the corner of Via Dante and Via Roma is the building known as “Casa Gotica.” Excavations around the foundation of this house have found remains from the late bronze age – early iron age (10th – 9th century B.C.) They have also found signs of a 2nd-century Roman water drainage channel.
Via Colmarion (Collegio.)
Villa Scotti-Pasini.
The records about this large villa looming over the Piazza Brugnoli parking area are few and confusing. The original structure probably dates back to the Bressas or De Brandis family, who owned the land from the 14th century. Some records indicate there was a house and a few outbuildings. Sometime between 1717 and 1741, the property passed to either the Scotti family or Antonio Pasini, who enlarged the existing building and merged the other small buildings into the palace you see today.
Circa 1900, Pen Browning purchased and remodeled the villa, adding the exterior you see today. It was then sold (back?) to the Pasini family. Today, it is still private property and is not available for visits.
Convento dei Santi Pietro e Paolo, Convent of Saints Peter & Paul).
Further hike up Via Colmarion is this Benedictine monastic complex. Sitting at the foot of the Rocca hill, it was a convent from 1634 to 1807. It would then be used as a boarding school. Today, it hosts classical music concerts, theatrical performances, banquets, exhibitions, weddings, and other social gatherings.
Porta Colmarion.
Just past the convent is this city gate passing through the city walls that date to the 13th century. You can see a portion of the wall here as it has not been incorporated into a building. Pass through the gate, with the sign on the left saying “Rocca,” and follow the path outside the gate to the right, which will take you to the Rock.
Rocca Rock.
Built on the top of Mount Ricco, the irregular polygonal structure has a bird’s eye view over Asolo. Dating from the mid-end of the 12th century, the massive walls have an average height of 50 feet (15 meters) and a width of 8 -10 feet (2.5 – 3.5 meters.)
The fortress sits atop a more ancient settlement known about by parts of an existing cemetery. The fort was part of the defense of the municipality of Treviso (1261-1339), then Venetian (1339-1381), then Carrara (1379- 1388) and back to Venice (1388-1796). However, records indicate it was only occupied by a garrison of soldiers until 1510, the last time the Rocca was involved in battle. Parts of the 14th-century cistern, built to collect rainwater, and the bread oven can be seen.
If you are up to the climb, the paved walkway includes more than 270 steps to reach the fort. Once there, the views towards the Po Valley one way and the foothills of the Alps in the other direction are breathtaking. On extremely clear days, you can see the Venice Lagoon. Check for the combination ticket at the museum that includes the fort.
“Acquedotto Romano La Bot” Roman Aqueduct.
Via Browning.
Villa Freya Stark.
The yellow building in front of you is the house and grounds once belonging to Freya Stark, the English writer and traveler. Best known for her journeys of exploration and stories from the Middle East, this was her oasis for recovering after months of traveling.
The original villa dates from the early 1800s, using part of the pre-existing medieval walls. The priest Pietro di Antonio would buy the property in 1842. After his death, it would have several owners, including a landscape architect.
Circa 1901, Robert and Flora Stark move with their 8-year-old daughter Freya and her younger sister Vera to Asolo in a house owned by Robert’s friend, Pen Browning. Freya’s parents separate two years later, and Flora remains in Italy with her daughters. After her first book, The Valley of the Assassins, was published in 1934, Freya regained possession of the Asolo house and lived there until 1966. In the sixties, the Province of Treviso would buy the house to use as a hostel. The house, and especially the gardens, would receive very little care over the next almost 50 years.
Finally, circa 2014, the current owners moved in and remedied that. The house is a private residence and not always open to the public. When available, it is by guided tour.
The Gardens of Villa Stark.
Before the Starks moved to Asolo, the home and gardens belonged to painter Herbert Young Hammerton, an avid gardener. The park became a botanical garden, with Stark bringing samples home from her travels. In addition, remains of the theater from Roman times sit under part of the garden. The new owners hired the famous Italian Garden designer Kristian Buziol to resuscitate the overgrown gardens. Today, you can visit the gardens on a guided tour. Click on the orange title link for more details.
Portello di Castelfranco.
Via Forestuzzo runs along the right side of the Villa Stark. As mentioned before, the villa used part of the ancient walls in its construction. The city gate Portello di Castelfranco is attached to the villa’s wall. You need to pass through this gate to reach the Stark Gardens entrance.
Just Outside the Asolo Walls.
Beyond the Porta di Santa Caterina (Going west on Via Canova.)
Villa Galanti Cipriani.
Another 120+ feet along Via Canova, just past the bend, is one of my favorite places in Asolo. Originally built around 1550 during Venetian architect Andrea Palladio’s era, the villa has undergone significant restorations, especially in the 18th century.
The “Tuscan” decoration comes from circa 1889, when the poet Robert Browning bought the property just before his death. His son would sell the house circa 1902 to help finance his renovation of La Torricella. The Venetian family who bought it used it as a holiday home for many years. Sometime circa the 1940s, it transformed into an inn.
In 1962, Rupert Guinness, the second Earl of Iveagh, purchased the Inn. His father founded a small brewing house in Dublin, and Rupert was known as a fine businessman, politician, and philanthropist. He would hire Giuseppe Cipriani, owner of Harry’s Bar in Venice (birthplace of the Bellini cocktail), to manage and rename it Villa Cipriani.
You must be a hotel guest to enter, a treat I have only experienced once, but it is so worth the price. They make you feel at home like it is your home. The views over Asolo from the garden make it obvious why Asolo attracts artists. The coffee heir, Massimo Zanetti, is the current owner and keeps it running like a high-performance Italian racing car.
Hanseatic Houses.
Fifty feet beyond the Cipriani on your left are two houses in northern Italy that look out of place. Both, built circa 1915, are in a Nordic European style, making them look staged next to all the Italian types around them. The painter Mario de Maria built both houses, living in the first. The second house, at #294, goes by the name Casa Pusinich and was the home of the poet Guido Pusinich. Both places are private residences and not open to the public.
St Catherine’s Church.
At the end of Via Canova, where it splits and Via S Catarina begins to the left, is the church giving the street its name.
The Confraternita dei Battuti, whose members subjected themselves or others to flogging as a religious discipline, built the church in the early 1300s. The Confraternity also ran a hospital next door in operation until the 1900s. Today, it no longer stands. The interior has a single hall with decorations dating to the 14th century. It underwent a major restoration at the beginning of the 16th century, adding decorations depicting Saint Catherine’s life and Christ’s passion.
Palazzo Pasquali.
Further along Via S Catarina, at #267, you can see the plaque commemorating Napoleon’s use of this property during his “visit” in 1797. The house is private.
Villa de Mattia.
On your right, at #258, is this Villa dating to the 16th century. After a significant renovation, it is now a company’s corporate headquarters. Across the street from the front of the villa, you can see some of the villa’s gardens over the fence.
Casa Longobarda.
On the western end of Via Santa Caterina at #245 is a house with a unique facade. From the time of Queen Cornaro (circa 1500), the architect and sculptor Francesco Graziolo lived here. He was the queen’s architect. The house’s name is believed to refer to his workshop or the style of architecture – Lombardus. The building is private.
Villa Contarina.
The private residence, Villa Contarini or Degli Armeni, is on the hill to your left. It dates from 1558, when the Surian family of Venice built it. Later, through inheritance, it became the property of the Contarini, one of the founding families of Venice. By the beginning of the 19th century, it passed from various noble Venetian families, including the Bragadini, the Soranzo, and the Pasqualini. In the 1900s, it would serve as the summer residence of the Armenian College from the island of San Lazzaro in the Venice lagoon. In the 2000s, it became a private residence again.
Convent of the Capuchin Friars. (Website in Italian)
The Capuchin convent and adjoining church were established due to the concession of Sixtus V in 1587. The convent would be in operation until 1769. After that, it would become municipal property as a hospital, barracks, and shelter.
Cemetery Sant’Anna.
After the Napoleonic edict of Saint Cloud required that cemeteries be moved outside the urban centers, the high ground behind the convent became the town’s cemetery. Eleonora Duse, Freya Stark, and other notable Asoloians now rest there. Robert Browning is not in Asolo. He is in the Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey. His son, Pen Barrett Browning, was initially buried in Asolo. However, ten years later, his wife had him moved to Florence.
Beyond the Villa Freya Stark (Going east on Via Foresto Vecchio.)
Gotthard Church.
A few minutes drive east of Villa Freya on Via Foresto Vecchio is this building with roots back to 1254. Dedicated to the Archangel Michael (Sant’Angelo), it became well-known for its hospitality and school for Asolo’s most prominent families. After the 1769 Venetian decree suppressing religious orders, the monastery was abandoned. By 1820, the convent was in such bad shape they had to demolish it, saving only the church. The church has decorations dating to the mid-1400s. No longer consecrated, the church periodically hosts music concerts.
Malipiero House.
Further Afield.
West of Asolo.
Bassano del Grappa.
This town is twenty-five minutes west of Asolo. It is most famous for its wooden Ponte Vecchio bridge, designed by Andrea Palladio in 1569. Being wood, it has been replaced many times, most recently after WWII. This charming town has weekly markets in the main squares. Sip some Grappa at Nardini, Italy’s oldest distillery, dating from 1779. Then, sample a local pizzetta.
Visit Villa Ca’ Erizzo Luca, a fifteenth-century villa that served as the seat of Section 1 of the American Red Cross ambulance units during WWI. Ernest Hemingway stayed at Ca’ Erizzo after being wounded and later became an ambulance driver. What do you think he thought about during all the hours of recovery? “A Farewell to Arms” and “Across the River and into the Trees” have to be germinating.
North.
Temple of Canova in Possagno.
This neoclassical church would be one of the last designs by the famous architect Antonio Canova. The architect and his team worked on the drawings from 1804 until 1818. Construction began in 1819, and the church was consecrated in 1932. Unfortunately, Canova, who put up most of the financing for the temple, died in October of 1822, seeing very little of its construction. The temple is a 20-minute drive north of Asolo.
Antonio Canova’s Gipsoteca Museum.
This museum is dedicated to sculptor Antonio Canova. The collection includes a picture gallery, a gypsum collection of terracotta sketches and plaster models, a library specializing in his sculptures, and an archive of the sculptor’s works. The museum is a 3-minute drive from the temple.
NorthEast of Asolo.
Villa Barbaro in Maser.
The great architect Andrea Palladio left his mark in many places throughout the Veneto. This villa, built between 1554 and 1560 for the humanist Daniele Barbaro, is seven miles east of Asolo. The Palladian villa is embellished with a series of frescoes that represent one of the masterpieces of the painter Paolo Veronese. The estate is on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Conegliano Valdobbiadene Wine Region.
Starting in Valdobbiadene, a 30-minute drive north of Asolo and stretching 20 miles east to Conegliano, this route runs through the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG wine region. The region is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and 97% of the wine made here is sparkling. Prosecco is the most planted grape and now goes by the name Glera.
More than 200 wineries in the region produce over 400 varieties of wine. Wine Folly list of wineries. A few of my favorites are Cartizze PDC near Valdobbiadene and Locanda Sandi.
For a bonus, the Sandi vineyards have the Villa Sandi, a 30-minute drive south of Locanda Sandi. The headquarters of the winery is in a lovely Palladian-style house dating from the 1600s. Wine tastings and tours of the house and cellars are available.
At all wineries, I strongly recommend reservations.
South.
Villa Emo in Fanzolo.
Another villa of the UNESCO World Heritage site, the City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto is the Andrea Palladio villa for the Emo family of Venice circa 1556. This patrician villa will remain in the Emo family for almost 450 years, finally leaving the family in 2004.
Asolo Summary.
You can undoubtedly do Asolo as a day trip from Venice, but is a few hours really enough? Why not include an evening so you can enjoy the village after the day-trippers leave? And you can enjoy the local cuisine with a glass of prosecco.
It is not out of the way, with Vemice, Padua, and Vicenza only an hour+ drive away. Why are you waiting? Experience Asolo.