Exploring Veneto: A Bassano del Grappa Day Trip - Charming Asolo

 Famous Before Rome,  Asolo Is an Exquisitely Cute Mountain Borgo.

Arcaded Street in Asolo with shops and restaurants.                         Credit: A Path To Lunch

The little town of Asolo can only exist in Italy where a remote village can have a seemingly infinite history filled with famous names and unlikely events. Where the beautiful is so casually achieved that the visitor is both heartened that it exists and saddened that the visual feast is not moveable.

Nicknamed the 'City of a Hundred Horizons' for its mountain settings by no less than the poet Carducci, it's one of the 'Borghi più belli d'Italia'. Founded by pre-Roman tribes, it's mentioned by Pliny, and its citizens were joined to the Roman tribe Claudia. The history since then reads like a never-ending opera with a cast including Hungarians wrecking the town, a Synod, a Pope, the pitiless murder of local Jewish families, a hyperactive Impresario, a theater being moved to Florida, and more. So come here - any place good enough for Robert Browning, the actress Eleonora Duse, the explorer Freya Stark, and the violinist Wilma Neruda deserves your visit and ours.

Old houses with arcades, Asolo    A Path To Lunch

The main draw is visual - quintessential old streets, a classic piazza, cute homes beautifully and randomly arranged. 

For attractions there are the ruins of an amphitheater (in the Villa Freya) and of an aqueduct, as well as a 12th century Rocca (a fortified castle on a hill).

There's also the Castle of Queen Caterina Cornaro, now home to the Eleonora Duse theatre, with its attractive inner court. The Palazzo della Ragione now houses the city's museum. The cathedral, built in 1747, has a notable altarpiece.

There are also several smaller churches to wander through, each with a treasure or two.

Local Osteria, Asolo     Credit: A Path To Lunch

     Excellent Official Asolo Website

     Detailed Asolo Travel Blog

     Wikipedia Asolo Entry

Asolo's Winged Lion of St. Mark.      Credit: A Path To Lunch

Bassano del Grappa Hotel al Castello  Our choice for both good walking access to the old center and easy parking.

Bassano del Grappa - Villa Stecchino  Highly rated for a relaxing stay about 2 miles from the old town.

Bassano del Grappa - Relais nel Castello  We stayed in this nice apartment in the old town. Parking is in a free lot about 300 meters away.

Bassano del Grappa Search All on Booking.com

To find different lodging, we suggest and we use Booking.com in Italy because of verified reviews, good search filters with maps,  and a large selection of hotels, apartments, B&B's, and agroturismo locations.

We must tell you the obvious - the commercial links provided might earn us a small commission on a purchase. That affiliation doesn't affect the prices offered.

Exploring Veneto: A Bassano del Grappa Day Trip - A Palladio Villa

 Visit a 1560 Renaissance Delight by Palladio & Veronese

Palladio's Villa Maser (Villa Barbaro) from 1560. Veronese frescoes enhance the Piano Nobile.

Palladio's Villa Maser - also known as Villa Barbaro - is an easy 30 minute drive from Bassano del Grappa. It was designed and built by the Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio in 1560, with frescos by Paolo Veronese and sculptures by Alessandro Vittoria. The original owners were those name-droppers Daniele Barbaro, Patriarch of Aquileia and ambassador to Queen Elizabeth I of England and his brother Marcantonio, an ambassador to King Charles IX of France. The villa was added to the list of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 1996.

The visitor can tour inside, visit most of the grounds and see some support buildings. The interior is enchanting for the creation of atmosphere through the use of light, proportion, and art - expressed over and over again as you move through the building. Palladio seldom involved himself with planning gardens but outside, amidst other beauties, there's a classical garden feature, a nymphaeum, an arching architectural structure framing a natural spring. We also enjoyed a wooded walk behind the main building to see an interesting collection of evocative old carriages - all the better to imagine the courtly past.

Workers' quarters on the grounds. Taken in May at Palladio's Villa Maser.

    

Visit Info

Visitable from April-October, Tues.- Sun. and with additional special openings through the year.

Villa Maser Official Site  Wikipedia: Villa Maser  Address: Villa di Maser, Via Cornuda 7, Maser TV 

Detailed Bassano del Grappa Travel Blog

Bassano del Grappa Accommodations

Bassano del Grappa Hotel al Castello  Our choice for both good walking access to the old center and easy parking.

Bassano del Grappa - Villa Stecchino  Highly rated for a relaxing stay about 2 miles from the old town.

Bassano del Grappa - Relais nel Castello  We stayed in this nice apartment in the old town. Parking is in a free lot about 300 meters away.

Bassano del Grappa Search All on Booking.com

To find different lodging, we suggest and we use Booking.com in Italy because of verified reviews, good search filters with maps,  and a large selection of hotels, apartments, B&B's, and agriturismi locations.

We must tell you the obvious - the commercial links provided might earn us a small commission on a purchase. That affiliation doesn't affect the prices offered.

Get a Refund for a Cancelled Flight Ticket - Not Just a Voucher.

How to Win a Credit Card Chargeback Dispute. 

Complete Details & Sample Letter for a Refund on a Non-Refundable Ticket, Seat & Baggage Charges. 

Should I Accept a Voucher for Future Flights?   Is it Too Late for a Refund on a Flight Cancelled Due to Covid-19?

Seinfeld: "You see, you know how to 'take' the reservation, you just don't know how to 'hold' the reservation.
And that's really the most important part of the reservation: the holding. Anybody can just take them."

Fed up with an airline like Delta, Air Canada, Jet Blue, Southwest, Lufthansa or TAP Air Portugal for refusing to give you a refund?  This article gives specific details on how you can get a refund on a non-refundable airline ticket after the flight was canceled - even those caused by the Covid-19 virus epidemic. It is done by using your legal right to dispute the credit card charges - also known as a chargeback of the credit card charges. It doesn't matter if it's Chase, Capital One, or Bank of America, they all must help you.

Do not accept a voucher for future flights. Some reasons why: ✦You are entitled to a refund, dammit. ✦The airline will make you agree that the voucher is a substitute for a refund, limiting your future rights. ✦The voucher will have a time limit and possibly fees and added conditions. ✦The airline may not be in business or offer the same destinations or class of service when you want to use it. ✦Why trust an entity that won't adhere to it's own Terms of Carriage? Fool me once....

Our case involved a Visa credit card from a US bank and began with a US to EU flight. However since the procedures and the governing rules are based on credit card 'Core Rules', this information will be very useful for other jurisdictions, for Mastercard & American Express, and for other types of credit card disputes.

Be aware - disputing a credit card charge is not an exact science - the card issuers have a lot of latitude in this process. Our approach might not be best for you and the rules may change, so do additional research to maximize your chances.  Note: When we say document some action, we mean getting something factual to prove your point- like an email printout, a screenshot of a relevant web page, a letter, or even your detailed notes with specific dates and times and the names of the person you spoke with.

Below we give the important key points to make and to document in disputing a credit card charge, also known as a chargeback of a credit card purchase. At the end of the article, to get you started there's a notated sample letter adapted from a letter we used with success, though keep in mind there are no guarantees when used with a different credit card company or with different circumstances.

The chain of logic that we believe will lock in your right to a chargeback follows. Your claim will be strongest if you document each point.  Then we give additional informational comments and the sample letter.

A New Plague Returns to A Hilltop Town in Italy

Extraordinary Measures in a Historic Ligurian Town. 

After 307 years the town's patron saint is asked - again - for help.

Historic Ameglia - hill town of Liguria - ruled in turn by Ligurians, Romans, Byzantines, Franks, Lombards, Genovese & more.                              

When Covid-19 hits your city, will you be 'warmly invited' to stay home? A daily life news item from the 1,000+ year old town of Ameglia (Liguria) now in lockdown from the threat of Coronavirus.

Municipality of Ameglia. Commercial entities, civil protection, and firefighters have collectively begun the start-up 'Vespa' Dotevè' to provide a grocery delivery service in the municipal area of ​​Ameglia, a service aimed at the elderly and people in conditions of fragility. Below are the participating businesses with their phone numbers. "It will be possible to turn to the merchant and the Civil Protection will act as a carrier between the business and your home," explained Mayor Andrea De Ranieri, who warmly invited all the Amelese citizens to stay at home.

This morning the first civil complaints were also filed in the Ameglia municipality for those who left their abode without a valid reason: "Townspeople just can't complete a downloaded self-certification and go wherever they want - said the mayor on Facebook - You have to stay home! Citizens can move only for work, necessity, health. At the time of a police check they will make you declare and sign why you are moving. Once this is done, the patrol checks (for example by calling the company, calling your doctor, etc.). If they discover that your declared purpose is not true, you get two civil citations: one for the violation of the coronavirus public health ordinance (art. 650 CP) and the other for false declarations (art. 495 CP). I make this clarification because many think that there are no controls or that self authorization is enough, it is not so. Shop only in your own town and for essential items! Shop for need, not shopping for pleasure! One person per family. If you are 3 in the car and you are going shopping, you'll be cited. "

Meanwhile, the heraldic flag of the municipality was brought to the ancient parish church in the center of Ameglia. "I renewed the vows of the ancients and asked our patron San Pasquale to keep us from contagion (the plague) again as in 1713, for that is why we celebrate him every May 17." explained the mayor.

Articolo originale qui:  Citta della Spezia: Spesa a Domicilio

Go Fund Me page to help the Red Cross volunteers: Croce Rosso Ameglia

Google translation, edited for clarity.

Photo copyright by Mike Mazzaschi / apathtolunch.com  Non-commercial use allowed with attribution.

Cinque Terre's Path of Love is NOW Open!

Italy's Famous Path - The Via Amore - Has Fully Reopened .

A Trail Especially Popular With Lovers, Families, Tourists with Mobility Issues. 

El Camino del Amor   Promenade de l'Amour   Weg der Liebe     爱的方式    愛の道     путь любви

Via dell'Amore & the Cinque Terre coast viewed toward Riomaggiore. Reopened entirely in 2024. CC by Davide Bozzo.

Is the Via Amore open? Is the Via dell'Amore closed? When will the Via Amore reopen? We have the answer - after 12 years and 22 million Euro, the entire length of the famous Path of Love is open as of July 27, 2024. In 2023 a trial section was open for part of the year, but now the entire first (or last) section of the Blue Path between Riomaggiore and Manarola is available.

The access details are still being worked out (as of 7/21/24) but the number of visitors will be limited to 400 per hour. A fee will be charged and tickets will be sold online and at booths at the entrances - the fee in 2023 was five Euro. There will also be an online reservation system available. 

There's news coverage on Euro News Via dell'Amore.   This Italian RAI piece has good video footage of the restored path RAI Camper - Via dell'Amore.  But why was it been closed so long? Read on, love.

The appeal is immediate to the Cinque Terre attraction called Via dell'Amore (or Via Amore) since it translates so romantically to The Love Trail, The Lovers Walk or The Way of Love.  It's perhaps the most famous trail in Italy and known throughout the world - even though the distance is only one kilometer long and can easily be walked in 30 minutes. This great walkway is one of the reasons the Cinque Terre are a World Heritage Site.

______________________________________________________________________________
     Essential Stories for a good Cinque Terre visit:
     Every Answer You Need for Your Cinque Terre Trip
     Cinque Terre - 16 Tips for Avoiding the Crowds
     Complete Cinque Terre Ferry Schedules
     See Also: ❇Our Cinque Terre Guide
______________________________________________________________________________

The Via dell'Amore is the pedestrian path connecting the Cinque Terre villages of Riomaggiore and Manarola. It winds across the rocky face of steep seaside hills and provides panoramic views of the fabulous Cinque Terre coastline. It rises to an altitude of as much as 750 feet above the sea though it's not a steep or strenuous hike. Unfortunately, it has been closed since 2012 due to the risk of landslides. 

The 'Lovers' symbol along The Lovers Walk with padlocks.
Via dell'Amore was an early victim of the viral lock mania.
                                                      CC by  Daniel Stockman

Origins and Closures. 
The walkway began as part of the railway tunnel construction in 1926-1928. It provided access for workers and materials. The explosives used in its construction were also stored along the path - away from the villages in what is now the Bar dell'Amore. Subsequently, the walkway provided the perfect setting for young Italian couples who sought privacy from the prying eyes of a small village - often leaving memorializing graffiti as proof of their fidelity.  In time a journalist who noticed all the amorous graffiti along the path coined the trail’s now-established name, Via dell’Amore.

A Lunch Visit to Chiavari - Our Favorite Ligurian City

Beautiful and Sophisticated - Visit Chiavari to Appreciate Liguria. 

Try Ligurian Specialties at Osteria Luchin - a Chiavari Insitution Since 1907.

Behind Piazza Mazzini, the streets become smaller as do the juxtapositions. These card players filled the street with shouts.

Chiavari couldn't be more peaceful. Although it was once a border city with mighty walls to protect against incursions by rivals such as Lavagna just across the Entella river, today it is unwalled and relaxed.  This part of Liguria has many slate quarries so a dark stone predominates, creating a comforting urban gravitas to complement the traditional warm Ligurian colors. Most of the beautiful streets have arcades supported on the street side by squat columns of diverse designs, and in the shadows of the arcades are specialty shops with elaborate old woodwork, bright pastry stores with mouth-watering window displays, and busy cafes with movie-set perfect patrons. On a recent Saturday morning the streets were filled with family after family shopping and doing errands, trailed by socializing pre-teens.

Mazzini speaks still in Chiavari, Liguria.

On the central Piazza Mazzini, the outdoor market was in full swing, as it is every morning. The huge assortment of colorful vegetables took up most of the space, but the cheese stands did their best to match the array, and the truck with roast meats added that great aroma to the market vibe.

The buildings around the piazza are a triumph of Ligurian variety. A bold gold building with dramatic window surrounds is next to a centuries old stained stucco building in need of attention, next to a vivid display of trompe l'oeil on a rose colored field..

On the west side is the white mass of the Palazzo di Giustizia. It's tempting to assume it's of ancient medieval origin, but it's from only 1886 in a style called Tuscan Gothic, which we presume is a disguised Italian slur.

A little further west towards the ocean is the Basilica cathedral of Nostra Signora dell'Orto. A very large church, it's not old by Italian measure but pretty interesting. It's origin is the 17th century, but it was refashioned in 1907. This influence provided an art nouveau feeling in the graceful golden embellishment inside.  In one chapel near the alter, there are works by Anton Maria Maragliano of Genoa, one of Liguria's most famous and original sculptors who worked wood in a style all his own.

Trompe l'oeil building facade on Piazza Mazzini in Chiavari, where the building diversity magically creates a unified city.

Osteria Luchin in Chiavari, Liguria.

When the streets mysteriously become less busy, it means Italy is calling you to lunch. We once again chose a Chiavari institution with good food and an irresistible panache. Osteria Luchin was founded in 1907 and it's still going strong. It's popular because there's something for everyone, a really good variety, all at an affordable rate.  Passing through the doors will feel like passing back through time. It's busy and bustling with long tables used family style.

Menu Notes: many of the daily unique dishes are listed on chalk boards outside, and there's no information inside, so either have a look before you go in, or just wander back out and take your time.  Also. while they have an English language menu, it's not quite the same as the Italian menu, so if you can muddle through in Italian you'll have more choice.

The farinata oven is one of the reasons that Luchin is famous - the chickpea pancake is baked in very heavy pans so that the top gets brown and crispy while the bottom stays creamy and smooth.  We sat near the oven and could watch the whole thing - it's an art to balance the pan, shift it, keep the fire just right.  Lots of people got the farinata as an appetizer, it looked wonderful.

Italian City & Town Guidebooks Reviewed - Rome, Florence, Venice & More.

What are the Best Travel Guidebooks for Italian Cities & Towns? 

Which Guidebook is Better? Rick Steves, Lonely Planet, DK Eyewitness or Frommer? 

1914 Ms. Mason began in Liguria and visited
Portofino: 'the quaintest fishing village under
the sky'.Cinque Terre was not yet famous.

Let's start off on the right foot: there are no best travel guidebooks. All have strengths and weaknesses, and all travelers have different approaches and needs. We have recently finished our independent review of almost all the popular Italy travel guidebooks. We give you our recommendation along with enough description help you decide if it fits your needs.

                 ⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥

BEST FOR A PANDEMIC?

We highly recommend the DK Eyewitness Travel Guides. The rich illustrations and deeper explanations provide the best possible distant enjoyment.  

DK Eyewitness Travel Guide Italy

        ++(Amazon US)   +(Amazon UK)

DK Eyewitness Travel Guide Florence & Tuscany 

       ++(Amazon US)  +(Amazon UK)

DK Eyewitness Travel Guide Rome 

       ++(Amazon US)  +(Amazon UK)

DK Eyewitness Travel Guide Venice and the Veneto

      ++(Amazon US) +(Amazon UK) 

⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥

We cover most every guide you might want in three articles:

⬥Guidebooks for Italian Cities & Towns (This Article)
⬩Rome ⬩Florence ⬩Venice ⬩Cinque Terre ⬩Naples

⬥Guidebooks for Italy (click)
⬩All of Italy ⬩Best of Italy ⬩Southern Italy
+ Italy Guidebook Series - The Publishers Reviewed
     ⬩Rick Steves ⬩Lonely Planet ⬩Rough Guides
     ⬩DK Eyewitness ⬩Fodor's ⬩Frommer

⬥Guidebooks for Italian Regions (click)
⬩Amalfi Coast ⬩Cinque Terre ⬩Italian Lakes ⬩Liguria, ⬩Puglia ⬩Sardinia ⬩Sicily ⬩Tuscany

Guidebooks for Italy's Regions Reviewed - Cinque Terre, Tuscany, Sicily & More.

What are the Best Travel Guidebooks for Italian Regions?

Which Guidebook is Better for Driving Through Tuscany or the Italian Lakes?  

1914 Ms. Mason began in Liguria and visited
Portofino: 'the quaintest fishing village under
the sky'.Cinque Terre was not yet famous.

Let's start off on the right foot: there are no best travel guidebooks. All have strengths and weaknesses, and all travelers have different approaches and needs. We have recently finished our independent review of almost all the popular Italy travel guidebooks. We give you our recommendation along with enough description help you decide if it fits your needs.

         ⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥

BEST FOR A PANDEMIC?

We highly recommend the DK Eyewitness Travel Guides. The rich illustrations and deeper explanations provide the best possible vicarious enjoyment.

DK Eyewitness Travel Guide Italy

        ++(Amazon US)   +(Amazon UK)

DK Eyewitness Travel Guide Florence & Tuscany 

       ++(Amazon US)  +(Amazon UK)

DK Eyewitness Travel Guide Rome 

       ++(Amazon US)  +(Amazon UK)

DK Eyewitness Travel Guide Venice and the Veneto

      ++(Amazon US) +(Amazon UK)  

⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥

We cover everything you need in three articles:

⬥Guidebooks for Italian Regions (This Article)
⬩Amalfi Coast ⬩Cinque Terre ⬩Italian Lakes ⬩Liguria, ⬩Puglia ⬩Sardinia ⬩Sicily ⬩Tuscany

⬥Guidebooks for Italian Cities & Towns (click)
⬩Rome ⬩Florence ⬩Venice ⬩Cinque Terre ⬩Naples

⬥Guidebooks for Italy (click)
⬩All of Italy  ⬩Best of Italy   ⬩Southern Italy

+Publishers of Italy Guidebook Series Reviewed
⬩Rick Steves ⬩Lonely Planet ⬩Rough Guides

⬩DK Eyewitness ⬩Fodor's ⬩Frommer's