seeking info about Vicenza

i hear it's a great place if you are interested in architecture, it probably won't be as crowded as Verona or Padua.

I have been there a few times and you must see the old theatre - I think it's called the Olympic Theatre. It was the first theatre to use perspective in its stage sets so you have the illusion of looking down a long street. It's really something. There are also buildings by Palladio scattered through the town with a villa up in the hills but I never got there. The town itself is nice and there is a large US Army post so you'll see plenty of local Americans. There's also a major IKEA store there but I don't think you'll be carrying furniture on the train!

Vicenza is cool. It is a good daytrip from Venezia.The whole downtown area (tho not close to the train sta) is really nice. Surrounding area is beautiful and there is a famous villa atop a hill with a great story .

June, Many years ago, my father was stationed in Vicenza with NATO. i was lucky enough to get to spend two weeks there and loved it. It was my first time overseas so everything was new to me. I thought Vicenza was full of spectacular architecture. Views from Monte Berico were wonderful, and just following the guidebook to see palladio's work allowed me to wander around town and enjoy it. I second the comment on Olympic Theater. It was a nice, peaceful place compared to some of the high traffic touris areas, so great to unwind after day trips and sightseeing around the country.

Are you aware of this link here at this site?

The "famous villa with a great story" is the Palladio designed villa that Thiomas Jefferson used as the model for Monticello. Vicenza is a great town. It's easy to walk. The Palladio architecture is amazing. A walk through the collonades to Monte Berico is terrific. We stayed in a former convent just after the end of the collanade with huge rooms, enormous windows to hear the bells. I hope Rik will be along to weigh in.

Alas, poor Doug, who has been known well, but the villa we mentioned has nothing to do with Palladio or Monticello. It is located on a hill above the city, about 2 miles from the train station. It was said to be owned by a nobleman who hired only dwarfs to attend his dwarf daughter....

Vicenza is a good place to visit. As others said the Teatro Olympico is great and the main piazza is a great place to eat a gelato and people watch. La Rotunda is just a five minute walk from the House of Dwarves so you can see them both with no problems. There are also some underground sites/site that I didn't get to see due to flooding so can't say if they're worth seeing or not but you can ask about them when you get tickets for the teatro.

I did Vicenza as a day trip from Venice a few years ago. It was very easy and inexpensive on the regional train. I took a bus from the Vicenza train station to the top of town, started by touring the theater, and then worked my way back down toward the train station, stopping at other sights and enjoying lunch along the way. Very pleasant way to spend a day. If time and energy allow, you could also stop for "free" in Padua on the way back to Venice, as regional train tickets allow you 6 hours to complete your trip once validated. Just be sure to use another regional train between Padua and Venice.

Mille grazie for the great advice. I appreciate all the help; there is good reason I spend loads of time reading the travellers helpline!

I'm not sure if I could add much more than what's been offered already but I'll correct a couple things. First, the Ikea is actually in Padova, not Vicenza. Second, the downtown (centro) is actually not that big and is easily reached on foot from the train station. La Rotunda is the villa that Jefferson modeled Montecello after, it's just outside the downtown a bit past Monte Berico. There is a little area to pull your car over and take pics from the road and the bus stops right out front as well. Monte Berico is another highlight, nice views from up top and the church is nice as well. Interesting story about the origins of the church; story goes that during the middle ages the Virgin Mary appeared to a shepherd boy and promised him that Vicenza would be spared from the plague. Sure enough, the plague spread all over but somehow missed Vicenza so they built a church on the spot of the vision to thank the Virgin Mary for keeping her promise. The Teatro Olympico is definitely a must-see. The high school on the base actually used to hold their graduation there every year but that's stopped now with the budget cuts. Vicenza's centro is perfect for strolling and admiring the architecture; I've always loved RS' saying that "entire streets look like the back of a nickel". There is a tourist information office right on the Piazza de Signori where you can get information on pretty much everything.

I agree with everything Ric had to say and more. I did not know anything about Vicenza when we went to Italy for our first trip. It was an awesome place and such interesting stories of all the building. The wild roses were stunning. the Castle where a nobleman who hired only dwarfs to attend his dwarf daughter is a wonder to see. The people were so kind in the town one person saw me having such a hard time using the pay phone and let me use his cell saying with a big grin " only 5 cents a minute" and gave me a glass of wine too. He dryed my tears and I will never forget him.
Pat