Vicenza/Padua Car Trip

If this were my trip I would not rent a car just to do what you set out to do.
I think taking the train would be much cheaper, faster and more convenient.
All the locations you mentioned are in the city centers of those cities, where traffic is restricted and parking scarce. The only exception is Villa La Rotonda, which can be reached by taxi or bus as it is just outside Vicenza and a very short ride from the train station.
Also I don't even think you need to change hotels, you could very easily do all of the above on a day trip from Venice (or maybe two separate day trips). Both Padova and Vicenza are just a short train ride from Venice. Padua is 25 min. away and Vicenza a little further (45 min away). There is no way a car can be that fast, once you include the time for the car rental paper work, traffic and time to find parking once arrived.
Consult the train schedule below (use a date in the next 7 days) and see:
www.trenitalia.com
enter the cities with the Italian spelling:
Venezia Santa Lucia
Padova
Vicenza

Absolutely no need for a car. The train rides between the three cities is very short.

John,

You do not need to rent a car to travel to Padua or Vicenza from Venice.

However, you will need to make advance reservations to visit The Scrovegni Chapel.

Here is the website for such: http://www.cappelladegliscrovegni.it/index.php/en/

When you travel to Padua (Padova), visit St. Anthony's Basilica-- it's free!

John, I agree that a car would mostly be an unnecessary expense and hassle for this trip, easily done as one, or maybe two, day trips by train from Venice, without changing hotels or toting luggage around. Another wonderful visit in Padua is the open air plus inside food market. Beautifully displayed produce outside, and then specialized shops or stalls inside, with abundant displays of cheeses, pastas, breads and pastries, salamis, horse and donkey meat, and many other products. I seem to remember one stall had only things from Sardinia. I have heard that this is one of the most famous markets in Italy, maybe some of our Italian participants can comment on this. From the Padua train station, the Scrovegni Chapel is about an 8 to 10 minute walk toward town, and the the market is another 8 to 10 minutes walk beyond that. The Basilica of Sant'Antonio is a long walk further on, or a local bus ride. I like Padua, which is certainly a modest sized city, not a small town. I did not know about the mask museum, which is evidentally outside of town, perhaps in another nearby town, and appears to be open just seasonally, May through September.

You can take the tram from the station to the Capella Scrovegni, spend a little time at the Chiesa degli Eremitani practically next door. There is also a tram stop near the basilica.

Well, I was looking forward to driving in Italy but most of you say to take the train. I don't want to be rushed so I think we will do a day trip to Padua and one to Vicenza. I don't want to rush from city to city but I will look at the schedule again. Thanks for all you help!

Some info if you do decide to go with a car. I agree it would probably be cheaper and less hassle to go with the train but I always liked having the freedom of having a car. Vicenca is a straight shot down A14 from Venice about an hour away with Padovo about halfway in between. There is a large parking lot near centro near the Teatro Olympico. About a five minute walk. You can walk to La Rotunda from there but it is pretty lengthy. If you want to drive it it's pretty easy. The street that it's on is pretty much a back road with a few parking spaces down the road from it but everyone just parks on the side of the road near the entrance. If you get there early there should be plenty of space. If I remember correctly it's only open at certain times on certain days. You may want to check before hand. A short walk from there is the Villa of the Dwarves. If you walk away from La Rotunda towards the main road there's a path (the beginning was unpaved last I was there) on your left hand side. A short walk from there is the villa. I only spent a short time in Padova but remember finding parking pretty easily. If you don't get tickets prior for the Scovegni chapel you can probably get them for the same day. We had around a two hour wait. It might be trying to squeeze in too much but I'd suggest seeing Bossano del Grappa if you get the time. Around an hour drive from Vicenza. Beautiful place where, supposedly, Grappa came into being and the home of the Poli distillery which you can tour and try (and buy) some awesome Grappa. I remember finding parking there pretty easily also.

If you want to get to some of the other Palladian villas in the area, a car would be an asset. I still wouldn't rush into one long daytrip, however.