Top Rated Attractions in Vicenza

This stunning theater is known for having the oldest existing stage set in the world. The set was originally built for the theater's first performance in 1585 and is still used to this day. The stage set has a Roman-style influence, but the "marble" is actually made out of wood, plaster and stucco. The Teatro Olimpico was designed by the famed Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio and was completed after his death. One can take a tour of this beautiful theater or enjoy a memorable show here.

In Piazza dei Signori is the Basilica Palladiana, which is also known as the Palazzo della Ragione, the symbolic monument of Vicenza. The basilica encircles the preexisting, Gothic buildings from the fifteenth century, where justice used to be administered, with a double order of loggias, the work of Palladio. It was his first, important commission and launched his fortune in the city and his career. Palladio created a beautiful building, which manages to be light and imposing at the same time. On the right, a staircase goes up to the Loggia and leads to the large, luminous, Gothic salon. On the ground floor are galleries and porticoes with antiques and crafts shops. Every year the basilica hosts important architecture and art shows.

The Santuario di Monte Berico was built during the 17th century. It was built next to an ancient Gothic church that was erected after the apparitions of the Virgin in 1428. The baroque grandiosity of the building can be seen straight away from the bottom of the three large flights of steps that lead up to the entrance. The church is decorated with statues and is crowned by a slender dome. There are some wonderful paintings inside, including works by Veronese and Montagna. The religious heart of the church is the Gothic statue of the Madonna di Monte Berico, with its halo, studded with gemstones. The sanctuary of Monte Berico is still the destination of many pilgrimages even today.

Corso Andrea Palladio, a famous, main street in Vicenza, Italy was named after the prominent Renaissance Architect Andrea Palladio. The street officially acquired its current name in 1945 and it is significantly surrounded by various historic palaces that have been believed to be designed by Palladio and his pupils. The memorable street that runs from the west to the east of the city not just connects cities but also due to the presence of prominent theaters, museums and castles has been recognized by UNESCO and a popular tourist attraction.

Palazzo Chiericati situated on the street of Piazza Giacomo Matteotti is an architectural gem and nothing short of a landmark in the city. It was designed by Palladio in 1550 and completed more than a century later due to the non-traditional nature of its architectural design. The ground floor has an unusual amount of open space and an internal salon runs parallel to the building s façade, whereas comparable salons are built perpendicular. These characteristics and the generous amount of porticoes and loggias have an effect of lightness as if the building was made of only light and air.

Located in the outskirts of Vicenza, the splendid Villa Vamarana is a spectacular representation of a 16th-century Renaissance villa. Designed by renowned architect Andrea Palladio, the villa displays some fabulous works of art, through beautiful frescoes and intricate sculptures. Passed through the generations, the villa is still owned by the Vamarana household and can only be visited with prior notice.