Veneto, the largest region in northeastern Italy, ranks fourth in population in Italy with nearly 5 million inhabitants. It is the fifth most visited region in Europe and the top destination in Italy. Its name derives from the Veneti, an Indo-European population that settled in the area after the mid-second millennium BC.
Veneto is a region rich in history and culture. Venice, for example, has been one of the world’s most important and influential cities for centuries, thanks to its strategic location on trade routes between Europe and the East. Other significant cities in Veneto include Verona, Padua, Vicenza, and Treviso, all with a wealth of artistic and cultural heritage.
The region boasts diverse landscapes, from the majestic Dolomites in Belluno to renowned wine capitals like Verona and Valpolicella, the Treviso March and the Prosecco Hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, a UNESCO World Heritage site. There’s also the unique charm of Venice, the picturesque Colli Berici hills of Vicenza, and the magnificent Palladian villas. Not to forget the serene natural beauty of the Po Delta in Rovigo province.
Veneto is not only about its history but also its landscapes, vineyards turning grapes into world-famous wines, unique products like risotto and radicchio, small producers of exquisite cheeses, and PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) olive oils recognized for their light and balanced flavors.
Taste Veneto aims to uncover a Veneto that surprises those who love a slower pace, nature, history, art, culture, good food, and the good life. Their partners are fortunate to operate in stunning landscapes shaped by nature and carefully preserved and enhanced by humans over the centuries.
From the enchanting Valpolicella wine hills just below the Monti Lessini in Verona to the extensive rice fields in the south, the historic city of Verona founded in the 1st century BC, preserves numerous ancient, medieval, and Renaissance monuments. In the central Piazza Bra stands the majestic Arena, the Roman amphitheater that has hosted the prestigious summer opera season for decades.
In Vicenza, the picturesque Colli Berici hills in the south complement the city’s historic charm. Vicenza is also home to the Palladian Villas, whose architectural style spread to England, other European countries, and America.
The Padua region features other thrilling hills, the Euganei, which rise unexpectedly in the heart of the Venetian plain with their distinctive conical shapes, the result of volcanic phenomena dating back over 40 million years. These hills hide enchanting corners of unspoiled nature and picturesque historic villages that Taste Veneto’s partners are eager to introduce, along with the prestigious wines and exclusive culinary specialties. Padua, known as the ultimate Venetian university city, boasts the stunning frescoes by Giotto and the Botanical Garden of Padua, the world’s first botanical garden founded in 1545.
The dreamlike landscapes of the Po Delta Park, a world born from the endless battle between the sea, the river, and the land, house the astounding archaeological museum of Adria. This city, with Etruscan origins, was once a vital and thriving commercial port, so much so that the Adriatic Sea owes its name to this ancient town (a destination for Greek ships carrying various goods and vases from Greece, many of which are still found in significant numbers underground in the city and its surroundings).
To the north of the splendid Treviso, the hills of Prosecco in Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, a UNESCO World Heritage site, offer a breathtaking vineyard landscape shaped by centuries of interaction between nature and people. This region produces the best-selling sparkling wines in the world. South of Treviso, the landscape of the Sile River Regional Park seems to come straight from a fairy tale. This river, the longest in Europe originating from springs, flows through the gentle Venetian plain between Treviso and Venice, with its clear waters shifting from serene to turbulent.
Finally, there’s the native Venice, a collection of splendid islands in the Venetian lagoon (Torcello, Mazzorbo, and Burano), known as flourishing urban realities even when Venice itself was taking its first steps. These islands have preserved old trades that have been forgotten elsewhere, from lace-making to gold beating, from fishing to glassmaking.
In conclusion, Veneto is a highly interesting and diverse region offering numerous opportunities for tourism, culture, and the economy. Its natural beauty, history, and culture make it a popular tourist destination and an ideal place to live and work. If you’re looking for an Italian region to visit or live in, Veneto is undoubtedly an excellent choice, and Taste Veneto will gradually help you discover it, guiding you through the stories of its inhabitants.
