A couple of weeks have passed since Christmas and our trip to Italy but it feels like yesterday when we were walking on those winding cobble stones of Asolo, Italy. Two days before Christmas Eve was my parents’ 40th wedding anniversary so Richard and I thought we ought to “kidnap” them and take them to Venice, the eternal city of love to mark their milestone together. With much planning, driving, and asking for directions (and with some “minor” complications) we did get to Asolo.
"
Marca Trevigiana's pearl" or a
“town of Hundred Horizons,” as Asolo is often referred to, is a magical town dating back to pre-Roman times, located in a magnificent spot above a hill overlooking the Cyprus trees and rolling hills, about an hour drive from Venice. Asolo has a charm that few other towns possess with its winding streets and quaint shops and friendly townsfolk. The town also boasts of famous residents, such as Robert Browning and actress Freya Stark who lived here. The town itself has approximately 500 local residents and because of its lovely location and charm it has long been known to true Veneto aficionados as a secret hideaway for visitors.
“Immersed in a private garden of pomegranate trees and fragrant seasonal flowers, Hotel Villa Cipriani is surrounded by the views that inspired Titian and Giorgione. Perched above the hills of Asolo, our hotel is only an hour’s drive from Venice,” boasts the hotel websites. Undeniably, the Villa Cipriani is a true gem that offers weary travelers paradise like conditions and we highly recommend it. The rooms take you back to a different era with its hand-painted tiles and antique furniture. The view and location are only superseded by the hotel's supremely friendly staff. Thank you to all of them!
After a few hours of walking around and discovering the hidden treasures of the lovely boutiques of Asolo (it was a Sunday before Christmas when traditionally shops remain open to accommodate the last minute shoppers) and sampling heavenly Christmas fritelli (fried spiced doughnut-like balls akin to “manna”) with Moscato (I do love Italy for their citizens’ unquenchable passion to live life to the fullest and because they are not afraid to share it with others) we headed to our destination: Venice.
What can I say about Venice that others have not already said? That it’s magical? That it is like a fairy tale myth? Somebody once told me that Venice is like a capricious woman who only reveals that side of hers whichever one wants to see: if one only wants to see the sinking city that’s crowded with tourists than that person will only see that. However, if one truly wants to discover the hidden treasures of this “mysterious woman” than to this person Venice offers everything. Winter in Venice is tranquil where there is a fresh crispness to the seaside air and where there is a certain pinkish haze that envelops the city’s canals, fine
palazzos, and
vaporettos. It is the time where the city reveals its more authentic side: when the layer of frenzied tourist serving kitschy souvenirs seem to have been washed away and when it feels like the Venetians are reclaiming their city. Neighborhoods and markets seem more authentic, and the people standing next to you in the bars and bakeries are locals. This is the Venice I prefer …so a late
“Buon Natale” (=Good Birth) to all and a Adventurous New Year!
A couple of weeks have passed since Christmas and our trip to Italy but it feels like yesterday when we were walking on those winding cobble stones of Asolo, Italy. Two days before Christmas Eve was my parents’ 40th wedding anniversary so Richard and I thought we ought to “kidnap” them and take them to Venice, the eternal city of love to mark their milestone together. With much planning, driving, and asking for directions (and with some “minor” complications) we did get to Asolo.
"Marca Trevigiana's pearl" or a “town of Hundred Horizons,” as Asolo is often referred to, is a magical town dating back to pre-Roman times, located in a magnificent spot above a hill overlooking the Cyprus trees and rolling hills, about an hour drive from Venice. Asolo has a charm that few other towns possess with its winding streets and quaint shops and friendly townsfolk. The town also boasts of famous residents, such as Robert Browning and actress Freya Stark who lived here. The town itself has approximately 500 local residents and because of its lovely location and charm it has long been known to true Veneto aficionados as a secret hideaway for visitors.
“Immersed in a private garden of pomegranate trees and fragrant seasonal flowers, Hotel Villa Cipriani is surrounded by the views that inspired Titian and Giorgione. Perched above the hills of Asolo, our hotel is only an hour’s drive from Venice,” boasts the hotel websites. Undeniably, the Villa Cipriani is a true gem that offers weary travelers paradise like conditions and we highly recommend it. The rooms take you back to a different era with its hand-painted tiles and antique furniture. The view and location are only superseded by the hotel's supremely friendly staff. Thank you to all of them!
After a few hours of walking around and discovering the hidden treasures of the lovely boutiques of Asolo (it was a Sunday before Christmas when traditionally shops remain open to accommodate the last minute shoppers) and sampling heavenly Christmas fritelli (fried spiced doughnut-like balls akin to “manna”) with Moscato (I do love Italy for their citizens’ unquenchable passion to live life to the fullest and because they are not afraid to share it with others) we headed to our destination: Venice.
What can I say about Venice that others have not already said? That it’s magical? That it is like a fairy tale myth? Somebody once told me that Venice is like a capricious woman who only reveals that side of hers whichever one wants to see: if one only wants to see the sinking city that’s crowded with tourists than that person will only see that. However, if one truly wants to discover the hidden treasures of this “mysterious woman” than to this person Venice offers everything. Winter in Venice is tranquil where there is a fresh crispness to the seaside air and where there is a certain pinkish haze that envelops the city’s canals, fine palazzos, and vaporettos. It is the time where the city reveals its more authentic side: when the layer of frenzied tourist serving kitschy souvenirs seem to have been washed away and when it feels like the Venetians are reclaiming their city. Neighborhoods and markets seem more authentic, and the people standing next to you in the bars and bakeries are locals. This is the Venice I prefer …so a late “Buon Natale” (=Good Birth) to all and a Adventurous New Year!
