An Itinerary Through Art and History: Exploring the Medieval Villages of Soave and Asolo

Scultura di Sabrina Ferrari, parte del percorso 'Urban Jungle'. Foto di Itinerarinellarte.it

Marostica: Contemporary Art at the Upper Castle

Another walled town in the Veneto region, located in the province of Vicenza just a few kilometers from Bassano del Grappa, Marostica is world-renowned for its historical reenactment of the Living Chess Game. Held every two years in the striking Piazza degli Scacchi, the event involves over 650 participants dressed in magnificent period costumes.

Today, getting to Marostica from Soave is quicker and easier thanks to the A4 motorway, which leads to Montecchio Maggiore. From there, travelers can access the Pedemontana Veneta toll highway, which has a dedicated exit (Mason – Pianezze – Marostica), just a few minutes from the town center.

The first edition of the city's most iconic event dates back to 1923, but the story it reenacts takes us to the year 1454. Two noblemen, Vieri da Vallonara and Rinaldo d'Angarano, fall hopelessly in love with Lionora, the beautiful daughter of the Venetian governor Taddeo Parisio, and challenge each other to a duel. To avoid bloodshed, Lionora's father forbids the duel and demands that the suitors settle the matter with a chess match in the main square—using living pieces.

To witness the next edition of the Living Chess Game, visitors will have to wait until Friday, September 4, 2026.

Partita degli Scacchi 2022 - crediti Photo Più 

n addition to strolling through the streets within the medieval walls, exploring the Piazza degli Scacchi and the Lower Castle (closed during the Marostica Summer Festival), one should not miss the evocative Cammino di Ronda—a narrow walkway that runs along the top of the defensive walls. With a height ranging from 8 to 12 meters and a width of just 70 cm, it is considered one of the most fascinating medieval stairways in the area.

Once at the Upper Castle, a 14th-century fortified building, visitors can enjoy a foray into contemporary art as well. Until July 20, 2025, the castle is hosting the group exhibition "Within the Walls of Time", featuring 72 works in painting and photography, alongside 14 sculptures by artist Franco Trevisan. Curated by Patty's Art Gallery under the direction of Patrizia Stefani, the exhibition is open daily until July 20, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Admission is free.

For those who prefer not to take on the steep climb along the Cammino di Ronda, the Upper Castle is also accessible by car.

BLA BLA BLA di Dario Romano - opera esposta nella mostra 'Tra le Mura del Tempo' fino al 20 luglio

Just like in Soave, the hills between Marostica and Bassano del Grappa are home to excellent wine production. However, two of the area's most celebrated local products are the Marostica IGP Cherry and the Bassano DOP White Asparagus. The region also produces a high-quality extra virgin olive oil (EVO). Before leaving the area—whether in Marostica or nearby Bassano—a stop at one of the many osterie or traditional trattorie is highly recommended to enjoy typical dishes from the Venetian culinary tradition.

Bassano del Grappa: Palladio's Bridge and the Civic Museum

Given its close proximity to Marostica, a visit to Bassano del Grappa is a must. The town is famous for the Ponte degli Alpini (also known as Ponte Vecchio), designed by Andrea Palladio, as well as for its historic grappa production. Visitors will also find well-preserved medieval towers and walls, elegant palaces overlooking the Brenta River, picturesque squares, and one of the finest Civic Museums in Veneto. The museum stands out not only for its rich permanent collection but also for the quality of its frequent temporary exhibitions.

Before heading to the main museum, don't miss the chance to admire the Ponte Vecchio from a unique perspective: climb to the panoramic terrace of Palazzo Sturm, where the view of the bridge is paired with the striking presence of a mirrored steel sculpture by Taiwanese artist Li-Jen Shih. The work, titled King Kong Rhino, is inspired by a famous 1515 woodcut by Albrecht Dürer (see cover photo).

Busto di Napoleone Bonaparte di Antonio Canova esposto al Museo Civico di Bassano del Grappa

This coming October, the Civic Museum of Bassano del Grappa will take center stage with a highly anticipated exhibition dedicated to Giovanni Segantini, one of the leading figures of Italian Divisionism.

In the meantime, until September 7, visitors can explore the retrospective of Pompeo Pianezzola, one of the most important Venetian artists of the late 20th century, organized to mark the centenary of his birth.

Titled Pompeo Pianezzola (1925–2012), the exhibition offers an anthological reconstruction of the life and career of this key figure in the renewal of ceramic art. Pianezzola was also a versatile artist fully engaged in the neo-avant-garde movement, as well as a prolific graphic designer and visual creator.
The show is organized into eleven thematic sections and features around 120 works, including ceramics, paintings, drawings, and engravings. It retraces all the phases of Pianezzola's artistic journey—from his early years in Nove to his interactions with leading contemporaries such as Burri, Fontana, Melotti, and Valentini. The exhibition reflects the spirit, aspirations, and cultural tensions of Italy from the postwar economic boom through the dawn of the new century.

To preview the richness of the Civic Museum's permanent collection, we also recommend watching this video, produced by Itinerarinellarte.it in October 2023, on the occasion of the museum's reopening after renovations and the launch of a major temporary exhibition dedicated to Dorothea Lange.

Before leaving Bassano to continue your journey, a visit to a local distillery is a must—a true ritual in these parts for lovers of fine spirits. To explore the history and production of this quintessential Venetian elixir, you can stop by Distilleria Nardini, the oldest in Italy, or the nearby Poli Grappa Museum, located right across from the iconic Ponte Vecchio.
And don't miss the region's signature aperitif, the mezzo e mezzo, a mix of two Nardini liqueurs (Rosso and Rabarbaro), topped with seltzer and a twist of lemon zest.

Asolo and Possagno: Art, Landscape, and Legacy

After admiring the room dedicated to Antonio Canova at the Bassano Civic Museum, a short drive east toward the province of Treviso leads to a must-see destination: the Gypsotheca Antonio Canova Museum in Possagno, just 30 minutes by car from Bassano.

Until January 11, 2026, the museum also hosts the temporary exhibition Carlo Scarpa and the Arts at the Biennale, dedicated to Carlo Scarpa (Venice, 1906 – Sendai, Japan, 1978), one of the most influential figures in 20th-century architecture and exhibition design. The exhibition explores Scarpa's long-standing connection with the Venice Biennale, for which he designed numerous installations and architectural interventions between 1934 and 1972.

Curated by Mario Gemin and Orietta Lanzarini, the exhibition features a rich selection of paintings, drawings, and sculptures by renowned artists including Gustav Klimt, Paul Klee, Alberto Giacometti, Giorgio Morandi, Arturo Martini, Alberto Viani, and Osvaldo Licini, among others. On display are also around twenty glass artworks designed by Scarpa for Cappellin and Venini, several of his unpublished original drawings, and three sculptures.

Paul Klee, Angelo, 1937, penna e acquerello su carta, 26x19,5 cm, foto Lino Zanesco

All the works are drawn from the private collection of Luciano Gemin, an architect from Treviso who was a student, friend, and collaborator of Carlo Scarpa. This exhibition alone is worth the trip—but the Gypsotheca itself is a truly unique place: the largest plaster cast museum in Europe.

Commissioned by Giovanni Battista Sartori and designed by Francesco Lazzari, the museum was conceived as a grand basilica with three naturally lit sections. After suffering damage during a bombing in 1917, it underwent restoration, and between 1955 and 1957, Carlo Scarpa was entrusted with designing the entrance hall and the new "Scarpa Wing." The Gypsotheca houses the original plaster casts from which Canova's marble masterpieces—now displayed in the most prestigious museums worldwide—were created.
Find more details on the Museo Antonio Canova website.  

Just 10 kilometers from Possagno lies Asolo, the final stop on our journey through Veneto's fortified towns and castles. Nestled among the hills, Asolo is a perfect blend of elegance, history, and quality of life. Its historic center is a small architectural gem, with arcades, quiet little squares, and frescoed houses. The surrounding countryside is dotted with vineyards, which produce the celebrated Asolo Prosecco DOCG and Montello DOCG wines—ideal for tasting while enjoying the rolling landscape that has inspired generations of artists.

Among the highlights is the Rocca, the city's iconic fortress. Its irregular polygonal structure towers over the town and offers sweeping views of the surrounding hills.
Asolo is also a city of museums and was a favorite refuge for many prominent women. Caterina Cornaro, Queen of Cyprus, established her Renaissance court here. Eleonora Duse, the legendary actress, chose Asolo as her home in her final years, calling it a place of peace and inspiration. Her legacy lives on in the Civic Museum, where a section is dedicated to her, alongside archaeological finds and artworks that narrate the area's long history.

Over the centuries, Asolo has attracted poets, writers, artists, and travelers seeking inspiration and harmony. Notable names include Freya Stark, explorer, writer, and photographer; Pietro Bembo, who wrote Gli Asolani during his stay at Queen Cornaro's court; Robert Browning, who coined the verb "Asolando" to describe the joy of living there; and composer Gian Francesco Malipiero, whose Poemi Asolani reflect the musical soul of this enchanting place.

Foto Cittaslow Asolo

It was especially between the 19th and 20th centuries that Asolo came to embody its identity as a place of beauty, refined living, and cultural tradition, attracting illustrious figures, intellectuals, and artists from Italy and abroad. Among them were Eugene Benson, Henry James, Carlo Scarpa, Marius Pictor, Filippo De Pisis, Igor Stravinsky, and Ernest Hemingway.

Asolo is also home to major cultural and musical festivals. These days, until Sunday, July 13, the town is hosting the "Gioie Musicali" International Youth Music Festival, a widely distributed event taking place across Asolo and Montebelluna.

After exploring the most iconic spots of this stunning village, you'll want to indulge in a flavorful break. In local trattorias and traditional eateries, you can savor the specialties of Treviso cuisine or enjoy the typical "cicchetti" (small bites), served almost everywhere—naturally paired with a glass of local sparkling wine.