Asolo
A hill town called the town of a hundred horizons, which gave Italian a verb for wandering aimlessly.
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Asolo sits on a ridge in the foothills with views over the plain in several directions, which is where the nickname of a hundred horizons comes from. Caterina Cornaro, queen of Cyprus, was given the town in 1489 in exchange for her kingdom and held a small court here; Pietro Bembo wrote his dialogues Gli Asolani about it, and from the setting came the verb asolare, meaning to pass time in pleasant idleness, later used by Carducci and others. Robert Browning stayed and named his last book Asolando. Eleonora Duse, the actress, lived here and is buried in the town cemetery.
What you actually see
- The ridge views - horizons in several directions over the foothills.
- The Cornaro castle - the seat of a queen given a town for a kingdom.
- The arcaded streets - a small centre of porticoes and frescoed facades.
- The Duse grave - the actress buried in the town cemetery.
When to go
April to October; the antiques market runs on the second weekend of most months. Summer weekends are busy. Winter is quiet with reduced opening.
Honest expectations
The town is very small and seen in a couple of hours. Parking is below with a climb or shuttle. Prices reflect its reputation as a retreat.
Nearby
Bassano lies northwest; Treviso is southeast.
What to pack for Asolo
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.