Bassano del Grappa

Palladio designed the Ponte Vecchio in 1569 after a flood destroyed its predecessor, choosing timber rather than stone so the structure could flex with the river and be rebuilt quickly; it has been carried away or destroyed repeatedly, most recently in 1945, and each time rebuilt to the same design, which is why a sixteenth-century bridge is made of new wood. It is also called the Ponte degli Alpini after the mountain troops associated with it. Grappa, distilled from grape pomace, has been made in the town since the eighteenth century, and one distillery keeps a museum at the bridge. Ceramics are the other long-standing local craft.

History

The city is said to have been founded in the 2nd century BC as the farm estate of a Roman called Bassianus, which gave it its name, and the 16th-century painter Jacopo Bassano was born, worked and died here and took the town's name as his own (Wikipedia, Bassano del Grappa).

What's there

• The Ponte degli Alpini - Palladio's timber bridge, rebuilt to the same design.
• The grappa distilleries - producers and a museum at the bridge head.
• The ceramics - a long local tradition with a dedicated museum.
• The Brenta setting - the river running out of the mountains into the plain.

When to go

April to October; the town is busiest on summer weekends. White asparagus season in spring is a local event. Museums close Mondays.

Things to know

The bridge is new timber on an old design, which disappoints some. Grappa tastings are commercial. The town centre is compact and quickly walked.

Nearby

Marostica lies west; Asolo is southeast.