Vicenza
A city rebuilt by one architect, including a theatre with a permanent stage set of streets in false perspective.
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Andrea Palladio worked here for most of his career and left the city with more of his buildings than anywhere else: the Basilica Palladiana wrapping an older civic hall in a double loggia, palaces along the Corso, and outside the walls La Rotonda, a square villa with four identical porticoes on a hill, copied worldwide. His last work, the Teatro Olimpico of 1580, is the oldest surviving indoor theatre of the Renaissance, with a permanent stage set by Scamozzi of streets built in forced perspective that appear to run far back though the space is only a few metres deep. UNESCO listed the city and villas in 1994.
What you actually see
- The Teatro Olimpico - a 1580 theatre with permanent perspective streets.
- The Basilica Palladiana - a double loggia wrapped round an older hall.
- La Rotonda - a villa with four identical porticoes on a hill.
- The Corso palaces - Palladio's town houses along one street.
When to go
April to October; La Rotonda's interior opens on limited days, usually Wednesdays and weekends in season, while the grounds open more often. The theatre closes Mondays.
Honest expectations
La Rotonda's interior access is restricted to a few days a week and books out. Several Palladio villas nearby are private. The theatre is small and quickly seen.
Nearby
Villa Pisani lies east; Verona is west.
What to pack for Vicenza
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.