Veneto

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Day 9 - On this day we will travel through the region of

 VENETO
(ven'-uh-toe)

 Madonna della Corona 





Veneto is a region in northeastern Italy that stretches from the alpine Lake Garda on the west, flanked by lemon and olive groves, all the way to its crown jewel, Venice, and the Adriatic Sea on the east.  In between are the snowcapped Dolomite mountains, gently rolling foothills lined with world-class vineyards, charming medieval towns, Palladian villas and the nature reserve of the Po Delta.
Lake Garda
Largest of the Italian Lakes,  it is surrounded by many medieval villages and castles.  Ezra Pounds described its allure in a letter to James Joyce in 1921 - "Dear Joyce, I'd like you to spend a week here with me.  The location is well worth the journey - I guarantee it!"


Olive Groves and Lemon Trees
DH Lawrence wrote:  "The lake lies dim and milky, the mountains are dark blue, the sky glistens, the light burns gold."  He described the "exquisite scent of lemon flowers" and huge greenhouses with removable roof planks to protect the trees in winter.  For centuries this area has been famous for its olive oil production thanks to the microclimate of the lake.

 "The Olive Garden" by Vincent Van Gogh


Dolomite Mountain Range
Part of the Italian Alps, it is referred to as the "Pale Mountains" due to the color of carbonate rock dolomite of which it is made.  However, throughout the day the colors of the peaks vary from pale pink to deep blue.  There are 18 peaks over 3,000 meters tall.  The mountain range and the emerald green valleys below provide year-round activities for the whole family.


Foothill Vineyards
Veneto is the largest of three highly productive wine producing regions of Italy known as the Tre Venezie.  Veneto has 220,000 acres of vineyards which produce 225 million gallons of wine per year.  Veneto is home to Soave and Prosecco wines.



Medieval Villages
Scattered throughout Veneto are picturesque villages, walled cities, citadels and relics from the Medieval Ages such as the ancient arena in Verona which we will visit. Pictured is an Alpine bridge in Bassano del Grappa.



Palladian Villas of  Vicenza
Veneto is also known for an abundance of stately villas from the 16th century designed by architect Andrea Palladian who built them as country homes for wealthy Italians.  His classical, symmetrical style became known as Palladian Architecture, and the villas are recognized as UNESCO World Heritage sites.  Who knows - maybe we will spot one on our bus ride to Venice.


Po Delta Nature Reserve
The Po River flows eastward through Italy as it makes its way to the Adriatic Sea.  At its mouth is the Po Delta, home to a 200+ square mile nature reserve. It is the largest natural park in Italy in the most extensive humid zone in Europe.  Its delicate ecosystem is composed of canals, marshes, lagoons, reed thickets and sand banks, and it is home to hundreds of species of birds.



 Venice on the Lagoon
We will spend 2 days in "The Queen of the Adriatic".  
Future posts will feature highlights of this beautiful city.


Last, but not least ...
Will the true inventor of tiramisu please stand?

Throughout history the citizens of Veneto have overcome barbarian threats, German invasions and Hungarian assaults, but this one conflict has yet to be resolved.  Northeastern Veneto has long laid claim to the title insisting tiramisu was created at a trattoria in Treviso in the 1970's by Ada Campeol who wanted something that would give her an energy boost after the birth of her son.  She called it tiramisu which is Italian for "pick-me-up".  However, two food writers claim that they uncovered recipes for "tirimu-su" dated 70 years ago from another region, sparking indignation and prompting one Venetian official to exclaim, "No one can swindle us out of our tiramisu !"



Photo Credits in order:
 1. https://pixabay.com/photo-1199709/
 2. https://flic.kr/p/e24PAz
 3. Public Domain
 4.  https://pixabay.com/photo-2535069/
 5.  https://pixabay.com/photo-1331284/
 6.  https://flic.kr/p/w4wqr8
 7.  Public Domain
 8.  https://flic.kr/p/6ADRqM
 9.  https://flic.kr/p/m19KYZ
10. Public Domain




















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