A lesser-known region in Italy wants to reap the rewards of tourism.
Vicenza, a northeastern province in Italy, is seeking to share and promote its eclectic identity to a global audience.
The campaign will be taglined “Explore Vicenza.”
It will be administered by a group of businesses known as Exploro.
“Exploro is a community project born from the strong desire of a group of Vicenza entrepreneurs to highlight their territory through its local excellences and people,” Lorenza Breda, president of Bassano KMQ, lead member of Exploro, said in a statement. “A land rich in small villages and hill-top towns waiting to be discovered, from Vicenza to Bassano del Grappa, from Marostica to the Berici Hills, from the Brenta Valley to Asiago. Authentic places that, unlike neighboring Venice and Verona, remain unexplored from a tourist perspective. Vicenza is a destination that captivates nature enthusiasts, architecture lovers, and food and wine enthusiasts alike, all throughout the year.”
Vicenza serves as a calmer, culturally-rich counterpoint to neighboring Venice and Verona. Significant highlights span its staggering 4,300 Venetian villas – many of which have been converted into reasonably priced accommodations – including almost two dozen 16th-century villas. Vicenza also holds coveted UNESCO World Heritage status and features the Teatro Olimpico (equipped with the oldest surviving stage set still in existence) and the Basilica Palladiana.
Vicenza’s Beric Hills, Brenta river, and scenic grottos host rafting, hiking, biking, and other outdoor sports. In addition, the province sustains its own ancient customs, illustrated in the town of Marostica’s biannual Living Chess Match, where costumed locals replace pawns in a live, large-scale chess game in the central square. Vicenza, not Verona, is the location of the “true” Juliet of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet fame.
The region Is a quieter, more historical departure from the major cities in Italy.
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