Veneto: in Asolo the legacy of the year dedicated to Eleonora Duse

The Duse2024 celebrations have left the city of Asolo not only with a legacy of lived experiences, but also with new attractions that will be part of the collection of jewels made available to visitors. The Veneto village, which retains its mediaeval layout, enclosed within 14th-century walls, with its seventeenth-eighteenth century stately palaces, constantly speaks to the lush greenery of the rolling hills and looks in its horizons both to the Monte Grappa massif, now a Unesco Biosphere Reserve, and to the countryside running south towards Venice or Padua. When one arrives in Asolo, one is lulled by the quiet strolls through the narrow streets or paths, interspersing the gentle ups and downs with visits to its iconic monuments: the medieval Rocca, the Civic Tower of the Castle of the Queen of Cyprus, Caterina Cornaro, or the Cathedral with its fascinating altarpiece by Lorenzo Lotto. The Asolo year is punctuated by a series of events, starting with the winter theatre season between classical and contemporary, the literary meetings of AsoloLibri, its markets of antiques or Km0 products, or the chamber music festival. Visitors cannot miss the moment of the aperitif: in the typical taverns, together with the people of Asolo, this ritual is renewed every evening as they raise a glass of good wine, perhaps Prosecco Superiore Asolo Dogc, and toast to friendship. Overnight accommodation solutions are varied. For those opting for a hotel in the historic centre, there is the Albergo Al Sole or the Hotel Villa Cipriani, both 5-star, while Villa Flangini is a 17th-century residence one kilometre from the historic centre. To stay true to tradition, the Antica Osteria al Bacaro offers dishes related to the Venetian tradition. For some cicchetti, the Corte del Re offers sliced meats and cheeses, such as morlacco del Grappa. For those who happen to be in Asolo over the weekend of 5 May, it is worth visiting San Gottardo, a 14th-century church where the saint is celebrated on those days and the traditional 'cuchi', terracotta whistles, are sold.