L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 2015 www.italoamericano.com 10 CHIARA ASSI Imagine gently rolling hills, awash with sunshine, ancient farmhouses and quaint villages buzzing with activity: the area b e t w e e n C o n e g l i a n o a n d Valdobbiadene, in the Veneto region, is a truly enjoyable desti- n a t i o n a n d m a k e s a p e r f e c t weekend getaway for those who e n j o y t h e c o u n t r y s i d e , g o o d food and world famous bubbly wine prosecco. The best time of the year to plan a visit is, without a doubt, the Spring - not only because the weather is milder and the area is in full bloom, but also because of the amazing amount of food, wine, history and culture related e v e n t s t h a t t a k e p l a c e f r o m March to June. The shining star of the area is, of course, Prosecco - a wine that has become legendary both in Italy and around the world. To discover the places where it's grown and produced and the beauty of the surrounding area, the ideal way is to rent a car and drive along the new "Road of Prosecco", founded in 2003 and heir to what was, as long ago as 1966, Italy's first wine route. Large sections of the original h i s t o r i c i t i n e r a r y h a v e b e e n maintained, while other themed routes have been added, to really showcase the varied viticultural landscapes and many historical and artistic treasures that are s c a t t e r e d a r o u n d t h e h i l l s b e t w e e n C o n e g l i a n o a n d Valdobbiadene. Located in the northern part of the Province of Treviso, with the imposing and gorgeous Veneto Dolomites as a b a c k d r o p , t h e r o a d u n w i n d s through steep hills and gentle slopes, covered in a seemingly n e v e r - e n d i n g p a t c h w o r k o f Prosecco vineyards. T h e r o a d t r i p s t a r t s i n Conegliano, where a stroll under the porticos of Contrada Grande a r e a m u s t - d o : h e r e y o u c a n admire the beautiful facades of palaces once inhabited by noble families, the splendid frescos on the facade of the cathedral and the city's imposing castle in the background. Before leaving to take the Road of Prosecco, you might want to stop by the Scuola Enologica Cerletti with its gor- geous 19th-century frescoed B o t t e g a d e l V i n o . F r o m Conegliano the road takes you to C o l l a l b r i g o , o f f e r i n g l o v e l y views of the surrounding hills, dotted with vineyards and little patches of woods. The 18th-cen- tury villa Ghetti Montalban is also of interest, as is the village of San Pietro di Feletto with its splendid 12th-century parish church, in exquisite and elegant R o m a n e s q u e s t y l e . N e a r Solighetto don't miss the 18th- c e n t u r y v i l l a A l d o b r a n d i n i d ' A d d a , n o w h o m e t o t h e C o n e g l i a n o V a l d o b b i a d e n e Celebrating Italian bubbles along the road of Prosecco Prosecco Docg Consortium, and a museum devoted to the opera s i n g e r T o t i D a l M o n t e . Continuing towards Colbertaldo y o u c a n e n j o y a g o r g e o u s unspoiled landscape of little rounded hills, called "snails" by locals, dotted with old dairy sheds still used to store hay and tools. A few kilometers away, in Vidor, stop by the the abbey of S a n t a B o n a , s t a n d i n g o n t h e Piave River in a wonderful park: the historic and artistic complex, dating from the 12th century, is d e f i n i t e l y w o r t h a v i s i t . C l i m b i n g b a c k t o w a r d s S . Stefano, you can admire some of t h e l o v e l i e s t v i e w s o f t h e Prosecco Superiore Docg hills, where vineyards leave room - b u t o n l y o n t h e h i l l t o p s - t o b e a u t i f u l c h e s t n u t f o r e s t s . Arriving in Valdobbiadene, a must is a look at the main piaz- za, surrounded by buildings in Neoclassic style, and at the near- by little church of St. Gregory, dating from the 1400s. From Valdobbiadene, driving towards Guia, you begin the return trip over roads featuring some of the most beautiful and imposing panoramas of this area: a real treat for those who enjoy tran- quil bucolic landscapes. In Possagno, birthplace of g r e a t n e o c l a s s i c a l s c u l p t o r Antonio Canova, art buffs can visit his house, where cast mod- e l s , t e r r a c o t t a s c a l e m o d e l s , d r a w i n g s a n d p a i n t i n g s a r e showcased. The museum, library and archive dedicated to the master, as well as the gardens provide a truly enjoyable experi- ence and an interesting look into the life of the artist. For more information: http://www. museo- canova.it/index.php?lang=en The area is, of course, dotted with wine producers, wineries and good, family-run restau- rants: for a well rounded experi- ence chose Villa Sandi, which not only is a gorgeous Palladian style villa, but also produces one of the best Proseccos in the area, features a great restaurant and offers a few well furnished and quaint rooms if you want to stay the night: since there's only 5, b o o k i n a d v a n c e a t http://www.locandasandi.it/inde x.php/. The Valdobbiadene area is easily reachable by car from both Venice (less than one hour) a n d M i l a n o ( a b o u t 3 h o u r s ) using the A4 highway. The clos- est airports are Venezia Marco Polo and Verona Villafranca. Strada del Prosecco - Road of Prosecco Villa Sandi A detailed map of the Prosecco route can be downloaded at http://www.villa- toderini.com/attachments/mappa.pdf

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