Veneto is most famous for the iconic city of Venice, but with its diverse topography, bustling cities, and wide variety of historic points of interest, Veneto’s charm lies beyond this location alone. Hotels all over Veneto provide relaxation in blissful surroundings, as well as access to come of the region’s more picturesque cityscapes.
Hotels in Veneto: The best places to stay in historic northern Italy
© Casa Burano
Paradise in ancient Venice
© Hotel Palazzo Giovanelli e Gran Canal
It’s hard to talk about Veneto’s many wonders without mentioning Venice. The city on the water is considered to be the most romantic in the world, and hotels here provide access to gorgeous churches, flower-filled canals, and a rich historic legacy. Many of Veneto’s most luxury hotels can be found around the ancient San Marco district, famed for the vast medieval piazza which sits at its heart. The district is also home to the Torre dell’Orologio, an intricate Renaissance clock tower that tracks both time and the position of the sun in the zodiac. While losing yourself in the thousand-year-old alleyways and cute bridges that pepper Venice is a great way to explore the city, it’s far more traditional to hire a gondola to get you from A to B. Gondola rides will take you along the impressive Grand Canal, past sites like the 13th century Venetian palace Ca’ da Mosto and under the iconic Rialto bridge. Hotels across the water in San Polo put you within a stone’s throw of sites like the souring Basilica dei Frari and breathtaking frescos of the Scuola Grande di San Rocco.
Italian classicism and Shakespeare in Verona
Resting on the banks of the Adige River, Verona is a city of Renaissance art, delicious cuisine, and romance. Littered with cozy pizzerias, Cyprus trees, and small Gothic churches, Verona is best known as the setting for some of Shakespeare’s most famous works. However, modern day Verona is a bustling hub of modern day Italian style. Hotels in this iconic Venetian city will offer you to best of urban life surrounded by gorgeous Renaissance and Roman architecture. In the heart of the city you’ll find the enormous 1st century Roman Arena, now the site of the city’s celebrated open-air opera house. To venture into Shakespeare’s world for an afternoon, visit the Stallo del Cappello, also known as Juliet’s House, the historical home of the Capulet family. Couples can even stand on the iconic balcony and profess their love for each other as Romeo once did. A hotel in Verona also provides easy access to another of Veneto’s most stunning destinations – Lake Garda. This glittering lake is a dream for vacationers looking to swim, hike, and bike around one of northern Italy’s most beautiful natural wonders, and hotels in this Veneto paradise offer luxury and serenity you’ll be hard-pressed to find anywhere else.
Wine and Academia in Padua
© Casa Burano
For some peace and quiet in Veneto book a hotel in the city of Padua, famous as the setting for another of Shakespeare’s plays, ‘The Taming of the Shew.’ Only an hour from hustle and bustle of Venice, Padua is a far more relaxed affair. A former medieval market town, Padua’s best known historic hotspot are the vibrant frescos of the Cappella degli Scrovegni. Beautiful enough to rival that of the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel, these 14th century masterpieces are the work of Florentine artist Giotto. The town is also home to the University of Padua, founded in 1222 – the second oldest university in Italy after the University of Bologna. Italy is a country known for its love and appreciation of good wine, and Veneto is no different. Hotels in Padua provide access to several excellent vineyard tours, wine bars and cellars, primarily located in and around the volcanic Euganean Hills. The region is also known for its cozy taverns serving up a range of fresh pastas and cured meats and cheeses, expertly paired with a bottle of local vino.
