The Settings
Euganean hills
The Euganean hills, which are of volcanic origin, cover an area of about 20,000 hectares and are protected as part of he Regional Park of the Colli Euganei, which surround the city of Abano Terme. In the hills there are numerous opportunities to spend your time pleasantly, in contact with nature, history and art. You can discover castles (Cataro, Lispida), Venetian Villas, (Valsanzibio, Villa Emo), abbeys (Praglia), medieval towns (Arqua’ Petrarca) and walled cities (Este, Monselice, Montagnana). In these places, the atmosphere is evocative, with views opening out onto the horizon of the plain and looking down onto the towns in the valley. In the countryside here you will come across rows of grape-vines and olive trees: there are many winemakers in the hills, where 13 kinds of DOC wines are produced. Those who love excursions and trekking will find maps of the hill paths in the hotel; all paths have signposts and rest areas.
CITIES OF ART
Padua
Art, history, culture and faith are intertwined in this city, which is located a mere 10 km from Abano. Padua is definitely worth a visit: inside its Roman walls were the first settlements of the Ancient Veneti, but you can also world famous religious sites, like the Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua. The Prato della Valle is the largest elliptical square in Europe, the Universita’ di Padova with its anatomical theatre is the second oldest in Italy, the Scrovegni Chapel is one of the Giotto, the genius painter’s, masterpieces. Padua’s squares are crowded with shops, traditional markets and noblemen’s palaces. The city’s cobbled streets are characterized by porticos (porches) which attract you to the many shop windows and typical eateries and bars.
CITIES OF ART
Venice
Distance from Abano Terme: 45 km It is a place of love and mysteries… simply the most beautiful city in the world! You can visit Venice in all seasons and its charm will fascinate you. Palaces, churches and museums here are very important, but Venice itself is an unparalleled piece of art, made up of as many as 118 islands, connected by more than 400 bridges. There are no roads in Venice, only canals where boats and the typical gondola navigate.
CITIES OF ART
Verona
Distance from Abano Terme: 80 km Known as the city of the lovers Romeo and Juliet, Verona boasts the charm of its history that you can feel in its monuments, in the small streets in the historical centre, in the renovated colours of its noblemen’s houses and in the remains of the old buildings. Verona is a city of opera, an aspect which comes to the fore in the summer during the opera season held at the Arena. Its province stretches out to the eastern shore of the wonderful Lake Garda, where rows of grape-vines produce the famous Barolo wine.
CITIES OF ART
Vicenza
Distance from Abano Terme: 35 km Nicknamed the “City of Palladio” because of the architectural style the local architect imprinted in many public buildings and churches, as well as in the Venetian Villas spread around the area. Vicenza is the city of the Olympic theatre: designed by Andrea Palladio in the 16th century, this building was created inside the old jailhouse of the local castle in 1580. The Chiericati Palace, which hosts the Pinacoteca Civica art gallery, completed in the 17th century and Leoni Montanari palace, a house in baroque style dating to the 17th century, are not to be missed.
Abano Terme
Abano is a small town, but it is nevertheless the largest thermal post in Europe, in the Euganean foothills, located in a position which is perfect as a starting point for day trips to the artistic cities in the Veneto Region. The small centre of Abano Terme is for the most part pedestrian and decorated with trees. In the evening it is lively with locals, people arriving from elsewhere in the province and tourists walking around. There are many shops and even more bars and ice cream parlours. Thermal water, Abano’s real treasure, springs from the many fountains which, symbolically, give character to squares and crossroads. We would like to mention that the Hotel Cristoforo is situated in Christopher Columbus Square (Piazza Cristoforo Colombo in Italian), at the centre of which stretches skywards a fountain with a statue of the famous navigator from Genoa. If you wish to take a walk surrounded by greenery, head to the Montirone Gardens, whose majestic entrance was designed by Jappelli. Montirone is a small hill rising up in the centre of Abano, where you can still admire the ancient stone tubs, which were once part of the oldest thermal hot spring in the city.
