Bassano del Grappa, in the Veneto region of northern Italy, was said to be founded in the 2nd century BC by a Roman soldier called Bussianus, but there is some evidence to suggest it is much older. It sits in the foothills of the Venetian Alps.
The town was originally named Bassano Veneto. It was renamed in 1928 as a memorial to the thousands of soldiers who lost their lives in the terrible battles on Mount Grappa in WWI.
We entered the town beside the Castello degli Ezzelini or Castello Superiore.
We stayed directly below the castle in the appropriately named Hotel Al Castello.
The entrance to the Duomo is via the castle piazza. Unfortunately it wasn’t open.
Bassano del Grappa is a tangle of narrow streets lined with lovely buildings with interesting detail…come for a walk.
If you look closely at the reflection in the window you will see Jim looking hungrily at the pastries within.
Bassano del Grappa is well known for excellent ceramics.
There are 2 large piazzas in the centre.
The stunning Chiesa di San Francesco is in Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi.
Beside the church is a pretty cloister.
In the Piazzale Trenta is the building containing the council offices. It was built between 1700 – 1726 and incorporates the 15th century Loggia dell Piazza. It wasn’t open when we were there, but the frescoes on the ceiling of the loggia looked impressive from a distance. Unfortunately it was too dark to get good photos.
The astronomical clock was made in 1747 by Bartolomeo Ferracini and it still works.
The town has been involved in several battles. Beside the Ponte degli Alpini there are buildings riddled with bullet holes. Some say they are from WWII, but it also possible they are from the 1796 battle of Bassano.
We had some delicious things to eat in Bassano del Grappa. There was this snack at a very modern cafe.
Ottone is a very popular restaurant in Bassano del Grappa. A house speciality is the white asparagus from the area.
It was excellent as was the rest of the meal.
The town is also famous for Grappa, in fact it gives its name to the alcoholic drink made from the remains from wine making. Nardini distillery is the oldest in Italy. It began in 1779. We bought some for a friend on the Ponte degli Alpini where there is also a Grappa museum. 40 million bottles of Grappa are made in Italy every year. The name is protected and the drink can only be called Grappa if it is sourced in Italy.
Bassano del Grappa is not on the regular tourist trail. The tourists we did see were mostly Italian. The bridge was crowded, mainly because of the renovations, but the rest of the town was pleasantly busy. We were there on a weekend and it was fun to see people out enjoying themselves. If you are visiting the north, put Bassano del Grappa on your list.