Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Tomaso da Modena (1325-79), who came to prominence in the north of Italy
after the death of Giotto. Most of the works are of saints (Tomaso's Jerome and
Agnes are standouts). There are bigger rewards in the next-door Sala del Capitolo,
which you need to enter via the
Seminario Vescovile
(free admission; Mon-Fri
8am-12:30pm and 3-5:30pm, in summer until 6pm)
to inspect the delightful por-
traits of 40 monks of the Dominican Order, preserved in Tomaso's somewhat
droll style.
To the east of the center, not far from the town hall, the former church and
convent of Santa Caterina has recently been transformed into the new
Museo
Civico
(Via Santa Caterina;
%
0422-591337;
€
3; Tues-Sun 9am-12:30pm and
2:30-6pm),
which holds Tomaso's impressive fresco cycle depicting
The Story of
the Life of Saint Ursula.
Other important works that have been transferred here
from the former museum include Titian's
Portrait of Sperone Speroni
and Bessano's
Crucifixion.
Outside the museum, in Piazza G. Matteoti, there's a pleasant mar-
ket and a variety of stalls selling antiques.
A DINING SPLURGE
One of my favorite restaurants in the Veneto is Treviso's
expensive
Don Fernando
(Via delle Absidi, 8/10;
%
0422-543354; closed Tues
and Wed lunch)
right near San Nicolò church. When the Buena Vista Social Club
(from Cuba) was in town, they ate here 3 days in a row, and local vocalists and
musicians regularly get up from their tables to serenade the other diners. It's a
chic, classy place where you can expect Fernando himself to come and introduce
the dishes to your table (the menu is very much a work in progress, but you can
expect to pay
30). You must order Carrello dei Bolliti, the fantastic meat
stew, which has made a loyal following of Treviso's in-the-know foodies. Also won-
derful is Mari e Monti, or “sea and land,” a shellfish dish prepared with porcini
mushrooms, rocket, and
granchio
sauce, and served with polenta. The selection of
wines from the Veneto region is impressive, starting at
€
20-
€
€
12 per bottle.
VERONA
Centuries ago, Shakespeare set a play about dizzying pubescent romance in a town
he referred to as “Fair Verona.” Today, mercurial Verona is far more romantic and
charming than the Bard's brutal tragedy of star-crossed lovers suggests. Self-confident
and stylish, Verona has the exuberant air of a city that knows it's beautiful enough
to entertain visitors simply by being there.
Verona's visual drama and postcard-perfect feel have much to do with its
medieval architecture pounded together from a generous supply of rose-colored
limestone, quarried from the surrounding hills and known as
rosso di Verona.
Flower-filled balconies, like the one immortalized in
Romeo and Juliet,
protrude
from noble houses, daintily overlooking the maze of cobblestone streets and lovely
open squares; some of the buildings date back to the reconstruction that followed
a catastrophic earthquake in 1117. Along with the historic houses are a number of
elegant high-end boutiques, where visitors enjoy the pleasures of conspicuous con-
sumption against the refined, historic backdrop of the city center. After Venice,
this is the most visited city in the region, and once you spend a lazy day wander-
ing its streets and seeing the sights, I think you'll understand its popularity.
