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Veneto
Veneto – The Veneto province in north-east Italy on the Adriatic Coast is a tourist magnet. A major wine-growing region (big names include Soave whites, Valpolicella reds and the fizzy Italian version of champagne, Prosecco), it boasts several major tourist destinations.
Key sights are La Serenissima aka Venice; Verona where Romeo wooed Juliet; Vicenza, where the influential architect Palladio honed his skills; Padua, rich with a cycle of Giotto frescoes and Chioggia, a mini-Venice without the crowds. Elegant Palladian villas dot the vine-striped landscape while the snow-covered Alpine peaks are reflected in the calm waters of Lake Garda, surrounded by lemon and olive groves.
Umbria
Umbria – Tuscany’s lesser-known neighbour and the smallest province in Italy located in the heart of the Italian peninsula. Famous as the fount of the River Tiber which gathers pace as it flows past Assisi, Orvieto and Spoleto along the Tiber Valley, Umbria boasts splendid hill towns (Gubbio, Spoleto, Assisi) and rich agricultural produce including black truffles and lentils from the Casteluccio plain, Pecorino, salami and black celery. Cultural highlights include the stunning Gothic façade of Orvieto’s Duomo, Giotto’s frescoes in Assisi which tell the moving story of St Francis and the masterly artworks of Perugino, on display in the Galleria Nazionale in the regional capital of Perugia.
