We're planning a vacation, at the end of August, in a region I know very little about - The Veneto. After reading what I could in the Forum and online I culled together from, older posts, a sketchy first shot at an itinerary. We have about 8 or 9 days to spend in the countryside and two or three days in Venice (which I can post for help separately).

My wife and I enjoy renting a car and driving through the scenic countryside, stopping at small interesting towns and getting a feel for life in the region. We like 15th century and earlier art but are more apt to visit an old church or palace than a museum.

So here is a list from which I hope you can make any recommendations you feel helpful, including where to stay, alternate or additional places to see, special places to eat, best routes to take, etc. We're willing to stay in a few different places as necessary to keep daily roundtrips reasonable. ( as of our last trip we finally learned to travel with just a carry-on and small backpack)

Padua, Vicenza, Asolo, Bassano del Grappa, Valdobiadene, Conegliano, Belluno, Dolomites and Venice.

Thanks
ps As this all began from a friend telling us about Conegliano - it should stay on the list..

My wife and I will spend a week in Padova late September, so I have done some investigating. Found an apartment we both like: VRBO #1734411ha. You might look at it.

Also, there is a boat trip Padova to Venice on the Brenta Canal. Its an all day trip stopping at several Palladian villas. Return to Padova by train (20 minutes).

At the south edge of Bassano is the distillery of Campovilla. He makes grappa and liquors from fruits grown on his property. There is a website.

Tell me why Conegliano is special. I've not heard of it.

After taking day trips from Venice earlier, we returned for a trip exclusively to the Veneto. We based in Vicenzo and used Palladian architecture as our theme. On another trip we visited the Dolomites, a breathtaking region with a distinct, more Germanic culture.
Are the Dolomites included in the nine days? If so, I would skip them for another trip when you have more time. If you have more time for them, stay in Ortisei, beautiful and easy to access the mountain top trails and valleys.

DRJ - thanks. The apartment looks lovely - will investigate more. I can't say much about Conegliano other than my friend has been there on a few occasions and said it has a nice historical center and many interesting little towns around it. I'll know more this weekend when we'll have a chance to talk more about it. It is on the Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Prosecco trail and one of the main areas with full DOCG status - which I hope to take advantage of.

Grappa, on the other hand, I have not been a great fan of - but if that were to change I guess this is the area where it could. The Brenta Canal tour sounds interesting but may require more time than we would want to spend.

Hi HappyTrvlr, your comment on the Dolomites makes me want to include them even more. This trip is just to get a feel for the region. Perhaps we could drive into the area in the afternoon of the day before leaving for Venice and drive from Ortisei or some other town down to Venice. Maybe drop the car off somewhere and train it to Venice?

We can always come back to the areas we like.

Hi, any suggestions in this area would be much appreciated.

Do visit the Dolomites, spectacular mountain formations. Cortina d'Ampezzo is the main, heavily visited town here, but go a bit into the boondocks to villages like Pieve di Cadore, idyllic!

Hi, We have made reservations to use Bassano del Grappa as our base for seven days to visit either Padua or Vicenza or both by train and then rent a car to tour the smaller towns.

We left an open night before going to Venice to do exactly as EYWandBTV suggests. Enter the Dolomites and tour some of the smaller towns to enjoy the views. If possible, we would like to see Lake Braies. I'm don't know what would be the most scenic route to take from Bassano. We would have from after breakfast to get to the lake and find a place to stay for the night. It seems like it would be clock-wise up towards the lake and then back south to a town on the way to Venice. Not sure whether it would be better to drive to Venice or find a town to leave the car and take the train.

Any thoughts? Any ideas on the route or a place to stay for the night?

In Ortisei, in the Dolomites, when you take the lifts and funicular up into the mountains you will see the spectacular views. The town is in the valley. Look at Hotel Grones..

Thanks. It looks like a nice place and no need to look for a good restaurant. I just sent in a request to see if they have a room for that night. It's a Saturday night and many places are already booked.