Explore Veneto

Beginning at the Adriatic sea and stretching north into the Dolomite mountains, the Veneto is large region in Italy's far northeast. Its location - adjacent to Austria and the mighty Habsburg Empire (of which it was long a part) - has shaped its history, its food, its language, and its people. The former Yugoslavia was also a neighbor and these borders have long been some of the most contested and fluid in Europe.

One of Italy's wealthiest regions, it's best known to travelers because of Venice, and many visitors just spend a few days in La Serenissima's (an old name for the Venetian Republic) crown jewel and then head elsewhere. What a shame!

In the north, the majestic Dolomites provide unparalleled hiking and scenery while nearby historic cities like Padova, Vicenza, and Verona hold immeasurable treasures of Byzantine to Renaissance origin. Along the coast, the beaches are nothing special, but you'll find charming traditional fishing villages and excellent cuisine. This is also one of Italy's most prized wine regions; and the rolling hills produce excellent prosecco and the famed Amarone della Valpolicella.