Tom`s travels: Trip around central Veneto (20/08/2018)

After spending a bit of time at the beach in Jesolo, I suggested to take my grandma's car and do a trip visiting some sights around central Veneto. So, one morning, Ania and I took the car and drove in the northern direction. Our first stop of the day was the Grotte del Caglieron, a series of caves in the town of Fregona at the foot of the mountains. After parking the car, we continued on foot and reached the caves' entrance. A wooden footbridge provided access and ran downhill through a crevice dug out by the river. It was very pleasant to walk shaded from the sun and through spectacular rocky formations while at the same time listening to the rustling of the water below us. After going around the area we headed back to the car and drove further, reaching the nearby city of Vittorio Veneto. The city is made up of two parts which used to be two distinct towns on their own: Ceneda and Serravalle. The two towns were merged once Veneto joined unified Italy in 1866 and the name Vittorio was given to it in honor of Vittorio Emanuele II, the first king of Italy. Half a century later, the town became known for the famous battle which took place in the area at the end of World War I between the Kingdom of Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. We reached the western part of the city, what once was Ceneda, and walked around the Piazza Papa Giovanni Paolo I with the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta rebuilt in the Neoclassical style during the 18th century. We got back in the car and then drove further, reaching now what was once Serravalle. Much more picturesque, in my opinion, it featured nice medieval alleyways from which we accessed by walking under the clock tower. Walking along arcaded porticoes we then reached the main square, Piazza Flaminio, a beautiful renaissance monument surrounded by prestigious buildings. At one end of it is the beautiful Palazzo della Comunità, dating to the 15th century, and next to it the medieval civic tower. On the other end of the square, is the Duomo di Santa Maria Nova, which was unfortunately closed. However, right behind it a stair led its way uphill and I decided to follow it while Ania waited for me downstairs in the shade. I ran up quickly, figuring out along the way that the path was quite steep and long. After a while I finally reached the top, sweating and panting but rewarded with a great view of the city. This was also the location of the Santuario di Santa Augusta, a small gothic/renaissance church with the spoils of the saint. Once back down and reunited with Ania, we headed to the car and stopped at a supermarket to grab some lunch for the way. After a bit of driving, we then reached a glacial valley right at the foot of the Prealps. Here we parked our car in the small town of Lago, right next to the lakeshore. The lake, known as Lago di Lago, or lake of lake, is the larger of two lakes in this area. We set ourselves on the pier and admired the view while having lunch. It was hot enough for a swim but as we had no swimsuit we decided instead to stroll along the shore for a little while. We then drove further and reached yet another town, Cison di Valmarino, part of the club "The most beautiful villages in Italy". After parking the car close to the old town we decided to head first to the practical funicular railway which brought us up to the hill where the famous castle, Castelbrando, is located. Rather more like a fortress, it dominates the entire valley and was originally built during the middle ages with subsequent refurbishments during the 16th and 18th centuries. Having been turned into a four-star hotel during recent times we were just able to admire it from the outer courtyard, which nonetheless still provided for an incredible view. Then we went back down and through the old town, walking through its main square, Piazza Roma, with pretty Venetian-styled buildings and the main church of Santi Giovanni Battista e Maria Assunta. After the stroll, we drove a little more and reached the small town of Follina, famous for its Abbey of Santa Maria. Built between the 11th and the 14th centuries, the Basilica presents a Gothic style with a simple yet elegant interior. After seeing the inside, we checked out the cloister, probably the most important and beautiful feature of this church. Dating to the beginning of its construction, it features wonderful Romanesque arches with decorated capitals. Next to is also an elegant loggia which opens up towards the city granting a nice view. Driving on we then took a nice detour up the surrounding rolling hills, stopping at a small town called Rolle which is famous for being one of the growing regions of the Prosecco wine. The town's unmistakable bell tower was surrounded by full-blown vineyards which would soon give out the juicy liquid which would be turned into the famous white bubbly wine. Onwards, we then drove through a forest, reaching a small clearing where the Molinetto della Croda, an ancient watermill, had been built. Probably one of the most picturesque I had ever seen, it features a 17th-century structure, still working, which is sided by a beautiful and gentle waterfall. There were just two other tourists there with us, making the place extremely peaceful and soothing. Finally, on the way back to Jesolo, we took one last stop in Treviso, where after walking a little through its pretty streets, we took a refreshing spritz before finally heading home.