The northern Italian region of Veneto needs little introduction, home as it is to Venice, one of the finest cities in the world. However, the area as a whole has so much more to offer, including numerous historic towns and rural idylls. This tour includes visit to three of Veneto's other worthy cities: Verona, famously the setting for Romeo and Juliet; Padua, with its picturesque arcaded streets and Giotto frescoes; and Vicenza, whose abundance of Palladio-designed buildings never fails to impress. Embark on a mix of cultural excursions and rural expeditions to experience the region's wines, cheeses and other produce, whilst being based for the week in a beautifully converted, 18th-century villa in Castelfranco Veneto.