The historic centre of Vicenza, surrounded by medieval walls that were built during the rule of the Della Scala family, is small. Tourists usually get to know them while Hiking, during which it is possible to see the old houses, palaces, monuments, picturesque courtyards, narrow streets and squares, public gardens and picturesque shops.

One of the routes through the historic center of Vicenza starts from Piazza Matteotti, formerly known as Piazza del Isola. Once the river Bacchiglione was leaking right in front of Palazzo Chiericati – in the past this place was located the city port, where arrived Laden with wood ships. Behind the building of the Palazzo is the vegetable garden, making it a transitional form between the Palace and the Villa. Palazzo Chiericati is considered one of the masterpieces of the great architect Andrea Palladio. From 1855, the year it houses the City Museum and art gallery.

A little further on the portal of the 17th century, attributed to Revise, leads into the inner courtyard and garden of the Olympic theatre, whose construction began Palladio and completed by Vincenzo Scamozzi. Today, the theater gives you a feeling of some mystical place, and his wooden decorations of the imagination.

Going further on the street of Corso Palladio which was once called the most elegant in Europe, behind a small building, which according to legend was the home of Palladio, you can see the Gothic Church of Santa Corona. Inside houses the works of Bellini and Veronese and created Fogolin breathtaking view of Vicenza. The main altar, inlaid marble and pearls, the wooden choir and the chapel Valmarana Chapel – also deserve attention. To the right of the Church is a covered gallery of Santa Corona, which now houses the Museum of natural history, and at the corner of the contra Apolloni stands the Palazzo Leoni-Montanari – a masterpiece of Baroque art Vicenza. From 1909, he belongs to the Catholic Bank and is an exhibition hall for 14 paintings by Pietro Longhi. There, on the Corso Palladio, is the Church of San Gaetano Thiene and behind it – the Palazzo Schio, known as CA’ d'oro, a superb example of Gothic architecture.

Then the route leads to the Piazza dei Signori, which was the center of the city since the days of the commune of Vicenza. On the South side of the square stands an amazing white building – the Basilica palladiana, the symbol of Vicenza. Right next to the towering 82-metre tower of Torre Bissara, which in the 14th century, the first mechanical watch. On the other side of the square you can see the Loggia del CAPITANO – unfinished creation of Palladio, which today houses the City Council. Behind the Loggia can see the Palazzo del Monte di Pieta of the 16th century with an elegant Church of San Vincenzo. Adds to the charm of the square two elegant columns – Christ the Redeemer and St. Mark.

Behind the columns, on Piazza Biade, is the Church of Santa Maria dei Servi, and right on Piazza delle Erbe, rises the Torre Tormento, a former prison. At the end of the square on a narrow street in a Gothic building with marble lace – the house of Antonio Pigafetta, party circumnavigation of Magellan.

Also in the historic centre of Vicenza worth a visit Palazzo Trissino-Baston, now occupied by the City municipality, the Palazzo Zileri Dal Verme, Palazzo Bonin-Longare, the Port tower of the Castello is the oldest preserved since the middle Ages and Palazzo Porto Breganze. At Porto Castello Park Garden Salvi. But if from the Park to go on Corso San Felice e San Fortunato, you can come to the Basilica with the same name, built in the early Christian period.