My brother used to live very close to piazza del signori. It's a nice place to relax . There is market close by, basilica itself is very nice. There was a gellateria very close to a fountain in a street near square. It had tastiest ice cream. Go there have a coffee, soak in the very spirit of Italy. A must visit
I visited twice, first time years back when I saw the big hall ampty which is quite amazing to see with no supporting , was one of the first halls to be biuild like that in the world, second time was while the hall was hosting an art show, in both cases it was wonderfull.The building and its architecture are amazingly butifull from the inside and out, it stands out in the piazza Dei signori as the vicenza's number one monument, next to it you can find Andrea Paladio statue.
If you visit Vicenza in the summer you'll get a chance to visit the top of the Basilica while the top bar is open. The terrace offers a very interesting view of piazza dei Signori and the streets that lead into it on the north side; on a clear day the alps are are majestic. on the south side you can take a close look at the Bissari tower and Monte Berico seems to be greeting you heartily while you look at it. I racommend going up there to watch the sun set; that way you can have a taste of good wine while you have a very scenic "aperitivo".The art exhibits have been also very nice and interesting so far.
This is the symbol of Vicenza, the palladian basilica is a majestic building facing onto the southern side of Piazza dei Signori if you go upstare on the first floor you will have a beautiful view of the old town and you can drink an aperitif on this beautiful terrace.
As one of the Palladio masterpieces, the Basilica draws attention with its beauty. Positioned at the Piazza dei Signori, it is impossible not to see it. Although it is not included in Vicenza's Museum Card, we decided to visit it. We were lucky to be in the city during the ongoing exhibition called "Tutankhamon, Caravaggio, Van Gogh". Tickets aren't cheap (€13 each), but they were worth it. Despite the large guided crowds, we still got to enjoy seeing the works of many remarkable painters. Not only were Caravaggio and Van Gogh featured there, but also Monet, Matisse, Tiziano, Bacon, Gauguin, and Rubens, among others. The vast collection of artifacts of Tutankhamon's reign and other memorable pharaohs at the beginning of the exhibition is also impressive. We finished our tour of greats by enjoying a cup of coffee at the cafeteria on the upper floor, whose terrace offers an opportunity to contemplate Vicenza's beauty from above.
One more masterpiece of great Palladio. Before my arrival to Italy I knew nothing about this architect, and there in several cities I was delighted with his works.
Interesting in market day: the square looks absolutely different. Apropos, the prices at the market are really low, good to buy clothes.:)
On a recent visit to Vicenza for work I went into the Basilica Palladiana which is the wonderful central building of the main city square in the heart of the historic district. The building is a fabulous structure on its own but the current art exhibit was beautifully prepared and presented. Pay for the headsets and enjoy whatever is on display. I am sure it won't disappoint. Take time to walk around the balconies afterward. It is a great view. Also look into eating in the Terrace Cafe. It is also well worth it and lovely food. Enjoy!
Alas, we saw it only in the daytime, but the night photos capture its nocturnal beauty. We took our morning coffee across the Street at the Cafe Garibaldi and admired the beauty of the Basilica.