Page 191 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Venice & The Veneto

THE VENE T O PLAIN  189

famous since the Renaissance
period, and still produced.
E Museo Nazionale Atestino
Palazzo Mocenigo. Tel 0429 20 85. Open
daily. Closed 1 Jan, 1 May, 25 Dec. &
7 ∑ atestino.beniculturali.it

i Monselice
* 17,000. V @ n Via del
Santuario 6 (0429 78 30 26). ( Mon
& Fri. Shops closed Tue am (clothes),
Wed pm (food).
The sanctuary of San Giorgio on the hillside above Monselice
The town of Monselice stands at o Polesine and
the foot of two hills, one of which Environs
has been quarried extensively for Rovigo Adria, 22 km (14 miles) east of
rich deposits of crystalline min­ V @ n Piazza Ciceruacchio 1, Rovigo, gave its name to the
erals. The other is topped by Porto Tolle (042 68 11 50). Adriatic Sea and was once a
ruined Castle Rocca, now a Greek and later an Etruscan
nature reserve. It’s worth walking Polesine is the flat expanse port. A programme of silt depo­
up the cobbled Via del Santuario of fertile agricultural land, sition, undertaken to increase
as far as San Giorgio, to see its crisscrossed by canals and Adria’s agricultural potential, left
exquisite inlaid marble work. subject to flooding, between the city dry, apart from a 24­km
Other features on the way up the River Adige and the Po. The (15­mile) canal. Among the
are the 13th­century cathe­ Po Delta is now a national exhibits on display in the
dral and the statue­filled park and has a wealth Museo Archeologico is a
Baroque gardens of the of fascinating birdlife, complete iron chariot dating
Villa Nani that can be including egrets, from the 4th century BC.
glimpsed through the herons and bitterns.
gates. Nearby is The most scenic E Museo Archeologico
Castello di Monselice, areas are around Via Badini 59, Adria. Tel 0426 216 12.
a 14th­century castle Scardovari and Porto Open 8:30am–7:30pm daily.
with period furnishings, Tolle, on the south Closed 1 Jan, 1 May, 25 Dec &
suits of armour, fres­ side of the Po.
coes and tapestries. Companies in Porto
Tolle offer canoe and p Chioggia
P Castello di Monselice bicycle hire and half­ * 56,000. @ V g n Lungomare
Via del Santuario. Tel 0429 Marble inlay detail day boat cruises. Adriatico 101. (041 40 05 87). ( Thu.
729 31. Open for guided from San Giorgio The modern city ∑ lididichioggia.it
tours only; Mar–Oct: 9am, of Rovigo has one
10am, 11am, 3pm, 4pm & 5pm daily; outstanding monument; the Chioggia is the principal fishing
Nov, Dec & Feb: 10am, 11am, 2pm & splendid octa gonal church port on the lagoon and the
3pm daily; Jan: groups only; book in called La Rotonda (1594–1602), bustling, colourful fish market
advance. & 8 on the hour 9–11am, decorated with paintings and is a good reason to come here
3–5pm. ∑ castellodimonselice.it statues in niches. early in the day (open every
morning except Monday). Many
visitors enjoy the gritty character
of the port area, with its smells,
its vibrantly coloured boats and
the tangle of nets and tackle.
The town also has numerous
inexpensive restaurants which
serve fresh fish in almost every
variety. Eel, crab and cuttlefish
are the local specialities. There is
a beach area at Sottomarina,
on the western part of the island.
Worth seeking out for a special
visit is Carpaccio’s St Paul (1520),
the artist’s last known work,
which is permanently housed
Net mending in the traditional way, Chioggia in the church of San Domenico.

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