Antonio Canova: the new Fidia
Introduction
Antonio Canova, also known as “the new Fidia”, was the greatest exponent of the Neoclassical current.
He was contended by the sovereigns of all Europe because he managed to equal and even surpass the ancients, giving a new life to the lost beauty of the Greek civilization.
From Possagno to Asolo: art, history and enogastronomic tradition come together in this unforgettable tour in the land of the last and greatest “Maestro”.
Program
Morning
Arrival in Possagno, the birthplace of Antonio Canova, to visit the Canovian Temple and the Gypsotheca Museum.
The Canovian Temple is Canova’s most famous architectural work, which he designed and built at his own expense as a tribute to his fellow citizens.
You can’t miss the evocative walkway which, from inside the Temple, leads to the dome: a panoramic terrace overlooking the entire foothills area.
With a short walk you will reach the Gypsotheca Museum: the place that preserves the historical and artistic legacy of Antonio Canova.
In the museum complex you can visit the artist’s birthplace and the Gypsotheca, which houses the original plaster models of the marble artworks that today are kept in the most important museums in the world.
Afternoon
Transfer to Asolo, counted among “I Borghi più Belli d’Italia“, to have lunch in a typical Venetian tavern: a picturesque and welcoming place, where you can taste the recipes of the local culinary tradition, breathing the folklore of the place.
After lunch, what’s better than a relaxing stroll through the streets of the historic centre?
Piazza Garibaldi, with it’s sixteenth-century fountain…
The Castle, the historic residence of Caterina Cornaro…
“Casa Duse”, the fascinating home of the “Divina Eleonora“…
Villa Freya, where lived the first “travel writer” in history…
The more adventurous people, climbing the mediaeval staircase, will be able to reach the top of “Monte Ricco“, where the “Rocca di Asolo” stands out imposingly.
On the top of the hill you will understand why the Italian poet Giosuè Carducci nicknamed Asolo “the city of a hundred horizons”.
Included services
- Private driver
- Travel insurance
- Guided tour of the Canovian Temple and the Gypsotheca Museum
- Lunch (on request, vegetarian/vegan menu without gluten or lactose)
