This off the beaten track holiday is based in the hidden gem of Bassano del Grappa, an idyllic town, nestling at the foot of the Venetian Alps. Its historic centre is picturesque with cobblestoned lanes and lively squares. The River Brenta flows through its hub with the two banks joined by the town’s landmark Ponte Vecchio. This attractive wooden bridge dates from the sixteenth century and was once the setting for tearful farewells to troops heading to war. There is a commemorative statue of a soldier tenderly kissing his girl farewell near the entrance as well as a small museum displaying war memorabilia. Elsewhere in this picture postcard town you’ll find the Palazzo Sturm, an eighteenth century stately home, and the Grapperia Nardini, an ancient distillery and now a tourist magnet where you can partake of the local drink mezzo e mezzo. Out and about, we spend a day in Verona where you’ll be surrounded by history at every turn from Romanesque and Renaissance monuments to one of the best preserved Roman amphitheatres in the world. We also visit the UNESCO World Heritage Villa di Maser and Asolo, one of the prettiest villages in Italy.