The northern Italian city where grappa made history and its curious wooden bridge

On the banks of the Brenta River and at the foot of Mount Grappa , there is a city that is famous for its history, its evocative setting and some flavors that are the talk of the town.

They say Bassano del Grappa is the most famous destination in the province of Vicenza, in Veneto, northern Italy . And it holds the title of "capital of Italian spirits," for grappa.

A first visit should include the city's undisputed symbol: the Ponte Vecchio or Ponte degli Alpini , a historic covered wooden bridge. It is located right where the Brenta River is narrowest. It originally dates back to 1209 , but the current one is based on a design by Andrea Palladio from 1569. It has suffered several destructions and reconstructions, such as the flood in 1748 or the burning ordered by Viceroy Eugene de Beauharnais in 1813.

Italian troops crossed this bridge during the First World War to defend the plateau of the Seven Municipalities (or the territories of the Altopiano dei Sette Comuni ).

During the Second World War, an explosion destroyed it for the third time (1945) and in 1947 it was rebuilt.

Such is its importance that in 2019 it was included in the list of National Monuments .

The story continues at the Museo del Ponte degli Alpini, opened in 1950 by the Associazione Nazionale degli Alpini (ANA Monte Grappa; the Alpini are a mountain infantry corps of the Italian Army) and is a good place to look for more information about the World Wars.

Helmets, bombs, machine guns, barbed wire, period photographs, and manuscripts are on display (Via Angarano 2; open daily except Mondays; admission 3 euros)

There is so much to see in Bassano del Grappa that it has also been designated Città Veneta della Cultura 2025 , meaning it will represent Veneto at cultural events this year.

You should definitely visit Piazza Libertà , in the historic center. Its rectangular shape and elegant portico boast the Church of San Giovanni Battista, with its neoclassical façade, and the 15th-century Town Hall (Loggia del Comune) galleries. Later, a large blue-faced clock bearing the signature of Corrado da Feltre was added.

A few steps away, connected by Via San Bassiano, is Piazza Garibaldi (also called Piazza della Fontana or Delle Erbe because a vegetable market was set up here for years) where the Civic Tower , from 1312, the Church of San Francesco and the Civic Museum are located.

The Civic Museum, one of the oldest in the Veneto region, is located in the convent complex of San Francesco, a unique and emblematic place in the city, inviting you to immerse yourself in rooms that reflect the history and culture of the area.

Less than a five-minute walk away, the Castello Degli Ezzelini - there are parts that date back to the 12th century - where the Torre di Ser Ivano stands out, elegant and imposing.

Until October 31, 2025, the Ezzelini Castle promenade is open to the public: it is one of the most characteristic corners of Bassano del Grappa, and you can walk between walls that for years - since 1150 - protected the Church of Santa Maria in Colle and the inhabitants of Bassano themselves.

This walk ends at one of the city's most beautiful panoramic points , overlooking the Brenta River and the Palladian Bridge.

A visit to Bassano del Grappa would not be complete without learning about the history—or at least the flavor—of this beverage.

The Grapperia Nardini , the oldest in Italy, and the Museo Poli Grappa offer tours with tastings.

Grapperia Nardini is one of Italy's 100 historic wineries and Italy's oldest and most traditional distillery . It was founded in 1779, but its origins date back to 1739, when Bortolo Nardini was founded in Segonzano (Trento), in the Cembra Valley, a town with a long winemaking tradition and where grape marc distillation was very common .

At that time, distillers traveled from house to house with a mobile still to distill the pomace from wine production.

And that's what Bortolo Nardini devoted himself to. But in Bassano del Grappa, an accident forced him to remain in the city. While recovering, he got to know Bassano better and understood its strategic and commercial importance . So he decided to settle there and produce grappa, but with a permanent still: now the farmers brought the marc to his distillery.

Bortolo called his grappa "Aquavite di vinaccia" : it was Italy's first grappa, Grappa Nardini.

Nardini currently offers guided tours of the site of Italy's first distillery. There are several tours. The most affordable tour costs €12 and does not include a tasting. There are tours for €15 and €25, which include a tour and tasting (www.nardini.it).

The Poli family, on the other hand, has its distillery —founded in 1898—in Schiavon, a small town 12 km from Bassano . They also have a two-story museum there, covering 1,000 square meters. Both locations are open to visitors.

In Bassano, Poli has a museum dedicated to grappa, located in the former Palazzo delle Teste. It houses five rooms that cover the origins and evolution of the art of distillation over the years, including the exhibition and sale of its own products. Tours are self-guided and free. A guided tour, which includes a tasting of five spirits, costs €3.50 per person (www.poligrappa.com/eng).