Stage 18
Fiera di Primiero > Padova
Farewell to the Dolomites
The big mountains take a day off today. However, the departure from Fiera di Primiero still offers great views of the Dolomites and, in particular, of the Pale di San Martino, the largest group in the Dolomites, with about 240 km2 of extension. The occasion is also favourable for discovering the most beautiful - and not too hidden - corners of the Primiero Valley, of which Fiera di Primiero is the administrative, economic and commercial centre. After visiting the Palazzo delle Miniere and the Archpriest's Church of Santa Maria Assunta, both dating back to the Gothic period, it's time to hit the road.
The Belluno Dolomites enclose the horizon in the walled town of Feltre. But its charm derives primarily from the 16th-century palazzi in its centre, with their frescoed façades, mullioned windows and Renaissance-style balconies. Take a break in Piazza Maggiore, the hub of town life, and visit the Galleria d'Arte Moderna Carlo Rizzarda, with its grandiose collection of wrought iron objects.
The Prosecco area
The endless expanses of vineyards that precede, and surround, Valdobbiadene are a reminder that we are in one of the most extensive and important areas of Italian wine production. Quality and beauty, so much so that in 2019 the site ‘Le Colline del Prosecco di Conegliano e Valdobbiadene’ was inscribed on the World Heritage List as a cultural landscape. Continuing southwards, we also cross the territories of the footwear production district, where several of the country's leading companies in the sector - including sports companies - are based.
Treviso shows all its charm in the grand Piazza dei Signori, overlooked by the city's three most important buildings: the Palazzo dei Trecento, the Torre Civica and the 15th-century Palazzo del Podestà. From here a short walk under the arcades of Via Callemaggiore leads to the Romanesque Duomo. Before leaving the city, the Pescheria Island located in the centre of the Cagnan Canal and the picturesque Buranelli Canal are also worth seeing.
From Riviera del Brenta to Padova
The Riviera del Brenta, with its sumptuous historical residences often surrounded by equally remarkable gardens, is just ahead of the finish line in Padua and attracts visitors with its world-famous treasures: the Scrovegni Chapel with its 38 frescoed panels by Giotto, the countless masterpieces housed in the Basilica of St. Anthony, the Cathedral Baptistery with its 14th-century frescoes by Giusto de' Menabuo, the 16th-century Basilica of St. Justine with its magnificent wooden choir stalls and Paolo Veronese's Martyrdom of St. Justine, the oldest university botanical garden in the world, and the monumental area of Prato della Valle. Many of these treasures, on the occasion of the arrival of the Giro, will be illuminated in pink by means of LED lights, immersing the city in the magical atmosphere of the race. Also not to be missed is the Exhibition on the history of cycling and the bicycle at the San Gaetano , set up along the large gallery overlooking the agora of the Cultural Centre with numerous rare pieces belonging to champions of the recent past, special editions and bicycles built with unique techniques and design.
