the veneto is a region of tremendous contrasts, encompassing the breathtaking natural beauty of the dolomites, lake garda (italy's largest lake) and the rolling euganean hills, and the man-made delights of magnificent ancient cities such as verona, vicenza and padua.
neighbouring friuli-venezia giulia lines the border with slovenia to the east, taking in the carnic hills in the north, the roman town of aquleia and the bustling adriatic port of trieste.
the romans built frontier posts on this fertile land of silt deposits, and these survive today as the cities of vicenza, padua, verona and treviso.
strategically placed at the hub of the empire's road network, the cities prospered under roman rule, but suffered in the wave of germanic invasions of the 5th century ad.
the region's fortunes revived under the benign rule of the venetian empire.
the medieval cities of the veneto lay on important trade routes such as the serenissima, the road connecting the flourishing port cities of venice and genoa, and the brenner pass, used by commercial travellers crossing the alps from northern europe.
wealth from agricolture, commerce and the spoils of warpaid for the beautification of these cities through the building of renaissance palaces and public buildings, many designed by the veneto's great architect, andrea palladio.
his palazzi and villas are telling symbols of the leisured existence once enjoyed by the area's aristocrats.
today the veneto is a thriving wine exporter, textile producer and agricultural centre, and friuli is a focus for new technology, while remaining largely agricultural.
both regions are popular tourist destinations, despite lying a little in the shadow of venice, and boast an abundant and enchanting variety of attractions.