Interior of the Olympic theatre (teatro olimpico).

©Laura Facchini/Shutterstock

Teatro Olimpico

Top choice in Vicenza


Behind a walled garden lies a Renaissance marvel: the Teatro Olimpico, which Palladio began in 1580 with inspiration from Roman amphitheatres. Vincenzo Scamozzi finished the elliptical theatre after Palladio’s death, adding a stage set modelled on the ancient Greek city of Thebes, with streets built in steep perspective to give the illusion of a city sprawling towards a distant horizon.

Today, Italian performers vie to make an entrance on this extraordinary stage; check the website for opera, classical and jazz performances.


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