Vibrant Veneto

 Castelfranco Veneto – As we headed into the center, the clock tower of the walled city was hard to miss with its imposing Venetian lion. This was the main entrance to the old town surrounded by medieval walls which was created in 1211 by the people of Treviso as they continued to fight with their neighbors in Padua. The result of the struggle is that now there is a beautiful walled historic center surrounded by a romantic moat.

 A town that was not on my list of places to see in Italy. After a few days there, after seeing the works of Giorgione, tasting the local cuisine, and even meeting some of the business owners of several well-known products that all come from the area, my list has been updated to include this charming place.

 My first introduction was given by our tour guide, Gianfranco Giovine. He highlighted the fact that the city “is centrally located inside Veneto,” just north of the four provincial capitals of Venice, Padua, Vicenza and Treviso, which helps the city attract a lot of commuting residents. “Just to the north you have the Prosecco Hills, a UNESCO World Heritage Site”. Then he referenced the most historically important fact about Castelfranco Veneto, that the city was the birthplace of the famous Renaissance artist, Giorgione.

 Inside the walled center you will find the Duomo built in 1725 which holds the greatest display of Giorgione’s work in the city, the Castelfranco Madonna, from 1504. The painting displays a Madonna and child in a especially high throne flanked by Saint Francis and Saint Nicasius.

 Giorgio Barbarelli da Castelfranco, also known as Giorgione, is the most well known resident from the city. Having studied under Giovanni Bellini, he founded the Venetian School of Italian Renaissance Painting with his contemporary, Titian. Because he died in his 30s, there are only six works attributed to him in existence today. Another highlight in the church is the assumption sculpture, by Antonio Canova’s first teacher, Giuseppe Bernardi, also known as Torretto.

 Next door to the Duomo is Museo Casa Giorgione, a museum that displays modern art along with some original frescos attributed to the artist. Also, in the center you will find the Teatro Accademico, a beautifully restored theater built by architect Francesco Maria Preti in 1746, that holds regular performances. Down the street you will find the music conservatory Agostino Steffani. The conservatory holds 150 concerts and cultural events year-round. We were fortunate to attend a four-person jazz concert that was impressive.

 One of the most remarkable things I realized about the area was the number of notable Italian businesses that came from the area, including pastaZARA, Pasticceria Fraccaro, Dotto Trains and others. I did not know pastaZARA, started in 1898, was the second largest pasta producer in Italy, which I learned from a presentation and tour by the company. They will also be releasing a revolutionary penne pasta soon, penne with the ridges on the inside designed to bring the sauce and flavor inside the pasta for a better taste.

 Following the pastZARA tour and presentation, we were served the new penne. The first dish was with pesto along with carrots and zucchini and the second was with octopus and peas. Unfortunately, they were both new flavors for me, so I did not have a chance to confirm if the new pasta design was working as designed. However, both dishes were exceptional.

 Over lunch I had a chance to speak with Daniela Arzu, Head of Financial Reporting & Sustainability who had just returned from Climate Week NYC, a global event where policy makers, companies and environmental experts can explore and share proven solutions. Daniela moved to Castelfranco a few years ago and “loved being so close to nature in a small town where she could easily get to the mountains for hiking trips on the weekends.”

 We visited Dotto Trains which also began in the area in 1962. I have noticed these small trains in tourist areas and even in Villa Borgese in Rome. I had no idea that the company started in Castelfranco Veneto. We were granted a tour of the factory. They were excited about their new Zero Emission electric version IVO22 model and the Big Boy model released in 2020, a 4x4 locomotive with a turbo diesel engine designed to climb slopes of 25% in hilly tourist areas. They also sell a modern line off Dotto busses and even trains built for small rail lines.

 Pasticceria Fraccaro was a great place to visit first thing in the morning, especially when we got to sample their traditional and chocolate panettone over cappuccino. We were given a presentation from the third-generation leadership, President Luca Fraccaro, about the three-day panettone process. On the first day the dough is hand kneaded, then after adding the natural ingredients depending on the recipe, sits for some time in a cold room to rise. He mentioned that “the live dough rich in microorganisms help the dough rise and make it easier to digest.” On the third day the baking and packaging takes place. The finished product we sampled was outstanding and very light.

 Food follows the typical Veneto cuisine in Castelfranco Veneto. The highlights of my meals started with a pumpkin risotto prepared by All’Antico Girone, a restaurant attached to the clock tower of the old city run by a husband-and-wife team. The first dinner highlights at Locanda alla Speranza were the bigoli con l’anatra, pasta with duck. Also, the antipasto was local cured meats with pickled radishes which the area is famous for. Unfortunately, the season for radishes starts in January.

 The final night was dinner back at All’Antico Girone, with a baked potato filled with fondue and truffe which was outstanding, pasta with porcini followed with a rabbit in porchetta as a second. Our last lunch was at Ristorante Barbesin where the second course stood out, veal served with roasted potatoes and asparagus wrapped in pancetta. The real treat was the desert, a semifreddo gelato in a cone shell with hot chocolate poured over it after it was served.

Waiting for our return train at the station, I found myself staring at the Dotto Train headquarters. I did not realize how close the factory was to the station when we visited it a few days prior. It reminded me of how many surprises Castelfranco Veneto had for me during my trip - famous artists, great cuisine, and recognizable and historical entrepreneurs. With the location so close to Venice and Padua, it is well worth a visit.