With a car you should really be able to do justice to the Euganei Park. In parts it is almost like Switzerland with lots of hill villages which I doubt are accessible by public transport.

There are one ortwo Paladian Villas tucked away and if you have the misfortune to go on one of the German led 'tours' you will end up at the inevitable winery !

With your own transport the whole area will be delightful (you may detect a note of envy creeping in here).

For me the best things about the Euganei are 3 towns, any one of which I, and many others if they knew about them, would travel miles to visit. They are Montagnana, with a fine set of 13th.C. walls

Este with the best archaeo' museum I have seen and Monselice which defies description.

As you probably know the hills are the remains of extinct volcanos and that is how the 2 resorts of Abano and Montegrotto get their hot mud supply. They just dig a hole in the ground and slap it onto their clients bodies at great expense.

Hence our interest in the area, not for the mud, we are long past being made beautiful !, but for the very high standard of the hotels and their exceptional food.

Where are you based ? may I ask without incuring a consultancy fee !

And the website www.parcocollieuganei.it

All the best,

Bob.

Thanks so much for your input. Truly looking forward to visiting the areas you suggested. I live in Massachusetts, USA.

And don't pass up Arqua Petrarcha and the home of the poet Petrarch. Also the Abbazia di Praglia and the Villa of Beatrice Este. There is also an old lime quarry that has been turned into a museum.

There are many trattoria scattered around the area.