In August this year I finally managed it to visit the last of the Palladian villas on my wish list, the Villa Americo-Capra, named La Rotonda. During several trips to Northern Italy in the last ten years I have visited almost all the Palladian villas that are open to the public. La Rotanda is regarded as one of Palladio's masterpieces and is really amazing. The villa was built on the top of a hill and should certainly demonstrate the power and wealth of its owner. The building is symetrical: it has a cubic form with a round hall and a dome in the centre. There are four vestibules leading to four entrances, each with a loggia with six columns and a staircase. The interior is decorated with paintings and ornaments from the late 16th and the 17th Century.

Vicenza is a charming city, though not my favourite town in Northern Italy. The highlight is a visit to the Teatro Olimpico. The construction of the stage impresses by its spatial depth, which is an optical illusion. Across from the theater is the beautiful Palazzo Chiericati (now the City Museum), one of the few Palladian palaces that are open to the public. From here you can stroll along the Corso Palladio, where a lot of the Palladian palaces are located. A must see is the Piazza dei Signori, with the Loggia del Capitanio and the so-called Palladian Basilica. It is not really a basilica, Palladio designed a new front with a double-storey loggia for an existing palace.

If you just want to tick off this WHS, it would be enough to visit the city of Vicenza. But those who want to get a deeper impression in the work of Palladio should visit at least one of the villas. La Rotonda would be perfect, because it is just a short walk from the centre of Vicenza. Unfortunately, the interior of the villa is opened only on Wednesdays.

For me, it is unclear why a total of 23 villas have been included in the nomination. This means that almost all buildings, which are attributed to Palladio, are inscribed. It would have been better to select some typical and outstanding examples. Many of the villas are not open to the public or by special appointment only and some are in urgent need of a restoration.

Among those who are regularly open to the public, the Villa Emo (in Fanzolo, 50 km northeast of Vicenza) is my favourite (photo). From the outside it is rather plain, but the interior is beautiful designed and decorated with wonderful frescoes. Other villas, which I can recommend for a visit: Villa Barbaro (in Maser, 50 km northeast of Vicenza), not far from Villa Emo and almost as beautiful, Villa Foscari/La Malcotenta (in Mira, near Venice) with frescoes inspired by Ovid's Metamorphoses, Villa Godi-Maliverni (30 km north of Vicenza), his first project, and Villa Badoer (near Ferrara).