Discover Rovigo: art, history and cycling routes for your holiday apartment

Rovigo between its old town, art and river landscapes

Rovigo combines its historic old town with Palazzo Roverella, the Museo dei Grandi Fiumi, the Teatro Sociale and the Anello di Rovigo along the Adige and Canal Bianco. Rovigo’s historic old town is easy to explore on foot or by bicycle. It can be reached from the FS railway station and the surrounding car parks.

Art in historic palaces

Palazzo Roverella was built from 1474 onwards and preserves original decorative elements of Renaissance architecture. Today, it houses the collection of the Pinacoteca of the Accademia dei Concordi and the Episcopal Seminary of Rovigo, as well as temporary art and photography exhibitions. The Pinacoteca presents paintings from seven centuries: the range extends from Gothic art and 16th- and 17th-century Venetian painting to the leading Venetian painters of the 18th century.

The Accademia dei Concordi was founded in 1580 on the initiative of Count Gaspare Campo. Its Pinacoteca comprises more than 400 works. Palazzo Roncale complements this with 16th-century architecture: it was built between 1550 and 1562 to a design by the Veronese architect Michele Sanmicheli.

Museums, theatre and distinctive buildings

The Museo dei Grandi Fiumi presents the archaeological, cultural and ecological heritage of Polesine, a region shaped by the major Italian rivers Po and Adige. On display are original artefacts dating from the 2nd millennium BC to the beginning of the early modern period, as well as interactive reproductions, scenographic installations, multimedia installations, dioramas and models. The museum also includes a Roman lapidarium outdoors and the new “Il Museo in Scena” room, dedicated to Gabbris Ferrari, the artist, director and set designer from Rovigo.

The Teatro Sociale was built from 1817 onwards in the Neoclassical style, based on a design by the architect Sante Baseggio, who was from Rovigo. After a fire in 1902, it was rebuilt in 1904; its painted decorations were among the early examples in Veneto of the new design principles of the Liberty style. Since 1967, the Teatro Sociale has been the only Teatro di tradizione in Polesine. Its programme includes opera, drama, dance and children’s theatre, as well as symphonic, chamber music and jazz seasons.

A guided tour of the Teatro Sociale lasts around one and a half hours, includes the auditorium, the Ridotto and the stage, and must be booked in advance. La Rotonda also makes a distinctive architectural statement: the building is known for its octagonal floor plan. The interior is decorated with Baroque teleri, including works by Francesco Maffei and Antonio Zanchi. The bell tower is 57 metres high and was designed by Baldassarre Longhena in 1773.

Torre Donà is around 60 metres high and is considered one of Italy’s most important early medieval towers. The San Bartolomeo architectural complex in Rovigo originated in the 13th century and reached its greatest flourishing in the 16th and 17th centuries, when the Olivetan monastery was expanded.

Cycling routes between Rovigo and the Adriatic

Several clearly distinct routes are available for active days. The Anello di Rovigo is a 71.2-kilometre circular cycling route along the Adige and Canal Bianco towards the Adriatic. I luoghi degli Olivetani is a 25-kilometre circular route that runs partly along cycle paths, partly on paved roads that are sometimes busy, and partly on unpaved paths. The route is completely flat. La Via dell'Archeologia is a bike-and-boat route from Rovigo to Adria.

The road and rail connections also show the city’s links with the surrounding area: the S.R. 443 leads from Rovigo to Adria; other roads run via Loreo, Rosolina–Taglio di Po and Ariano. The Rovigo–Chioggia connection stops in Adria, Loreo and Rosolina.

Further places for planning your trip

If you would like to consider places besides Rovigo, here is a concise selection: Fratta Polesine, Gavello, Rosolina Mare, Santa Giulia, Pagana, Salara, Costa di Rovigo and Ceregnano.

To the higher-level travel overview: Rovigo.