Bassano del Grappa sits in the foothills of the Alps in northeastern Italy. It is a small town, but the old wooden bridge, the Ponte Vecchio, is the main attraction. The original bridge was designed by the architect Palladio in the 16th century and has been destroyed and rebuilt many times over the centuries. With the hills as a backdrop it is a scenic setting.

Little touches of style abound in Europe. This floral display on a bicycle outside a bakery in Bassano del Grappa is an example of these little touches. It is not a show for tourism because Bassano is not a town visited by tourists, rather it is simply the way of life.

A bottega is a studio where apprentices learn from a master artisan, thus I can only assume that this bakery is the training ground for bakers. The pastries inside certainly looked as if they were prepared by an artisan.

As the afternoon sun begins to set on the Ponte Vecchio in Bassano a warm glow bathes the town's buildings. The weekend we visited Bassano del Grappa turned out to be a festival and it seemed the entire village was hanging out on the bridge, happily partying as the Italians know how to do so well... la dolce vita.

Vicenza is filled with the architecture of Palladio. I thought the silhouette of this monument against the sky at dusk said volumes.

Simplicity is what is appealing about this image. Simple compositional elements and a simple color scheme. Though the building is deteriorating, there is a subtle beauty in its character.

I couldn't resist capturing this scene, it was the view from our hotel window of the building directly across the street.

The Veneto bears the character of the Venetian influence which dominated the region. It is clearly seen in these windows in Traviso.

I was attracted to the earthen tones of this building and the simple wooden shutters adorned with a little balcony.