Our car park stopover was peaceful for the night but hot and uncomfortable with the mozzies. We take the autoroute to Vicenza. As we approach from south east we pass the Rotunda, a classic piece of Pallado's work set on a hill above the road. A few minutes later we reach the camperstop n the edge of the city.

We have lunch and make our separate ways into the old town, starting at the Teatro Olympico. Its shaded gardens are surrounded by statues of athletes and Florentine styled walls and loggia.

The main street is named after Palladio and a local points out one building which still has two frescoes painted by him still visible. As is his trademark, most of the buildings are elegantly proportioned with rectangular windows, columns and porticoes. Others carry ornate stone balconies and shops and restaurants are shaded under arched cloisters.

It is so hot that every now and then we stop in doorways of the many fashion shops to get a blast of their air-con.

At the far end of the main street arches lead to a park with a lovely Italian garden; statues, water, reflections and a little stone bridge decorated with flowers.

We make our way back via some of the side streets and piazzas, where more of Palladio's brilliance is all around, and decide that this is possibly our favourite Italian city to date.

As we approach the camperstop we divert into the adjacent hotel. The bar is air-conditioned and the beer chilled, and we notice the do takeaway pizzas so we grab a menu and return to the vans, where we have been joined by John and Ros from Derbyshire who have driven from Pag, where we were two weeks ago, today.

We get pizza later but struggle to eat in the heat. The nearby road, railway and millions of cicadas don't make for a good night's sleep.