Este, a lovely small town

We had a half day available before meeting with friends in Vicenza at noon, so we drove south from our hotel a short distance and a bit west to the town of Este.  Our friends had said there was some good pottery there, so that was the initial interest.  We never found any pottery, but the town itself was very delightful with a large, open central piazza, and some nice shops and cafes around the piazza.  We also enjoyed the wonderful architecture of the surrounding buildings and the adjoining side streets.

While walking around we also discovered a lovely formal garden inside the walls of the Castello Carrarese, the historic castle that once ruled over the area.  Overall, this was an enjoyable visit it to an interesting small town.