Between 2nd and 1st millenniums BC the region was inhabited first by the Euganei. According to ancient historians, the Veneti (sometimes called the Paleo-Veneti), came from the Balkans at the time of the Fall of Troy, led by prince Antenor, a comrade of Aeneas. In 7th-6th centuries BC the local populations of the Veneto entered into contact with the Etruscans and Greeks. Venetic culture reached a highpoint during the 4th c. B.C. and the Veneti were especially known for their trade in amber, which they acquired from the Baltic, and for their breeding of horses. Cities established by the Veneti include Este, Padua, Oderzo, Adria, Vicenza, Verona, and Altino
During the 3rd Century B.C., the Veneti, together with the Cenomani Celts on their western border, sided with the Romans as Rome expanded and struggled against the Insubri and Boi Celts
Gradually, the Roman Republic transformed its alliance with the Veneti into a relationship of dominance
After the Battle of Philippi (42 B.C.), which ended the Roman Civil War, the lands of the Veneti, together with the rest of Cisalpine Gaul, ceased to be a province and the territory of the Veneti with Aquileia as its capital became region X (Venetia et Istria) of a new entity named Italia (Italy)
In the tenth century mainland Veneto, after suffering invasions from nearby Magyars and Slavs, was incorporated into the Holy Roman Empire. Gradually, the cities of the mainland grew in power and wealth. In 1167 an alliance (called the Lombard League) among the Venetian cities such as Padua, Treviso, Vicenza, and Verona with other cities of Northern Italy to assert their rights against the Holy Roman Emperor
After a period of Byzantine domination in 8th century, Venice became an independent maritime Republic ruled by its elected dux or doge.
A commercial superpower that lasted through the Middle Ages and the Renaissance it enjoyed 1100 years of uninterrupted influence in the Mediterranean. Part of Venetian Republic were Veneto, Friuli, part of Lombardy and Romagna, Istria and Dalmatia, the Ionian Islands of Corfu, Cefalonia, Ithaca and Zante, the island of Crete from XV - XVI centuries and the island of Cyprus from mid XVth century to mid XVIth century.
In 1797, Napoleon invaded the territory of the Venetian Republic.
By the Treaty of Campoformio signed on October 17, 1797 part of the mainland Venetian territory was handed over to the Austrian Empire and a western part was annexed to the Cisalpine Republic. The territory soon reverted back to Napoleon in 1801, but after his defeat it was handed over to Austria again. The Veneto remained in Austrian hands, except certain cities briefly in 1848, until annexed by the Kingdom of Italy.
In 1866 after the Third War of Independence the Veneto was controversely annexed in a much disputed referendum to Italy and occupied by Italian troops, the Carabinieri. In an effort to "italianize" the population, the dialects of Venetian were forbidden while often people's surnames and place names were changed.
The First World War began shortly after the Venetian pope, Pius X died. After Italy entered the War, the Veneto became a major front. The flooding of the Piave River would play a decisive part in Italian victory at the Battle of Vittorio Veneto which was fought between October 24 and November 3, 1918.
After the Second World War, the Venetian spirit of sacrifice and a family orientation played a major role in an economic recovery that harmoniously blended traditional agriculture, trade, and industry.
For those looking for relaxation, the Veneto region offers an embarrassment of choices. Hot-spring spas, massages, firming and stress-reducing treatments to balance the body and mind or, simply, to coddle yourself. It's a truly toning experience, after which you may also decide to travel around the region on foot, even taking a tour in the mountains. 
On the Belluno Dolomites, to be precise, to then continue on the Asiago plateau before turning towards the sea, in the direction of Jesolo, Bibione or Cavallino, the latter considered to be one of Italy's loveliest beaches. Among the art cities, the obligatory stop is Verona, if nothing else to see the majestic arena and Romeo and Juliet's mythic balcony. In Padua, its worth visiting the Basilica of Sant'Antonio and the Chapel of the Scrovegni with frescos by Giotto while, in Venice, you could take a ride on the Grand Canal in a traditional, black-lacquered gondola or just play with the pigeons in Saint Mark's Square and stroll along the bridges and calles. And then, you could head towards the pristine areas of the most spectacular nature preserves of the region: the Po Delta, characterised by a surreal silence, the Eugenian Hills, passing through areas dotted with small lakes and the mills of Sile river. 
Another excursion not to be missed is one characterised by sports and nature on Lake Garda, where spectacular landscapes provide a setting for sailboat races and windsurfing. Finally, you will find a decidedly more refined atmosphere in the streets of aristocratic Asolo, where there are still vivid memories of the Corsair Queen; and in the streets of Rovigo, Vicenza and Belluno, which the Celts called the "shining city".
