in the Venetian Region

Villa Ca'Orologio

Holidays farm Brolo di Ca’ Orologio benefits from its fortunate setting within the natural Park of Euganean Hills located 60 km south-est of Venice. Beside the beauties of nature, with their  pleasant roads and tracks which seem specially made for walks and rides, surroundings offer, in addition to Venetian art towns, plenty of minor sites rich in fascination such as the characteristic medieval towns of Arquà Petrarca, Monselice, Este and Montagnana.
In the neighbourhood, a stop at the Benedictine Abbey of Praglia and at gorgeous gardens of Villa Barbarigo at Valsanzibio must be scheduled.
Padua, with Basilica of St.Anthony, world famous Scrovegni Chapel and Eremitani Church, is the town of Giotto and Donatello and is only 30 km away.
The centre of Venice is well connected by trains from the railway station of Monselice. Verona, with its Arena and monuments, is worth a visit in any season.
For those loving golf, the courses of Valsanzibio, Montecchia and Frassanelle are nearby.
An ever-changing attraction is offered by street antiquity markets which take place on Sundays in some of the near towns.

Arqua' Petrarca 5 km
Pleasant town Arquà after 1370  gave hospitality to Francesco Petrarca on his last years of live and it still guards his remains.
The lower Arquà square, surrounded by noble gothic residences of 14th and 15th century, is overlooked by the church of Santa Maria Assunta, founded just after the 1000 year, which conserves many works of art like valuable 11th, 13th and 14th century frescoes of Giotto’s school.

Este 3 km
Town of very ancient origin, conserves in its National Atestino Museum plenty of  archaeological findings. Este experienced periods of great power in Middle Ages when gave its name to Estesi (for a long period seigniory in Ferrara). Well preserved are the town walls and the 14th century castle of Carraresi, the family who gave it a garden town appearance. A visit must be payed to S. Martino’s Church and Duomo.

Monselice 6 km
At the foot of Euganei Hills it is an important centre with medieval architectonical characteristics. Famous are the Sette Chiesette (Seven Churches) which run along the road linking up town centre with Villa Duodo; both the Villa and the Chiesette are works of the celebrated architect Scamozzi. Inside the Castle, known as Ca’ Marcello, is conserved a collection of antique pieces of furniture and arms.

Montagnana 18 km
Particularly valuable are the medieval walls, with a perimeter of about 2000 mts, crowned by the battlement and the patrol bay and reinforced by 24 exagonal towers. Montagnana is also interesting for its 16th and 19th century buildings and renown typical prosciutto here produced

Praglia Abbey 18 km
Still inhabited by same benedictine order which founded it in 1080 and rebuilded in 1400. It conserves many interesting painting, one of which is attributed to Veronese. Praglia Abbey is seat of an important centre of ancient texts recovery and restoration.

Padua 30 km
This town offers important monuments among which Scrovegni Chapel with recently restored Giotto’s frescoes, Eremitani Municipal Museums, celebrated St. Anthony (Santo) Basilica and Santo’s School with notable 16th century frescoes, by Tiziano too. Wonderful are Prato della Valle, one of the largest square in Europe, the Bothanical Garden, founded in 1545 and one of the earliest in Europe, and the University, founded in 1222 and one of the earliest in the world.
Very colourful are the Piazze (Squares) which host, in the heart of the town, dealing mostly with foodstuffs, and Palazzo della Ragione where downstairs the Salone many characteristic shops display any kind of delicatessen.
A less known, but characteristic and fascinating quarter, is the ancient Hebraic Ghetto, which hides in its alleys small handicraft and antique shops and young beloved places where to eat and drink.

Piazzola sul Brenta 45 km
The construction of Villa Contarini – Camerini dates back to 16th century. Work of Frigimelica, it appears like a royal palace. The wide garden, with its canals and ponds, is of great bothanical interest. Inside the Villa, very interesting is the music hall, once beloved by Vivaldi who performed his compositions. The Villa has many 17th century frescoes and conserves an interesting collection of ancient maps and drawings.
The antiques open-air market, which takes place every month on the last Sunday, cannot be missed: it is one of the largest in Italy!

Venice 69 km
Describing Venice is superfluous...

Chioggia 60 km
Delightful Chioggia, the most important fishing centre of northern Italy, is the minor daughter, with its “calli” and bridges, of Venice and is very close to it.

Vicenza 49 km
During 16th century Andrea Palladio realised in this venetian town major examples of architecture as Chiericati, Porto and Breganze palaces, the Basilica, the Olimpic Theatre and renowned Villa La Rotonda, universally considered the symbol of all Palladio’s arhitecture

Brenta Riviera 30 km
The road linking Padova to Venice, called Riviera del Brenta as it runs along Brenta River, is bordered by the largest concentration of Venetian Villas, ancient stunning holiday residences of venetian noble families, which used to reach them by sailing on the river directly from their palaces in Venice. The most important are Villa Pisani in Stra, and Palladio’s Villa Foscari Malcontenta. The Riviera can be visited by boat as well.

Treviso 90 km
Poetic and beautiful town, crossed by roads and alleys often sided by canals, has its historical centre surrounded by renaissance walls. Heart of the town is Piazza dei Signori, circled by beautiful buildings like the one of Podestà with the adiacent Torre (tower) del Comune, and the one of Trecento, where the Major Council used to meet. > Worth a visit are the Loggia dei Cavalieri, romanic, the Cappella (chapel) dei Rettori and i Buranelli, 16th century residence of fish traders from Burano island in Venice. Very close is Pescheria Island, still seat of a vivacious fish market. A visit must be payed also to Duomo, with its extraordinary Tiziano’s Annunciation, and Santa Caterina Church.

Asolo 78 km
Asolo conserves a suggestive medieval aspect, enclosed by ancient walls and overlooked by the Rocca, cyclopean medieval building on the top of the hill. Very typical are the roads flanked by arcades of ancient buildings on whose façades, ornamented with frescoes, open double and triple lancet windows and harmonious balconies.
The 15th century Loggia del Capitano is nowadays seat of Civic Museum, Eleonora Duse’s hall conserves an unique collection of mementoes and letters of the great actress. A spinet and other mementoes remember Robert Browning.
Asolo hosts, on every third week-end of the month, a beautiful antiques open-air market which, together with the good cusine of the place, is worth a visit.