Some tips on what to see in Veneto

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Introduction to visiting the Veneto

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The Veneto region holds interesting towns and cities outside Venice. Brolo di Ca’ Orologio farmhouse, in the Colli Euganei near Padova is about 65 km south-est of Venice.
Our farmhouse is perfect base for visiting the Veneto and seeing Venice, Padua, Verona, Vicenza and Treviso, as a day trip.

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Colli Euganei near Padua is Regional Park, in where besides to the spontaneous beauty, with their roads and their paths that seem to be made for pleasant walks and bike rides. Surroundings offers, along with the traditional Venetian routes, smaller fascinating sites – for example the characteristics medieval towns of Arquà Petrarca, Monselice Este and Montagnana. Nearby deserve then a stop the Benedictine Abbey of Praglia and the magnificent gardens of Villa Barbarigo in Valsanzibio.

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Padua, with the Basilica of St.Anthony, world famous Scrovegni Chapel frescoes by Giotto and Eremitani Church, is the town of Giotto and Donatello and it 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 e Frassanelle. are nearby.
An ever-changing attraction is offered by street antiquity markets which take place on Sundays in some of the near towns.

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Este 3 km

Walled 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.

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Arquà 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.

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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.

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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.

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Venetian Villas and gardens

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Villa Barbarigo – Historycal Garden 15 km

Sixty full size statues, and sixty more different sculptures were integrated into a world of architectures, streams, fountains, water jokes and fish ponds, between hundreds of different trees.[web…]

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Venetian Villas on the Brenta Canal 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 beautiful 15th-18th century 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. Although most can only be viewed from outside, some of the former gardens and a few villas are open to visitors. The most important are Villa Pisani in Stra, and Palladio’s Villa Foscari Malcontenta. The Riviera can be visited by boat as well.

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Villa Foscari detta La Malcontenta

Foscari’s, also called “La Malcontenta”. The pronaos of Ionic order seems to rise from a high plinth, so that it can be reflected in the waters of the river Brenta. The interiors were frescoed by Battista Zelotti and Battista Franco. [web…]

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Villa Pisani

along the Riviera del Brenta, an ideal extension of Venetian Gran Canal on the land. In its 114 rooms doges, kings and emperors were welcomed and nowadays it is a national museum which conserves eighteenth and nineteenth century works of art and furniture, as Gianbattista Tiepolo’s masterpiece. [web…]

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Piazzola sul Brenta 45 km

Villa Contarini-Camerini

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![web…]

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Padova 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.
The gardens and Basilica are across town from the train station, a pleasant walk through the historic center. 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.
[sightseeing]

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Venezia 69 km

Describing Venice is superfluous…
It’s easy to reach for a day trip from the Agrituorism by train (suggested) in 50 minutes. The train stop at the Santa Lucia (SL) Railway Station, at the beginning of the Grand Canal directly in the city center. Nearest Railway St. is Monselice, 6 km far from Brolo di Ca’Orologio.
Alternatively getting in Venice by car is Easy, it can be reached by motorway from the Monselice tollgate. The directions are clearly marked with road signs. The Ponte della Libertà bridge connects Venice to the mainland and ends at Piazzale Roma, the only part of the city where cars can enter. You should consider that parking in Venice is quite expensive.

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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.

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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 Olympic Theatre and renowned Villa La Rotonda, universally considered the symbol of all Palladio’s architecture.
About Andrea Palladio [www.cisapalladio.org]

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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 cuisine of the place, is worth a visit.

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Verona 90 km

The city still attracts visitors from all over the world with its Arena, the myth of Romeo and Juliet, with its refined beauty. Among the many sites to visit stand The Roman Theatre, the Gavi Arch Porta Borsari, the archaeological area of Porta Leoni and the Scavi Scaligeri.
Arena di Verona’s Opera Festival will start on June with Don Giovanni and it’ll end on September with the famous Verdi’s Aida.
Here are the perfomances and dates: arena.it

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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.