Cruising the Brenta

A cruise along the Brenta Riviera is by far the most romantic way to visit the sumptuous villas built on the shores of Veneto's historic waterway.

The journey is even more romantic when made by "burchiello": the ancient floating room used by the 18th century Venetian aristocrats to reach their riverside holiday homes.

Veneto's waterfront palaces

Leaving Padua, travelling downstream to the mouth of the river Brenta, the first architectural masterpiece we come to is the Villa Fosacrini-Negrelli-Rossi, the elegant arcade of which is clearly inspired by the works of Palladio.

The villa's main attraction is its Rossimoda Shoe Museum, which contains examples of 50 years of couture footwear, including a pair of shoes based on designs by Andy Warhol.

Politics and pleasure at Villa Pisani

At Villa Pisani you can almost hear the laughter of the Venetian nobility who used to grace the rooms of this immense dwelling and the villa's stunning 18th century formal gardens. Gabriele D'Annunzio was one of a long list of artists and politicians to have professed their love of Villa Pisani. It was here that Benito Mussolini chose to meet with Adolf Hitler in 1934.

Often described as the "Versailles of Venice", Villa Pisani was built as summer residence for Alvise Pisani following his election as Doge of Venice. Again the influence of Palladio can be seen, this time in the large central tympanum and the caryatids sustaining the balcony.

Frescoes adorn each and every room of the villa, the most famous being Tiepolo's "Gloria di Casa Pisani" which embellishes the ballroom ceiling.

The walls and ceilings of the nearby Villa Lazara-Pisani, often referred to as the "Barbarigia", also contain spectacular frescoes, depicting rural scenes and various chinoiserie designs.

Dolo and the Vilano Ethnographic Museum

We continue our journey, following the flow of the Brenta River, to reach Dolo, which, in the 18th century, was the Riviera's principal town. The majority of Dolo's most important buildings date back to the 16th century: the mill, the boatyard, the Villa Bon and Palazzetto Ferretti-Mocenigo.

At the height of the town's rotating bridge, the 18th century Villa Badoer de Chantal now houses the Vilano Ethnographic Museum, which records the history of Veneto's farming community. From Dolo, we make the trip to Mira Porte to visit a masterpiece of Rococo architecture: the Villa Widman Rezzonico Foscari.

Villa Foscari, a palatial prison

Almost at the mouth of the Brenta river, near Fusina, lies Villa Foscari, known locally as the "Malcontenta". The nickname was given to the villa, not because of its position at the end of the river, but because it was once inhabited by an unfaithful wife, who was forced to live here in exile as punishment for her vices.

Villa Malcontenta was designed by none other than the great Palladio himself.

Veneto's most illustrious architect created a magnificent entrance for the villa, with Ionic loggia and two sweeping flights of steps. Inside, the building centers around the principal hall, which has immense windows looking out on to the surrounding countryside and a wonderful display of frescoes.
The frescoes in the main hall, which depict mythological scenes, were painted by Giovanni Battista Zelotti, a pupil of the great Veronese.