Riviera del Brenta

The Riviera del Brenta is a beautiful countryside area by the city and lagoon of Venice. The idyllic green surroundings attracted many Venetian royalties to build their villas along the 16th-century old canal, which was only a stone’s throw from Venice.

The famous Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio designed many of the luxurious residences of Riviera del Brenta which were more functional in design at first. The spot became very popular for the nobility from the Venetian lagoon who wanted to possess a villa on the Brenta River which was easily reached by boat from San Marco in Venice.

A select number of the villas and their gardens have been restored and are available for public visiting. One of the most famous villas that is open to the public is Villa Pisani. This is an extraordinary villa to visit, as it has about thirty rooms open to visitors, some of them are home to magnificent original frescoes and decorations. The dwelling houses the National Museum of 18th and 19th-century furniture and art. The highlights of your visit are the vast maze called the “Labyrinth of Love,” and the climb of the central tower for amazing views of the maze and surrounding gardens with beautiful statues.

The Riviera del Brenta is a wonderful area for a ride, a bike tour along the banks of the Brenta, a river cruise, or even a bus trip from Venice or Padua.

Villa Pisani and Villa Foscari (La Malcontenta) are historic properties that depend on ticket revenue for upkeep -- visiting the interiors, not just photographing the exteriors from the road, more directly supports their conservation.

Cycling or taking the boat along the Naviglio del Brenta spreads visitor traffic more gently across the villages of the riviera than a single coach tour stopping only at the best-known villa.

The Riviera del Brenta runs between Venice and Padua and is reachable by canal boat cruise (the Burchiello and similar operators), by bicycle along the towpath, by car, or by regional bus.

Individual villas, including Villa Pisani at Stra and Villa Foscari, keep their own separate hours and admission fees and are frequently closed on Mondays -- checking each villa's own schedule before setting out is worthwhile, since opening days vary property to property.