Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
RIVER CRUISES
When Venetians set out from Piazza San Marco for the the Brenta, many of them would step aboard the commo-
dious barge
Il Burchiello
, which was drawn along the tow-path by a team of horses. Goethe arrived on the lagoon
in this fashion in 1786, and today a small fleet of modern
burchielli
ply the river between Venice and Padua.
There's no doubt that seeing the Brenta from the perspective of a boat (rather than through the snarl of Vene-
tian and Padovan suburbs) is the best way to experience the river and its villas, most of which where designed to
show their best face to the water. As you pass through the five locks and nine swing bridges, you'll appreciate the
15th-century hydraulic locks system, which diverted the main floodwaters of the river to Chioggia, putting a stop
to the accumulation of silt in the lagoon.
Il Burchiello
( 049 876 02 33;
www.ilburchiello.it
;
adult/reduced half-day cruise €55/45, full day from
€94/55) is a modern luxury barge offering full-day cruises that stop at Malcontenta, Widmann and Pisani villas;
half-day tours cover two villas. Full-day cruises leave from Venice's Stazione Maritima (Tuesday, Thursday and
Saturday) or Padua (Wednesday, Friday and Sunday), with bus transfers to train stations.
I Batelli del Brenta
( 049 876 02 33;
www.battellidelbrenta.it
; adult/reduced half-day tours from €50/40,
full day from €89/50; by reservation Tue-Sun Mar-Nov) offers a range of half- and full-day excursions, with
departures from both Venice and Padua.
VILLA BARCHESSA VALMARANA
( 041 426 63 87;
www.villavalmarana.net
;
Via Valmarana 11, Mira; admission €6; 10am-6pm Tue-Sun Mar-
Oct, by appointment rest of year)
Across the Brenta from Villa Widmann is the Villa Barchessa
Valmarana. What you see is just one of the wings of the original 17th-century villa, as the
main structure was torn down in the 19th century to avoid paying luxury taxes. Originally
built as the boathouse, this wing was soon upgraded to a guesthouse when the Valmaranas
found that they couldn't accommodate all their summer visitors.
Now the double-height dining room with its glorious frescoes by Michelangelo
Schiavoni (1712-72) serves mainly as a conference centre - something of a comedown
from the days when Prospero Valmarana hosted the Bey of Tripoli.
HISTORIC BUILDING
SLEEPING IN RIVIERA BRENTA
Villa Tron Mioni
( 041 41 01 77;
www.villatron.it
; Via Ca' Tron 23, Dolo; d €92-130, ste €120-170;
) Surrounded by gardens, this 19th-century villa provides aristocratic flourishes at middle-class prices. Rooms in
the main villa are done up in simple good taste, and a few new apartments are handsomely decorated in rustic-
chic style. However, the ramblingly romantic gardens are the real draw. Works best if you have your own car.
VILLA PISANI NAZIONALE
(
HISTORIC BUILDING
049 50 20 74;
www.villapisani.beniculturali.it
; Via Doge Pisani 7, Stra; adult/reduced €7.50/3.75, park only €4.50/
9am-5pm Tue-Sun Nov-Mar, to 7pm Apr-Sep)
To keep hard-partying Venetian nobles in line,
2.25;
