The Brenta Riviera is made up of districts and
green spots along the ancient course of a river linking Padua to Venice. This
was the ideal extension of Venice onto the mainland, almost a continuation of
the lagoon city: between the 16th and 18th centuries the Brenta Riviera
experienced a golden age which turned it into a privileged holiday resort for
rich Venetian nobles.
Villa Pisani
They built dozens and dozens of villas along its riverbanks, designed and
decorated by masters of Italian art, visited by artists, popes, kings and men of
culture, envied for their beauty, inhabited as country seats where they
celebrated with ritual floating processions, sumptuous dinners and festivities
lasting until dawn. Buildings of the villas along the Riviera began in the 15th
century, when Venice extended its dominion over the mainland.
Already by the 16th century,
there were gems such as villa Foscari at Malcontenta, designed by Palladio, or
villa Soranzo at Fiesso with its outside frescoed by Paolo Veronese's brother.
In the subsequent century, the flights steps down onto the water's edge
increased, gardens were peopled with busts and baroque decorations such as in
villa Morosini in Mirano and villa Sagredo in Vigonovo.
In the 18th century these spaces were expanded through ingenious perspectives
creating triumphs such as villa Widmann at Mira Porte and villa Pisani at Stra,
a genuine Doge's palace on dry land.
Lovers of Italian art forms can find an infinite number of attractions on the
Brenta Riviera. The architecture of the villas is remarkable for the variety of
styles which go from the 16th-century austerity to the unleashed fantasies of
the 17th century, then on to the rational style of the 18th century. It is also
worth recalling the churches with their wealth of precious paintings and the
simple but interesting examples of lesser architecture. Inside the villas there
are whole cycles of paintings.
From March to October, the stately homes are best
admired from the water's edge; the opportunity is provided by the Burchiello,
the legendary boat mentioned by Goldoni which daily links Padua to Venice,
stopping off to enable visits to the most beautiful villas on the Riviera.
Brenta Riviera cuisine is a feature of
International gastronomical guide books for the professional talent acquired in
preparing fish. Lying behind the Venetian lagoon and the "white fish" breading
areas of the river deltas, Brenta gastronomy is the heir of a refined tradition
which has succeeded in conjugating antique local recipes with a centuries-old
experience of the nobles cuisine.
There are hot and cold hors d'oeuvres for the most refined of palates, first
courses born from the happy combination of aromatic herbs and peak quality fish,
mixed fries and grills which simply emphasize the absolute freshness of the
products.
Courtesy of ENIT USA Official Tourist Board
