Riviera del Brenta
• Open villas
• Events
• Valle Averto
At the beginning of the 15th century, America was discovered and the
Cape of Good Hope was doubled. These events induced Venetians to invest
their capital in purchasing wide farmlands (as the trade with the East
grew difficult). Plenty of money was invested in the purchase of large estates where
splendid villas were built, so that the landowners could control on the
productivity of their property.
Between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries, until the fall of the Venetian Republic, villas were built all over the Venetian territory. The Brenta Riviera changed so much that it was considered as the ideal extension of the "Canal Grande" in Venice.
Departing from Malcontenta, the first villa you can see is Villa Foscari,
designed by Palladio. The image of the villa's pronaos reflected on the water
is still fresh in our minds as we catch sight of the next villages and their
villas. The best known are: the seventeenth century "foresterie" (guest houses)
of Villa Valmarana overlooking Villa Widmann located on the opposite river
bank in Mira Porte; Villa Angeli in Dolo designed by Scamozzi; Villa Soranzo
in Fiesso with the whole frescoed façade; and finally the most spectacular
Villa in the Brenta Riviera: Villa Pisani in Stra.
Rich as a jewel casket, the villa is of outstanding interest to visitors,
with frescoes by Tiepolo and Guarana, spectacular stables and the celebrated maze,
epitomizing eighteenth century Venetian society which, in the game of the history,
performed vanishing acts, only to appear once again.
The Brenta has had many
famous guests such as Henry IV King of France, D'Annunzio, Byron, Galileo
Galilei, etc.. many others praised its beauties as Goethe and Goldoni.
Also Dante Alighieri mentions Oriago in the Divine Comedy.
Our holiday farm is a good departure point to dedicate a day to the Brenta Riviera, to discover not only architectural beauties as the villas, but also gardens, the countryside and peculiar corners!
Open Villas
We suggest to verify the information below at the indicated phone numbers for each villa. It's possible to contact the Tourist Information Centre of the Brenta Riviera at the following phone number: 0039(0)41424973 - email: widmann@turismovenezia.it
|
Villa Foscari detta "La Malcontenta" |
Villa Widmann Foscari |
|
* Barchessa Valmarana |
Villa Gradenigo |
|
* Barchessa Alessandri |
Villa Sagredo |
|
Villa Pisani |
Villa Foscarini Rossi |
|
Villa Belvedere |
Villa Angeli |
* Le tre barchesse
Barchessa Alessandri (Mira), Barchessa Valmarana (Mira), Barchessa Foscarini (Stra).
Opening: daily
Hours: 9.00 - 18.00 reservation required
Admission: Pass 9,99 euro
Info: tel. 041415729, foresteriaalessandri@supereva.it
The Brenta Riviera can be visited along the river,
with
"Il Burchiello",
"I Battelli del Brenta",
"Delta Tour".
Events in Brenta Riviera
Riviera Fiorita (2nd Sunday of September)
Riviera Fiorita, is probably the most important event of
the Brenta Riviera, that involves directly all the towns crossed by the river.
This event always follow the famous Regata Storica (in Venice).
Since 1977 there has been the first edition of the Riviera Fiorita.
The event is the occasion to commemorate the passage of Henry IV, King of France in 1574.
In that year there was a complex diplomatic situation, and Henry IV who succeeded his brother to the throne, visited European countries. Venice was one of them, and King Henry IV made his entrance to the city sailing down the Brenta river from Padua. The population welcomed the King with feasts and musicians and the noble watched everything from the balconies of their villas.
Nowadays, the 2nd Sunday of September, you can assist at the passage of the "King", with rowing-boats of the Regata Storica, and "figurante" rigorously dressing period costumes. A rowing-boat competition precedes the procession, with the proclamation of the winner in Malcontenta.
Carneval dei Storti in Dolo (last Sunday of Carnival and Sunday after end of Carnival)
It has been celebrated since 1979, and it's well-known first of all thanks to the float parade taking place a week after the end of the Carnival. The name "storti" comes from the locally produced "cialda" cones (since 1800), used to gather the whipped cream, served with a cup of warm chocolate; the same name was the appellative used for Dolo's inhabitants. The feast starts with Veglia dei Mocoli a candle light dancing night party, a tradition present for mat than 100 years.
Rassegna Nazionale di Grafica "Umorismo e Satira"(May-June)
The humoristic magazine "La Cagnara" realises the national graphics exhibition "Humour and Satire", taking place every year since 1989 in Dolo's ex slaughter-house. Every year a topic is decided for the next exhibition. Lots of topics have been developed since 1989: mafia, bureaucracy, poverty, "carabinieri" (the army), etc. There are famous graphics known at an international level participating to the exhibition, as well as young people that like drawing humoristic vignettes.
Venice Marathon (October)
In is a traditional international event with the classic distance of 42 Km and 195 Mt. The marathon passes through all places that remark the ancient and modern history of Venice. It unwinds along the Brenta Riviera, among the villas and the old country residences of the Venetian nobility, factories in Marghera, the centre of Mestre, to arrive at the unique St. Mark's Square in Venice.
WWF's Oasis Valle Averto
The area is located close to the city of Venice and you can reach it easily from the agriturismo by car. Valle Averto is a representative example of the brackish lagoon ecosystems of the north Adriatic sea, mainly because of its so called "valli da pesca" (fishing valleys). It is of fundamental importance as a habitat for many rare or vulnerable species and it as important resting and feeding site for many waterbird species. The site regularly hosts many different species of waterbirds, often totalling over 20,000 individuals.
The site consists of brackish and freshwater wetland, with woodlands and wet meadows.
The wetland receives water from the Canale Brenta Novissimo through a small
canal which feeds a wide area of lakes, inland canals and cane meadows,
and then flows into the main lakes, mixing its waters with brackish water
as it finally flows into the Lagoon.
The hydraulic system is artificial and contributes to preserve the native
natural environments.
Conservation measures include the official institution of a State Natural Reserve, banning of hunting around the biotope of Valle Averto and environmental restoration inside the biotope, on the lakes, the internal canals and some other areas.
You can also visit the museum, opened in 1995, has its seat in a late-renaissance rural house
(Ca' Tiepola) and in the surrounding area. It houses materials aiming to reconstruct
some typical activities of the fishing valleys, through archive materials,
historic iconography, and original materials. Inside the museum there is also
an archaeological section, with late-medieval and renaissance materials,
found in the surrounding lagoons. Open-air, one can see the biggest materials,
such as boats and valley handworks. The surrounding area practically comprising
almost all the Valle Averto, is equipped by educational courses that make
it a big open-air museum.
You can also visit the Land Marshes and Venice Lagoon Museum
Visits
The Oasi is always open.
Guided tours are on Saturady and Sunday at 10.00 and at 14.30.
Entrance is free for WWF's members.
For non members the entrance fee is 5,00 euro per person, and for children between 6 and 14 years old
the fee is 3,00 euro. Families with more than one child pay only for one child.
For information 0039 041 5185068 (from 13.00 to 14.00).
Web site: www.wwf.it
English info on the Oasi Valle Averto see http://www.wetlands.org/RDB/Ramsar_Dir/Italy/IT042D02.pdf
Agriturismo Ca' Marcello
Riviera Bosco Piccolo, 110 - 30034 Malcontenta, Venezia
Tel. 0039 041 420339 / Fax 0039 041 698355
cell. Silvio 0039 338 7605622 (speaks French)- mobile Fabiana 0039 349 4300950 (speaks English and French)
E-mail: info@camarcello.com