L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MAY 15, 2014 L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, MAY 15, 2014 www.italoamericano.com 8 1500s. Andrea Palladio was a very prolific artist and, throughout his life, was hired by rich Venetian families to design their country- side estates. He built 30 villas, 24 of which are now UNESCO World Heritage Sites: most of them are located in the provinces of Vicenza, Treviso and Padova, while some are near Gorizia, Pordenone and Udine in the nearby region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. All of them are stunning, but while some are open year round, some only open their gates from April to October, making the summer the ideal time to get the most out of a trip to the area. For detailed informa- tion about opening hours and reservation requirements of each villa visit http://www.villevenete. net/ Villa Valmarana ai Nani, in Vicenza, is a great starting point to begin your tour: many of its The beautiful region of Veneto, in north east Italy, is mainly famous for Venice, its capital city, yet has a lot more to offer to those who want to explore lesser known areas. Vicenza, located about 50 miles from Venice and 35 from Verona, is a quiet and compact town, perfect to be explored on foot, with its narrow cobble- stone streets and gorgeous artis- tic and architectural heritage. Its history is intertwined with the life and work of Andrea di Pietro della Gondola, better known as Palladio, an architect whose work is famous and admired world wide: his master- pieces - churches, palazzos and above all the villas he designed just outside the city- are a testi- mony of his creative genius and an amazing opportunity for visi- tors to get acquainted with won- derful architecture from the rooms and corridors are decorat- ed by painting master Giambattista Tiepolo and by his son Giandomenico. It will strike a cord with those who love the classic literature, as many of the paintings illustrate episodes of the Iliad, the Aeneid, Jerusalem Delivered and Orlando Furioso. The villa is open for visits from mid March to the first week in November; you can find more information at www.villaval- marana.com The province of Treviso also offers the chance to visit many of Palladio's beautiful villas (not to mention the best Prosecco in the world, as it is its birthplace). Villa Tiepolo Passi, in Carbonera (Province of Treviso), is definitely one of a kind as it is not only inhabited to this day, but also features a delicious restaurant, an organic farm and a few rooms to accommodate guests: if sleeping in a historical villa from the 1600s is your dream or if you want to reserve a table log on to www.vil- chIARA ASSI latiepolopassi.it . The family also offers guided tours to the farm that can also be booked on their website. Also the Castello di Roncade (www.castellodiron- cade.it) is today home to a quaint bed & breakfast and a successful wine making busi- ness: the grand entrance is so impressive, as is the villa's façade, that makes it worth a visit, as does the superior quality of the wines produced on site. Those who like gardens will definitely fall in love with the Castello del Catajo (www.castel- lodelcatajo.it) in Battaglia Terme, province of Rovigo. It's quite incredible to think that this imposing structure was built in only three years, between 1570 and 1573. It stands in the middle of a vast park, with peach groves and tailored gardens. The indoor, with pastel colored fres- cos and high ceilings, is as impressive and can be visited on Sundays and Tuesdays. A tour of the villas wouldn't be complete without a visit to famous Villa Foscari, known as the "Malcontenta", in Mira, province of Venice. It was designed and built in 1559 alongside one of the canals that spun from the river Brenta for two brothers, Nicolò and Alvise Foscari. Its peculiar nickname –it means "unhappy"- is said to originate from the misadventure of a dame who was locked up in solitude in the villa as a punish- ment for her illegitimate love affairs. From May 1st to October 31st the villa can be visited on Tuesdays and Saturdays morn- ings or, on other days, with a reservation. To book a tour visit www.lamalcontenta.com The best way to visit the villas, as they are spread across the region, is by rental car. The starting point of Vicenza can be easily reached by train from Venice (43 minutes) and Milan (1 hour and 50 minutes); nearest airports are Verona Villafranca (45 miles, about 40 minutes) and Venezia Marco Polo (60 miles, about 55 minutes) Already on the garden wall you can see the numerous small dwarf-figures (it.: Nani). Legend has it that the daughter of the former owner was small in stature and therefore had only short servants so as to conceal her disability from her; however, when she saw a handsome normal sized young man, she took her own life The Castle of Roncade was built in the XVI century by the Giustinian family, which gave birth to two Dogi, and remained their property for almost four cen- turies Ville Palladiane: discovering timeless beauty in the countryside of Veneto

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