Our lives were enriched by the magical setting of Palladian Villa. The owner’s g…

Our lives were enriched by the magical setting of Palladian Villa. The owner’s gracious hospitality set the tone for our photo-book perfect family reunion with my husband’s Dutch family. The wrought iron gates set between two columns – topped with one statute holding clusters of grapes representing the bounty of the vineyards and the other holding a scythe representing the bounty of the land – opened to greet us, as if by an unseen hand. With its manicured gardens - anchored by a fountain with delightful statutes and pathways lined with giant terracotta pots, each with its own lemon tree – we entered a story-book setting and walked into history. What a privilege it was to live each day in our Italian home-of-our-heart, mingling our experience with ancient stories to stir the imagination. The unexpected touch of the owner’s hand-written note, tucked into a basket of fruit from the garden, inviting us to help ourselves to the vegetables, resulted in a large salad of freshly picked lettuce and sweet miniature tomatoes, with the added zest of anchovies, tuna, and feta -accompanied by crusty bread. The succulent pears were simmered in red wine and topped with whipped mascarpone and cream. A royal feast! The four-bedroom suite was spotlessly clean, inviting, and the thick towels were a welcomed luxury. The antique dressers with in-laid wood, elegant mirrors, velvet covered photo albums with metal locks, and a spinet - which was custom-made in Venice for the family composer, a contemporary of Vivaldi – resting in the grand living room of the apartment were some of the treasures. Early in the morning, paned-glass windows were opened; the shutters were unlatched and we greeted the new day. Have you ever seen a beautifully formed sculpture in its private niche, with manicured grass at its base? She was my companion during my early-morning swim; we shared the private garden. Its vine-covered pergola, sheltering the table and chairs, invited us to relax on a tranquil day. Exploring all the gardens was a delight. Bringing our last night to a close with our evening ritual, we gathered around the tables that were placed outside in the left wing of the villa - its arches offering us an unforgettable view of the villa - watching the moon appear in the night sky, savouring delicious Italian wine, and enjoying each other's company. Staying at this place is a treasured gift; the best place to begin each day as you explore the richness of the Veneto region nearby.

This property is truly amazing. The guest house is a wing of a 500 year old coun…

This property is truly amazing. The guest house is a wing of a 500 year old country estate set on a fantastic 18 acre property, all of which was accessible to us. The pool area was in a private yard for our private use with a nice covered outdoor eating area. The home has 4 enormous bedrooms and more than enough room for 6 of us (4 couples could easily share this place). The bathrooms were above average by any European standard. The outdoor eating area was used every day both right out our front door and the pool area. There were bikes available, parking, an 18 acre park with soccer pitch, a vegetable garden for our use, free WiFi, washer and dryer ... just amazing. The house was well furnished in a period type setting. The owner was very friendly, spoke perfect English and was able to help us with anything we needed (including supplying us with good estate labeled wine) during our stay. This place is excellent for large groups or a couple of families. Only downside to the house was a small and dated kitchen (but we did have access to a BBQ). Just a picky point, the deck chairs at the pool could have all used fabric pads. The house was very close to the train into Venice, and anywhere else. The estate is also used for weddings on Saturday night, but our area was roped off and we found the people watching interesting. There were bands playing a couple of nights for the wedding, so we were treated to some free entertainment, but were never bothered with any late night noise. The property and grounds are much larger than portrayed in pictures, online pictures are accurate. I would recommend this property to friends and family, the property was very well maintained. You will need a car to get you to the two main train stations (8km away or 20 km's away), but trains go everywhere. Verona was the biggest highlight in the area, even beyond Venice. We found Venice to be like a big, sweaty shopping mall, all selling the same tourist garbage down every street. If we went to Venice again, we would do it with a local guide, I'm sure there are great parts of Venice to see. I plan on returning to this property in the future.

We had a truly wonderful stay at this villa to surprise a newly engaged couple. …

We had a truly wonderful stay at this villa to surprise a newly engaged couple. The house itself is as breathtaking on the outside as it was on the inside and was a wonderful venue for a dinner on our first night. The food, wine and service laid on for us was exceptional. 18 acres of beautifully set gardens were a delight to walk through when not lounging by the pool. The rooms were very tastefully decorated with incredibly comfortable beds whilst the kitchen was well equipped for cooking for the ten of us. It was in an excellent position to visit the surrounding area, including Venice, Treviso and Castlefranco Veneto. A magnificent and memorable stay.

The listing for this beautiful property was clear and comprehensive with a wide …

The listing for this beautiful property was clear and comprehensive with a wide selection of accurate photographs. Twice a week cleaning and change of linen in the spacious and well equipped bathrooms and pretty bedrooms, a fully equipped kitchen with a large table to seat 8, leading into an elegant drawing room with a wide selection of CDs and DVDs, made this a most comfortable and luxurious place for our family of 9 to stay. An extra bed was provided for the ninth person. The large garden of many acres is full of playful statues, the canal and Colombaia perfect for picnics and a football pitch and where we had freedom to walk and picnic at will. The private garden with swimming pool was perfect for us all, including two small children, with lots of sunbeds, a shady table, towels and toys. The Loggia is a delightful place for lunching and drinks, and lots of parking. Our hosts were charming and so helpful and kind and keen that we should feel totally at home in their delightful house. This is a particularly relaxed and welcoming place to stay. There are all the obvious places to visit but the local villages and Treviso are worth exploring. For anyone interested in the history of the Veneto and to experience a Palladian villa at first hand this is the place to stay. We loved it and would highly recommend it.

We, 2 Swiss families spent a marvellous and relaxing week in this villa. As one …

We, 2 Swiss families spent a marvellous and relaxing week in this villa. As one can expect the apartment was spacious, but it was also excellently equipped, the baths were made recently and the kitchen is brand new and had space for us 9 to eat together. There are excellent restaurants in the area, so not much cooking needed. But ask the owner for his advice - outstanding true Italian restaurant experience guaranteed - but also very helpful travel hints. And the tour around the house is fascinating! The entire building and especially the splendid pool are very clean and continuously maintained. And the football ground is awesome, great size to play. But best is certainly the brilliant location. Venice and Padua are easy to reach and worth every minute you spend there. And in the evenings you might be able to observe even an Italian wedding or another party in the main building. It was a brilliant experience to enjoy the building, the spacious apartment, to sit under the huge arches and enjoy the garden and to relax at the pool after a friendly soccer game or a trip to Venice.