Venetian villas are a testament to centuries of local history, blending art and nature seamlessly. These villas are a must-see for anyone embarking on a dream tour of Veneto.
Between the 15th and 18th centuries, nearly 4,000 grand villas were built in Veneto. This immense historical and architectural heritage, a product of a past marked by industriousness and resulting wealth, has turned into sheer beauty over time. The aristocratic families of Veneto, enriched during the centuries of peace guaranteed by the stability of the Serenissima Republic, commissioned these magnificent country houses. Venetian villas served both practical and celebratory purposes: they were well-organized agricultural estates and elegant noble residences, sometimes designed as bucolic retreats, other times as status symbols flaunting accumulated wealth.
Sadly, many villas have fallen into disrepair, while others are still inhabited or have been transformed into restaurants, luxury hotels, wedding venues, meeting and conference locations, or film sets. Visiting these accessible villas is an unmissable experience, and they should definitely be added to your travel itinerary in Veneto. You can create a themed tour lasting two or three days, focusing perhaps on the Riviera del Brenta area, or visit one or more villas during a weekend or a more varied vacation. You’ll never be far from a villa, as they are scattered throughout the region! The most famous are concentrated in the provinces of Venice and Vicenza, but Treviso holds the record for the number of villas. How do you organize a tour of the Venetian villas? How do you choose which villas to visit if you only have time for one or two? Are Palladian villas more beautiful than those on the Riviera del Brenta? To help you decide, we have selected the 15 most beautiful Venetian villas and divided them into Palladian villas, Riviera del Brenta villas, and Colli Euganei villas. There’s enough material here for three different themed trips!
Palladian Villas
A common misconception is that Palladian villas and Venetian villas are the same thing. In reality, Palladian villas, designed by the architect Andrea Palladio in the 16th century, make up only a small minority of the nearly 4,000 Venetian villas. Of these, only 166 are open to the public, and just 24 are works by Palladio, all recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These 24 include some of the most beautiful and visited Venetian villas, contributing to the widespread belief that “Venetian villas” and “Palladian villas” are synonymous. Palladian villas are scattered throughout Veneto: here are the five most interesting and easiest to visit.
Villa La Rotonda
Villa Almerico Capra in Vicenza, better known as La Rotonda, is the most famous Palladian villa. This exceptional work has significantly influenced global architecture. Like all Venetian villas, it is situated in a rural setting outside the city center, combining the private rooms of a noble residence with spaces used for agricultural activities. Its unmistakable circular shape topped with a large dome, inspired by the Pantheon in Rome, is said to have inspired the White House in Washington. With its perfect symmetry, classical beauty, innovative functional solutions for its time, and a design inspired by the Renaissance vision of man at the center of the world, La Rotonda epitomizes Palladian architectural principles. It is a must-see attraction.
Villa Barbaro
In the enchanting Asolan Hills in Maser, you’ll find Villa Barbaro, another renowned Palladian villa. Designed by Palladio in the mid-16th century as the agricultural estate of Daniele and Marcantonio Barbaro, this villa involved the talents of famous artists of the time, such as painter Paolo Veronese and sculptor Alessandro Vittoria. Known today as “Villa di Maser,” it continues to function as an important agricultural estate and private residence. Visitors can explore the noble floor with Veronese’s frescoed rooms and the garden. You can also taste Villa di Maser wines at the elegant De Gustò bar, located in the adjacent farmhouse.
Villa Emo
Staying in the Treviso area, Villa Emo in Fanzolo di Vedelago is another must-see Palladian villa. Designed by Palladio with twenty years of experience under his belt, the villa’s perfect proportions and symmetry reflect its mature design. While the exterior is less ornate than other villas, the interior is richly decorated. The park seen today has undergone four different designs over the centuries, deviating from the original Palladian layout.
Villa Badoer
In the less-visited province of Rovigo, Villa Badoer in Fratta Polesine, known as La Badoera, is a quintessential Palladian villa with both celebratory and practical functions. Located just 15 km from Rovigo, it can be reached within a day from the most beautiful locales in the Po Delta. One of its barns houses the elegant National Archaeological Museum of Fratta Polesine.
Villa Valmarana Bressan
Less known but worth including in a Palladian villa tour is Villa Valmarana Bressan in Vigardolo, Vicenza (not to be confused with Villa Valmarana Ai Nani near Vicenza). Built between 1542 and 1545, it is recognized by art historians as one of Palladio’s first independent projects. Although it doesn’t reach the artistic heights of his mature works, it exhibits many elements that became hallmarks of his architectural style. The villa is open to visitors from April to October.
Riviera del Brenta Villas
Known as the “Venice of the Mainland,” the Riviera del Brenta is the most enchanting part of the Venetian hinterland. The name evokes images of a bucolic landscape adorned with artistic masterpieces inspired by classical aesthetics. This image stems from a “fashion” that developed during the golden centuries of the Serenissima Republic, prompting the wealthiest Venetian aristocrats to build villas along the Brenta River. From a tourist perspective, the most interesting part of the Riviera del Brenta stretches from Stra to Fusina, where the river meets the Adriatic Sea (about 25 km), with the charming town of Dolo as its focal point. The few visitable villas along the Riviera del Brenta can be seen in a single day with careful planning, though it’s advisable to split the tour into two days or, better yet, join a guided boat tour with visits to the most famous villas.
Villa Pisani
If you have time for only one villa on the Riviera del Brenta, choose Villa Pisani in Stra without hesitation. Considered “the Queen of Venetian Villas,” it represents the pinnacle of the Riviera del Brenta. Built by the noble Pisani family, with its most famous member being Doge Alvise Pisani, the villa remained intact despite the family’s decline in the late 18th century. It was subsequently owned by Napoleon Bonaparte, the Habsburgs of Austria, and finally the Kingdom of Italy in 1866. Each owner added enhancements, and by 1884, it became a national museum open to visitors. Today, it remains one of Veneto’s most visited attractions. While only some of its 114 lavish rooms are accessible (including the Napoleonic apartment), they are enough to convey the villa’s grandeur. The visit concludes in the grand ballroom frescoed by GianBattista Tiepolo, with additional exploration of the vast park and one of Europe’s most important hedge mazes. A full tour of the villa and garden requires at least two to three hours, plus extra time for a relaxing stop at the elegant café in the former stables.
Villa Foscarini Rossi
Also in Stra, near Villa Pisani, is Villa Foscarini Rossi, a 17th-century villa commissioned by Venetian nobleman Jacopo Foscarini as a retirement home. He chose an existing country residence along the Brenta River and had it completely renovated. The family continued the villa’s decoration with contributions from artists such as Giuseppe Jappelli, Pietro Liberi, and Domenico de Bruni. Today, it belongs to the Rossi family, founders of a renowned local shoe factory that has collaborated with designers like Fendi, Yves Saint Laurent, and Givenchy. Part of the villa is used for weddings, cultural and corporate events, while some rooms house the Footwear Museum, showcasing over 1,500 luxury women’s shoes produced by Rossimoda in its seventy years of activity. There is also a small collection of 18th and 19th-century Venetian shoes. Establishing a footwear museum in this area is no coincidence, as quality shoe production has a long tradition in the Riviera del Brenta, particularly in Stra, making it a major industrial hub for the sector.
Villa Foscari – La Malcontenta
Villa Foscari, known as La Malcontenta in Mira, is the only villa on the Riviera del Brenta designed by Andrea Palladio. Following the classic three-story model with perfect symmetry, it was designed to create two identical apartments connected by a central space. The Piano Nobile’s interior is adorned with frescoes by prominent 16th-century Venetian painters. To prevent flooding during Brenta River overflows, Palladio designed the villa to rest on a podium, adding to its monumentality and elegance. Surrounded by meadows, weeping willows, and cypress trees, La Malcontenta is a must-see on any Riviera del Brenta tour. Guided tours are conducted by architect Antonio Foscari, a descendant of the family who commissioned the villa.
Villa Widmann
Though smaller compared to Villa Pisani, Villa Widmann Rezzonico Foscari (commonly called Villa Widmann) in Mira is a visual delight, hiding unexpected treasures. In Rococo style, it is lavishly decorated with stuccoes, frescoes, brocades, and Murano chandeliers, with original period furniture. Situated on a bend of the Brenta River, the villa was built by a noble Venetian family of Persian origin, but its current appearance is thanks to the subsequent Widmann owners. Currently owned by the Metropolitan City of Venice, the entrance fee is slightly lower than other villas. Inside, you’ll find a traditional Venetian boat cover and a collection of antique carriages in the portico. The villa also boasts a large park with a romantic pond and water cypresses.
Villa Badoer Fattoretto
Dating back to the 16th century, Villa Badoer Fattoretto in Dolo reached its peak splendor in the early 18th century under its most famous owner, Baron Chantal. Acquired by the Fattoretto family, winemakers interested in the adjacent lands, in 1945, the villa was restored twenty years later. Still inhabited, the villa can be visited on guided tours during spring and autumn holidays; at other times, visits are by appointment only. Some rooms house the Museo del Villano, a collection of tools, instruments, and historical documents depicting village life around the elegant villas of the Riviera. The museum includes curious items, like an ancestor of the exercise bike or a brothel price list, as well as historically significant artifacts, such as a collection of dogal letters and an edict issued by Napoleon during his only day at the Royal Palace of Stra.
Villa Venier Contarini
Villa Venier Contarini in Mira, near the famous Villa Pisani and Villa Foscari “La Malcontenta,” is an interesting addition to a classic villa tour. Built in the 16th century, it was acquired by the Venier family in 1660 and remained in their possession until the death of the last male heir in 1780, passing then to Maria Venier, wife of Alvise II Contarini. Visits are by appointment only.
Colli Euganei Villas
Less famous than the Palladian villas in Vicenza and Treviso or the villas of the Riviera del Brenta, the Venetian villas south of Padua are still worth visiting for their architectural beauty and the natural setting that almost sings an ode to leisure and contemplation. The Colli Euganei, a range of low volcanic hills about ten kilometers from Padua, offer a lush, green landscape praised over centuries by poets like Petrarch and Foscolo.
Villa Barbarigo
Villa Barbarigo in Valsanzibio is a slice of the Riviera del Brenta in the Colli Euganei. While it lacks a river, this elegant 17th-century noble residence closely follows the model of inland Venetian villas and was owned by a wealthy Venetian family. The villa itself is open to the public only on special occasions, but the splendid baroque-style monumental garden is always accessible, featuring statues, temples, pavilions, stairs, and a wide variety of trees and plants, along with an allegorical path and a labyrinth.
Villa dei Vescovi
Villa dei Vescovi in Luvigliano (Torreglia) is an elegant villa with a cultural heritage. Originally an intellectual circle in the 16th century, it was designed to stimulate deep reflections. Today, it serves as a picturesque location for cultural events managed by the FAI. Guided tours of the villa are available, while the outdoor spaces, free to enter, are a green refuge for Padua residents escaping the city’s stifling heat.
Castello del Catajo
The Castello del Catajo in Battaglia Terme is an atypical Venetian villa combining traditional elegance with a militaristic rigor. This unusual blend originates from its first owners, not Venetian aristocrats but descendants of a family of captains who arrived in Italy with Emperor Henry II in 1007. Known as the “palace of the Colli Euganei,” it was built in the 16th century and hosted royalty from across Europe. Privately owned, it is used for weddings, cultural events, and corporate meetings. Visitors can explore the Piano Nobile and garden from spring to autumn.
Villa Emo Capodilista – La Montecchia
True to the tradition of Venetian villas as places of work and noble residences, Villa Emo Capodilista in Selvazzano Dentro is the headquarters of a renowned wine-producing farm and the home of the family that has owned it since the Middle Ages. Known also as La Montecchia, it stands on a hill in the Colli Euganei Regional Park. Built in the late 16th century as a hunting lodge, it was designed and decorated by a painter and architect, a student of Veronese. The villa now houses a winery shop, a B&B, four luxury holiday apartments, and private rooms occupied by Count Giordano Emo Capodilista. It is open to groups of at least 15 people by appointment year-round, with special dates for individual or small group visits.
