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Villa Vittoriana - Padova Countryside
NEW - Swimming pool due for completion
May 2006
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The Villa Vittoriana is a noble
estate lying in the heart of the Veneto, just eight miles
north of the great university city of Padua. This location
is ideal for excursions throughout the region. Attractions
include major cities like Padua, Verona, and Venice itself,
just 20 miles distant. Attractive smaller towns and cities
dot the landscape, cities far less visited by Americans than
their Tuscan counterparts but no less charming and interesting:
Bassano, Castelfranco Veneto, Asolo, Monselice, Este, Montagnana,
Arqua' Petrarca, Cittadella. Consulting a good guidebook will
reveal to you the specific attractions of these places, as
well as the long sandy beaches at Jesolo and Sottomarina and
old fishing towns like Chioggia. The Brenta Canal, between
Padua and Venice, is dotted with Palladian and other villas
built during the 16th to 18th centuries, many of which are
open to the public. In fact, this location is ideal for exploring
all of the most important of the Palladian villas. Villa Vittoriana
itself is located amidst a maze of farm roads near the small
towns of Sant'Andrea, Reschigliano, and Codiverno. It is close
enough to Sant'Andrea so that you can actually walk to the
village to do simple shopping.
The estate consists of a glorious
pre-Palladian noble country house typical of the region. Such
villas were used by their patrician owners as retreats from
the summer heat and to manage their farmlands more closely.
The four-story main villa on this property boasts a double
facade with simple, symmetrical round arches. Smaller outbuildings
surround the villa, including a "limonaia" where
fruit trees were stored in winter, and a "barchessa"
where farm animals, agricultural tools, and hay were kept.
The flat landscape allows the enjoyment of a particularly
beautiful ensemble of cypresses and willows interspersed among
a labyrinth of canals and little streams which surround the
house.
Four separate accommodations
are offered, all of which have full use of the extensive grounds
for outdoor dining and lounging. The owners have thought of
many important small details: All windows have screens, for
example, a real rarity in Italy. All accommodations have a
hairdryer, a toaster, and an American-style coffee maker,
plus telephone and television (but no dishwasher). A laundry
room for common use is also available, as are a few mountain
bikes. Housekeeping and childcare are available at an extremely
reasonable cost; cooking is not available.
Are the accommodations at Villa
Vittoriana "fancy"? Magnolia is a cut above the
others, definitely. The other three are simpler. All are charming,
clean, and pleasant, in an idyllic setting.
Magnolia
Accommodates 6 — 3 Bedrooms
— 3 Baths
Magnolia is a completely independent
two-story flat located in the central part of the main villa
itself. You have to walk up about 35 easy stairs to get in.
The central hallway is roomy and bright. It leads to a spacious
living/dining room furnished comfortably with many antiques
and tasteful more modern pieces. The eat-in kitchen is equipped
with everything. Two bedroom suites complete this level: one
matrimonial and one joinable twin, each with its own bath
(one shower over tub, one shower only). Up a flight of stairs
from the central hallway is the third bedroom suite, with
joinable twins and bathroom with shower. All bedrooms are
pretty much equal, making Magnolia ideal for up to 3 couples.
Perhaps most unusual of all, Magnolia is equipped with an
independent air-conditioning system, a real blessing in warmer
months.
Portico
Accommodates 2 — 1 Bedroom
— 1 Bath
Portico is a delignhful small
flat located on the ground floor of the "barchessa",
the rural part of the villa. Independent access to the garden.
It's basically two large rooms: an open-plan living/dining/kitchen
plus a bedroom with joinable twin beds and bathroom with shower.
No air-conditioning in this unit, as its location within the
structure renders it particularly cool in warm weather. A
lovely accommodation for a couple.
La
Serra
Accommodates 2 — 1 Bedroom
— 1 Bath
An extremely charming, fully
free-standing cottage in the midst of the estate gardens,
La Serra is ideal for a couple. It's even handicapped-accessible,
a rarity in Italy. The cottage is extremely light, as the
front wall is almost entirely windows. Again, like Portico,
the layout is basically two rooms: a bedroom with joinable
twin beds, plus an open-plan living/dining/kitchen, with a
small entry hall between the two. The bathroom has a shower.
Independent air-conditioning. A magical place.
Il
Fogher
Accommodates 4 — 2 Bedrooms
— 1 Bath
The owners restored this ground-floor
flat in the main villa during 2001, and we ourselves saw it
when we revisited the property in June of 2002. It exceeded
our expectations. For one thing, it isn’t dark. Fogher
is light and roomy, with an open-plan kitchen/living/dining
room, large matrimonial bedroom, and smaller twin bedroom,
plus one full bath. Ideal for families, probably not for two
couples given the single bath. But we loved this place.
Rates:
|
Jun 2-Sep 1
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Mar 31-Jun 2;
Sep 1-29;
Dec 22-Jan 7, 2008
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Other
periods |
Magnolia
Up to 4 persons |
1,750
euros
per week |
1,550 euros
per week |
1,350
euros
per week |
Magnolia
Up to 6 persons |
2,150
euros
per week |
1,850 euros
per week |
1,650
euros
per week |
| Serra/Portico |
900
euros
per week |
850 euros
per week |
800
euros
per week |
| Il Fogher |
1,450
euros
per week |
1,250 euros
per week |
1,150
euros
per week |
| Extras: |
None; up to 2 extra beds available
in each unit at cost of 150-200 euros per extra person
per week
|
| Arrival: |
Saturday in high season; somewhat
flexible otherwise
|
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Minimum stay:
|
1 week
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