Lakes & Veneto

The Lakes, Mirrrors of Heaven

“…This lake, as far as beauty is concerned, overcomes anything else that I have ever seen… It is long and narrow and resembles a magnificent serpentine flower between mountains and ridges… the mountains between Como and that town (Tremezzo), or rather groups of towns, high up and covered with chestnut woods, sometimes reaching the edge of the lake…” - (Percy Bysse Shelley

The Italian Lakes have for centuries enchanted and fascinated travelers, writers, historians, artists, heroes and conquerors. From the most famed lakes, Como and Maggiore, to the lesser-known but equally beautiful lakes Orta, Lugano, Varese and Garda, each has a distinctive character and its own breathtaking scenery. The Italian lakes have been backdrops to books and Shakespearean plays and to architectural follies such as Gabriele D’Annunzio’s luxurious Liberty-style villa on Lake Garda. In recent times wealthy families built imposing villas and magnificent gardens on the shores, islands and hills above these beautiful lakes creating a paradise on earth.

Veneto, The Land of the Doges

Though Venice is the queen of the Veneto region, there is an infinity of lesser-known towns and villages to discover. Padua is one of the region’s major art cities – a bustling place with a medieval nucleus and seat of a famous university founded in 1222. Throughout the region one encounters the signature of the 16^th century architect, Andrea Palladio, whose name is the root of the tern “Palladian”, which has come to signify gracefully incorporated elements of classical architecture – columns, porticos and domes – into a style that reflected the Renaissance celebration of order and harmony. Many of his works can be admired in Vicenza and along the bank of the Brenta river where he designed summer residence for wealthy Venetian families. Veneto is an amazing place to discover!

LAKES

VENETO