Venetian Hinterland and Eastern Veneto

<< Veneto

The countryside of the Venetian Hinterland near Venice includes the Riviera del Brenta, an area along the Brenta river located between Venice and Padua, and dotted with many patrician villas mostly built during the Renaissance. The eastern portion of the Metropolitan City of Venice is instead known as Eastern Veneto, and features many seaside resorts and some towns with historic attractions.

Mira

Mira is a town located along the old section of the Brenta river, and it forms part of the Riviera del Brenta that stretches between Venice and Padua. This area became a popular area for Venetian nobles during the Renaissance and the Early Modern period, and it is now renowned for its many fancy historic villas.

Villa Foscari

Also known as: La Malcontenta

Villa Foscari is a patrician villa designed by Andrea Palladio and built during the 16th century. It is located at the eastern end of the Riviera del Brenta and it is part of the municipality of Mira, although it is a few kilometers away from the town. The richly decorated villa is one of the most notable works by Palladio and it is in the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Villa Widmann

Villa Widmann is a richly adorned rural villa on the shores of the Naviglio del Brenta in Mira. It was built during the 18th century and it is notable for its fancy decorations and the nice park that surrounds the palace.

Stra

Stra is a town located on the Riviera del Brenta between Padua and Venice. Like other towns along the Brenta, it became a popular destination for Venetian nobles during the Renaissance and Early Modern period and it is now known for its richly decorated villas.

✪ Villa Pisani

Villa Pisani is a monumental Venetian villa among the largest ones of its kind. Located on the Naviglio del Brenta canal, it was erected during the 18th century and it is a wonderful example of Baroque architecture. The palace is richly adorned with statues and frescoes and it hosts an art museum with historic artworks and furnishings. A notable feature of Villa Pisani is its large park, which includes a labyrinth.

Noale

Noale is a town in the countryside of Venice. Inhabited since ancient times, it became important during the Middle Ages as a military outpost of Treviso. Some parts of the medieval defensive system of Noale still survive to this day. The city was later conquered by Venice and it has shared its history ever since.

Rocca dei Tempesta

The Rocca dei Tempesta is a medieval castle built during the 13th century. It was for some decades the local seat of power and it was sieged various times. Later abandoned and now restored, the ruins still feature some towers and part of the walls.

Altino

Altino is now a hamlet near the town of Quarto d’Altino, but its history goes back several millennia. Altinum was a prehistoric settlement first inhabited during the Bronze Age and, under the Romans, it became one of the most important ports on the northern Adriatic Sea. The once flourishing city was already in decline at the end of the Roman age, but the final blow came when it was completely destroyed by the Huns led by Attila in 452. This led many people to seek refuge on the islands of the Venetian Lagoon, which will eventually lead to the rise of Venice. Altino, however, never recovered, and it has been a tiny village ever since.

✪ National Archaeological Museum of Altino

The National Archaeological Museum of Altino (Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Altino) features a rich collection of findings displaying the history of the once flourishing port of Altinum, with objects spanning from prehistory to Late Aniquity. Part of the museum is also the archaeological area hosting the excavations of the ancient city.

Jesolo

Jesolo is a coastal town on the Adriatic Sea north of Venice. For centuries just a small village, in the 20th century it grew to become what is now a renowned summer destination, famous for its long sandy beach and a busy night life. This popular resort city features numerous hotels and stores, and also various theme parks.

Lido di Jesolo

While the city center of Jesolo is located along the Sile river, its most popular area is Lido di Jesolo, which is a bit south, and it is famous for its long beach stretching for various kilometers along the Adriatic coast. This area is filled with hotels and resorts and it features various skyscrapers. A very popular area of the town, and the center of the night life of Jesolo, is the long pedestrian road populated with numerous bars and restaurants.

Caorle

Caorle is a coastal town located on the Adriatic Sea and one of the most popular summer destinations in the area. Caorle has a very long history, starting as a port during the Roman age, and flourishing as one of the most important cities of the Republic of Venice in the Middle Ages. Overshadowed by its capital and damaged by various wars, Caorle went into decline. In recent decades it has seen a resurgence in popularity, with tourists enjoying its nice atmosphere, beautiful beaches, and interesting cultural heritage.

✪ Caorle Cathedral

The Caorle Cathedral (Duomo di Caorle) is one of the most prominent examples of Romanesque and Byzantine-Ravvenate architecture in Veneto. It was built during the 11th century on the site of an older Paleochristian church and it features various artworks. Adjacent to the church is the museum which houses several artifacts, relics, and objects from different centuries. Especially notable is the bell tower, which also dates from the 11th century. This is the only bell tower in the world with a cylindrical body and a cone-shaped top.

Sanctuary of Madonna dell’Angelo

The Sancuary of Madonna dell’Angelo is a church located on a tiny piece of land protruding into the sea, near the city center of Caorle. The original church was built during the Early Middle Ages, but it kept being damaged by the incoming waves, so it was rebuilt in the 18th century. Now its location make this church one of the most photographed sites in Caorle, while the bell tower also serves as a lighthouse.

Bibione

Bibione is a seaside resort on the Venetian coast, at the border with Friuli Venezia Giulia. A tiny village in winter, it turnes into a populated and bustling destination in summer, attracting especially foreign tourists. It is famous for its long sandy beaches, the many parks, and various spas.

Punta Tagliamento Lighthouse

Bibione has only developed recently and it doesn’t feature many interesting attractions, but taking a path through the trees and going east along the coast leads to the Punta Tagliamento Lighthouse. This historic lighthouse was built in 1913 at the mouth of the Tagliamento river, that forms the border between Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia, and offers a good view of the surrounding environment.

Concordia Sagittaria

Concordia Sagittaria is a town near Portogruaro, founded by the Romans as Iulia Concordia. It was an important regional center throughout the Roman period and the Middle Ages. Historically part of Friuli, it was later conquered by Venice, but it was united to Veneto only in the 19th century.

Archaeological Area of Concordia Sagittaria

The main square of Concordia Sagittaria hosts all the main attractions in the town, with the 15th-century Cathedral and the adjacent Romanesque Baptistery, but most importantly its archaeological area. Here, the excavations brought to light sections of a Roman road and the ruins of the Trichora Martyrum, a 4th-century Paleochristian religious building. The cathedral itself is just the last one of a series of churches built on this site.

Portogruaro

Portogruaro is a town in the northeastern part of Veneto. Born in 1140 as a suburb of Concordia Sagittaria, it grew to overshadow its neighbor. The city was conquered by the Republic of Venice in 1420 but it remained in the historic region of Friuli until the 19th century, when it became part of Veneto.

Museo Nazionale Concordiese

The Museo Nazionale Concordiese is an archaeological museum hosting a rich collection of ancient findings from the nearby town of Concordia Sagittaria, mostly of pre-Roman and Roman age. Opened in 1888, this is one of the oldest museums in Italy, and its shape is made to resemble a Paleochristian basilica.