When one thinks of Venice, narrow streets, bridges and canals come to mind. But beyond the most famous landmarks lies another beauty: the Venetian villas. Noble residences surrounded by greenery, overlooking the lagoon or hidden among the avenues of the Lido, tell the story of Venice as a holiday retreat—between frescoes, gardens and a slower rhythm of life. A more intimate and refined side of La Serenissima.

■ Villa Foscari “La Malcontenta” – Mira (Riviera del Brenta)
Designed by the great Andrea Palladio in 1559, this villa is a masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance. Its imposing façade silently faces the lagoon, while inside it reveals a world of mythological frescoes and wooden ceilings. The name “Malcontenta” derives, according to legend, from a noblewoman confined here for her scandalous conduct. Today it can be visited by appointment.

■ Villa Pisani – Stra
Also known as the “Versailles of the Brenta,” Villa Pisani is an explosion of baroque elegance. More than 100 rooms, including the magnificent ballroom frescoed by Giambattista Tiepolo, a monumental park with a famous hedge maze and a tree-lined avenue that seems taken from a fairy tale. Over the centuries it has hosted doges, emperors and even Napoleon.

■ Villa Widmann Rezzonico Foscari – Mira
Small yet precious, this 18th-century villa is a rococo jewel set in a romantic English-style park. Inside, frescoed halls, original furnishings and Murano glass chandeliers reflect the sophisticated taste of 18th-century Venetian nobility. The garden, with its statues and orangery, is often the stage for events and concerts.

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