This meet-up is part of the “La Dolce Vita 2022” meet-ups series"
Culture and history. This seems to me the perfect conclusion of a two-day journey that introduced us to the life and evolution of a territory starting from its water sources. The economy of the area developed along the small and large waterways of the Veneto region. And along the waterways, especially those that connect Padua and Treviso to Venice, culture and art have also developed together with the economy.
The Riviera del Brenta, which connects Padua to Venice, is a masterful example of all this. Ancient villas that follow one another along the entire course of the river. Villas that experienced their maximum splendor between the 18th and 19th centuries, when they were frequented by nobles and monarchs from all over Europe
Some of these villas are still private residences, but many can be visited. The most important of these is certainly Villa Pisani, which is now a national museum.
Instead of showing the Villa, I decided to open this post with two of the works of art by the sculptor Andrea Roggi exhibited at Villa Pisani: Terra Mater and The Flight of Knowledge, because they bring us closer to the itinerary of these two days, in a of knowledge that starts from the earth and water to sublimate, today, in the “cultural” evolution of the territory.
However, we saw the villa well, on a perhaps a little too crowded guided tour, wandering around this palace which is also called “the Little Versailles”.
A villa that for some time was also owned by Napoleon Bonaparte. The villa has always been at the center of the “social” activity of the past centuries, with noble guests who arrived from Venice or Padua, and stopped for tea, or to stay the night.
All that glitters is not gold, and indeed some things let us down. I’m talking above all about the lack of maintenance of some parts, which devalue the overall value of what is a work of art.
Others amazed me, such as the Orangerie, which was rich in different citrus fruits, much more than the one in Versailles
But overall Villa Pisani remains a place that I recommend to visit.
Below are some photographic details. There would be a lot more to show, but I’m sure other meet-up attendees will want to share their content as well
And it was during the guided tour that @KashifMisidia and @Ewaade_3A joined us to explore a bit of this majestic villa, and above all to meet some friends. Ewaade in particular wanted to see @LuigiZ (I’m jealous!!!) but I couldn’t track him down, as he had stayed behind the group to take some 360° photos, while I had moved ahead of the group itself, to avoid to disturb.
Thanks to Kashif for these screenshots of the call
At two in the afternoon we closed the meet-up, but only to allow ourselves a small extension: to have lunch together before returning home.
We hadn’t booked but the owner allowed us to have lunch even though we were close to closing time. Obviously we had to settle for something quick (not all the menu was available and the pizza oven had already been turned off), but in any case the owner of Fermati Un Pò managed to get us lunch.
Goodbye
Saying goodbye is always difficult after two days spent together, just as it is difficult to close this post.
But there will be other opportunities. The Group is becoming more and more close-knit, and I’m sure there will be some surprises in the spring. What we’ll do I can’t say yet, but if you stay in Connect you’ll find out in a few months.
Thanks again to everyone who participated, and to those who want to comment.
ai fotografi.
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. Di la verita’ 
?!?
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. Il tour è partito ma sinceramente non ho dato molto ascolto alla guida se non nella parte iniziale, eravamo troppi e io restavo sempre indietro per scattare foto 
. Ma non ero l’unica del gruppo… ed è in una delle bellissime stanze che mentre Luigi piazzava la sua attrezzatura per scattare foto sento un signore che dice a sua moglie: spostati che ci sono quelli di Google a scattare le foto che altrimenti ti riprendono!