Last month, The World of Interiors, my favorite decorating magazine, published an article about the Caffè Pedrocchi, a 180-year old café in the heart of Padua. While I’ve walked past this café countless times (and even once arranged a dinner for clients there), I never truly gave it much thought.
My mistake.
The “beating heart” of the café is the Sala Rossa, where you’ll find an enormous curving bar of fawn-colored marble that resembles a Roman vasca.(Photo World of Interiors)
The day I went to visit Frassanelle, the owner, Francesca Papafava, took Katharina and I for a leisurely late lunch at the Parco delle Colline Ristorante located on the Golf Club of the estate.
Having lunch at the Frassanelle Golf Club with the owner Francesca Papafava
Guests of Trust&Travel are given a private tour of the 19th century artificial grottoes every Thursday morning
Yes, it’s true. When Count Alberto Papafava, a 19th century Romantic painter set about redesigning the layout of his estate at Frassanelle, just outside of Padua, he did not want to have to choose between his favorite landscapes and so decided, as was typical of many Romantic gardens of the period, to put a little bit of each one in his own property.
The morning I went to Frassanelle, a wonderful agriturismo near Venice and Padua, I wasn’t feeling quite 100%, maybe it was due to the change in season, or because I hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before.
Katharina and me (Marla) having just had the falcon Naguall land on our fist (Trust&Travel)
Piazza delle Erbe in Padua with the Palazzo della Ragione in the background (skyscrapercity.com)
Visiting La Montecchia, the owner, Giordano Emo Capodilista, told me of his family’s long-standing commitment to supporting and promoting the arts. In addition to the impressive Quadreria donated in 1864 to the Musei Civici degli Eremitani of Padua, nearly thirty years earlier, in 1837, the Emo Capodilista family wished to share another of its treasures with the city: a wooden horse sculpture. Technically, the sculpture still belongs to the Emo Capodilista family but it has been entrusted “sine neglexerint” to the Patavini, the citizens of Padua. Giordano’s description of this artwork triggered my curiosity. I decided that this horse was not to be missed.
The Emo Capodilista collection was donated to the Museo degli Eremitani in Padua
I admit I got lost the first time I went to La Montecchia Estate. Street signs in the Veneto region are often posted in an arbitrary fashion. But when the landscape is beautiful, even driving around in circles takes on a special charm. And besides, Italians are always friendly and eager to help when you stop and ask for directions. They actually want you to find your way!
Italian Wedding
Towards the end of last month Villa Emo Capodilista in the Veneto, about 45 km from Venice, became the backdrop to one of the most beautiful weddings we have had in our villas. Giordano Emo Capodilista the owner of the villa was thrilled: “it was like in a dream…we were all floating”
One of our jobs is to help home owners improve the decoration of their houses to make them more attractive and comfortable. I thouroughly enjoy bringing out a rooms potential. What satisfaction to turn a drab and sad room into a happy and pleasant one! This is how we work when suggesting improvements to our clients. This particular proposal was made for an estate I do not yet work with, an extraordinarily beautiful and authentic place near Siena. I haven’t had an answer from the owners yet, let’s hope that they like my suggestions…..
Venetia is a rich and attractive sightseeing destination which also offers many fun things to do with children.
A charming cruise, through nine swing bridges and five locks real “water lifts”, allowing the descending of an almost 10-metre high water slope between Venice and Padua.
The guided cruises usually include boat trips from Venice to Padua or from Padua to Venice; the boat stops at the Villa Gradenigo of Oriago, the Villa Widmann or Barchessa Valmarana of Mira, the Villa Pisani of Strà ot the Villa Foscari Malcontenta. The most informative website we could find is Batelli del Brenta.
Italy is home to the greatest number of World Heritage Sites to date with 44 sites inscribed on the list. On Wikipedia you will find a complete list of the sites.
Villa Rotonda, designed by Palladio
By the way Italy is UNESCO’s most notable donor in terms of voluntary contributions. In 2007, Italy donated over USD 56 million on an extrabudgetary basis to UNESCO
Read more on the Unesco website
Corzano e Paterno
Italy Tutto
Lospicchio
Memorie di Angelina
Truffle Pig