How long is the Brenta Riviera cruise?

A full day, from the morning to the late afternoon, with the return by road or rail.

Can you see the Scrovegni Chapel on the same day?

Only if you book it for late in the day; the cruise arrives in Padua in the afternoon.

How much time do you need for the Brenta Riviera?

Allow a full day. That is this site's estimate for an unhurried visit.

The Brenta Riviera to Padua

When summer came the Venetian nobility left the lagoon for their villas on the Brenta, the canal that runs inland to Padua. A boat still follows it, through locks and under swing bridges, stopping at the villas on the way.

What it is: Day trip
Time to allow: A full day
Cost: A boat cruise
Best time: Spring to autumn, when the boats run

Venice this week

Why the Brenta Riviera is worth it

From the sixteenth to the eighteenth century the rich families of Venice built dozens of villas along the banks of the Brenta, a grand suburb on the water, and travelled to them by boat, the burchiello.

Palladio's Villa Foscari, La Malcontenta, stands at the lagoon end, and the Villa Pisani at Stra, the largest of all, with Tiepolo's ceiling in its ballroom and a maze in its garden, near the other.

What to see

Villa Foscari
Palladio's temple-fronted villa of about 1560, La Malcontenta, at the start of the canal.
Villa Pisani
The vast villa of the Pisani family at Stra, now a national museum, with its long pool and maze.
The locks
The boat passes through locks and under swing bridges on its way inland.
Padua
The journey ends in Padua, the city of Giotto's Scrovegni Chapel and St Anthony.

How to do it well

The cruise takes a whole day; the return to Venice is by bus or train.
Giotto's Scrovegni Chapel in Padua must be booked in advance, for a set time.
The boats run from spring to autumn.

Where it is

Address

From Venice along the Brenta canal to Padua

Nearest station

Boats leave from the San Marco side of Venice; see the operator's details

Tickets and tours: The Brenta Riviera to Padua