After the Venice Marathon: Villa Pisani

The Route: Venice or Mestre → Stra → Venice Logistics: A regional bus along the Brenta canal road. The villa is about 30 km from the Riva finish. Marathon Month: October Duration: Day trip

Venice / Mestre ──(regional bus ~1 hr)──> Stra, Villa Pisani
                 <──────(same road back)─────────┘

You started the marathon here, in a park, with thousands of other runners shuffling towards a corral at 09:25 and nobody looking at the architecture. Go back on Tuesday and the 18th-century Villa Pisani is quiet, open and worth the bus. It is closed on Mondays, so do not make the trip the day after the race.

October in Stra. October on the Brenta is damp and mellow, with mist on the canal early and leaves turning in the park. The days are shorter, so aim to arrive soon after opening. In most years the weather is mild enough for a slow garden walk, though conditions vary and a wet day suits the interior better.

Regional buses run along the Brenta from Venice and Mestre towards Padua and stop at Stra, and the journey takes roughly an hour. Check the operator's timetable and the Tuesday service before travelling. A taxi from Mestre is quicker but costs more.

The Villa

Villa Pisani was begun in 1721 for the Venetian Pisani family, on a design by Gerolamo Frigimelica and Francesco Maria Preti. Its great ballroom has a ceiling by Giambattista Tiepolo, the Apotheosis of the Pisani Family, which is the reason to go inside. The rooms are on flat floors, with a few staircases between levels. A full ticket for villa and park costs about EUR 10 (approximately GBP 8.60), and a park-only ticket about EUR 4.50 (approximately GBP 3.90), with reductions for some ages. Hours change by season, so check the museum's official page before going.

The Park

The park covers about 11 hectares, and runs on gravel paths between tall trees and a long canal. The hedge maze is a famous feature, but it opens only from April to September, so it will be closed in October. The gardens are a gentle, flat walk and a good place to sit on a bench and let the legs recover. A slow turn takes about an hour.

On the Course

If you ran the marathon, this is also a slow reading of the first kilometres. The race left the park and followed the canal road through Fiesso d'Artico and Dolo, past other villas of the same period. Villa Foscari, known as La Malcontenta, is a villa designed by Palladio near the course at Malcontenta. Its opening days are limited, so check before planning a visit.

Eating

Stra has cafés and small restaurants near the villa, and the Brenta towns serve Venetian-style fish and risotto. Check opening days, because many close on one weekday and most close in the afternoon.

Getting Back