Cruising amongst the Venetian Villas

In Veneto, already rich in natural waterways, the Republic of Venice had a dense network of navigable canals dug to connect rivers and cities; all the Venetian cities were connected to each other and all were connected to the Venice Lagoon. Navigation was certainly not easy and when navigating in canals with little slope or going up against the current, the boats were pulled by horses. To facilitate navigation, the “Conche di navigazione” (floodgates) were built, also called Closes or Doors, real water lifts connecting waterways of different heights and allowing boats to go up or down the watercourse. The Riviera del Brenta, whose river rod connected Venice with Padua, was the fashionable canal, a place of delight and ideal extension of the Grand Canal of Venice, where more than seventy luxurious villas flourished. Today, the river navigation along the Riviera del Brenta presents an important offer of services and boats: in addition to the daily service of the motorboat Burchiello, a dozen other boats sail the waters of the Naviglio carrying thousands of tourists visiting the Villas, sailing in the lush greenery between Villas, coastal villages, nine swing bridges and five historic floodgates.