Our structure

“La Brenta” ; has been the waterway linking Padua and Venice for many centuries.
This river, of strategic importance both commercial and tourist, has always been the center of aggregation for all the cities that have arisen along its banks; in fact these sites lack a square because the socio-economic exchanges took place on the water.
In the summer the Venetian nobles left their townhouses to “go to the cool” and moved to the countryside. For this purpose a “burchio” (large flat-bottomed boat) was used, embellished and made comfortable for the transport of noble and wealthy people. Thanks to the “burchielo” it was possible to moor at the piers near the villas to unload (in addition to the people) the trunks loaded with household furnishings and clothes for all occasions. The “burchielo” ensured daily connections between Venice and Padua, it was moved by oars or pulled by horses that proceeded on the “towpaths” (practicable embankments). The trip offered the opportunity to make pleasant stops because on the shores there were numerous craft shops, trattorias and inns that relieved passengers so that they could enjoy the worldliness of this trip.

The banks of the “Brenta” are a succession of wonderful villas that are reflected on the waters of the river with their elegant architecture by well-known architects including Palladio. At the beginning the reasons that led to the construction of the villas in the Brenta Riviera were mainly economic (they were structures necessary for agricultural production). over time the villa became the vacation home, used from mid-June to the end of July, to then become, to all intents and purposes, a “status symbol”.
“Ca ‘di fiore” is not included among these famous villas but boasts of following the tradition and history of the Di Fiore family which is appreciated for its innate hospitality and its 10,000 square meters of green park can offer a refreshment stop in the shadow of the “frasca”.
Our house laps “la Brenta” with its backside, an architecturally anomalous situation, due to the fact that the course of the river was changed in the second half of the 1800s. In fact all the dwellings located along the “La Brenta” overlook it, the main façade faces the canal where all the commercial and recreational traffic passed.

The main façade of “Ca ‘di fiore” faces south where the river originally flowed, which was buried leaving space for a lush garden. This house, which began as a vacation home, has been transformed into a laundry room over the years. The laundries were frequent along the river due to the fact that they had as much water available to carry out this activity and (which is not insignificant) due to the convenience of the transport that was carried out, up to Venice; with a “sandal” (typical boat of the lagoon) The distributive of the house (before the restoration) clearly showed its “noble” nature. The entrance consisted of a living room with six doors all around; four of which (two on each side) gave access to the “day” part (kitchen, lounge / library) while the other two, which were mirrored, looked directly onto the gardens / orchard.
What was the ancient dock for the laundry boat has been renovated and refurbished. Anyone wishing to trace the uses of the Serenissima to reach us by boat, by river, will have this landing dock available, among other things, to enjoy a moment of relaxation by following the slow flow of water while savoring a glass of prosecco as an aperitif.