Travelers may visit Brenta del Riviera as part of a tour of half-day biking tour or full-day boat cruise to discover a different side of Venice away from the crowds -- along beautiful country roads and waterways through charming, historic villages like Stra and Mira, and ending on the Brenta Riviera channel where many of the villas are veritable palaces, complete with exquisite works of art and large frescoes.
Brenta del Riviera is best accessed by the Burchiello boat that links Venice to the Riviera del Brenta and vice versa, from March to October. THe waterway is also accessible by train, from the Padova station or any of the towns along the Riviera.
Late spring and early summer are the best times to visit Venice in terms of weather, though crowds may be quite intense. And the prices are high. Avoid throngs of tourists while still enjoying lovely temperatures by visiting the city early spring or early to mid autumn.
Exploring the scenic channel, by car or by boat, travelers go back into Renaissance times. The beautiful villas lining the waterway were built for the owners of farm estates and later as summer homes for wealthy Venetian Doges, many built by 16th-century architect Andrea Palladio. While few villas are open to visitors, and some like Villa Pisani, is an art museum, and others have elaborate gardens or mazes are now public parks.
