Venice and the Veneto: Tenuta Castel Venezze

During our week in Venice and the Veneto myself and my mother stayed in Tenuta Castel Venezze. The castle is located less than an hour's drive from Venice, it is deep in the Venetian countryside and was a wonderful location to explore the area and try to learn how to cook like a real Italian.

The estate has been in the Frassetti family since the 1400s and the villa is build on the grounds of the medieval castle with an ancient road linking the nearby towns of Padua and Rovigo. The main building where we stayed was built in the 16th century and contained the toll house between the counties of Ferrara and Venice. It was beautifully restored and we enjoyed the tranquil atmosphere while exploring the countryside surrounding the villa.

Most (if not all) of the ingredients we used were locally sourced or even grown in the grounds - even the flour we used for pasta was organically produced on the farm next door.

We were fascinated by the old estate just down the road from the villa - a whole community would have lived within the walled grounds during it's peak. It is currently for sale and would be a wonderful project for someone to fix up - it needs a little work but I'm sure the results would be worth it.

Tenuta Castel Venezze was a perfect location to relax and immerse ourselves in rural Italy.