Trinity College

The country villas of Italy stand as magnificent reminders of the opulence of an erstwhile society. Built in the 16^th century, they were the rural retreats of the urban rich, places to escape the heat and scrutiny of the city, while showcasing wealth, power, and cultural taste. Many lined the shores of rivers, while others sat among cypresses in the hills. Some presided over working farms; a few were hideaways for mistresses and misfits. All boasted grand-scale architecture, sumptuous classical frescoes, and the formal gardens that represented the conquest of nature. Today they sit in a variety of states, from private homes to state museums, just-like-new to abandoned, yet each with something indisputably unique to convey about the privileged life of yesteryear.

Program Sites/ Hotels

The mainland near Venice is known as the Veneto, or ‘Venetia’ in English; the aristocracy of the great maritime republic chose to build its mansions on its hazy plain and along its languid rivers. We reside in intimate Mirano, a town perfectly situated close to the stately homes of the Brenta canal and surrounding landscape, on the premises of a peaceful villa hotel.

Our base shifts to the Tuscan city of Lucca next, whose countryside is dotted with the palaces of bygone Florentine nobility. Lucca is on a human scale, Roman in origin, medieval in character, and can accurately call itself one of Italy’s finest, most livable cities. Our hotel here is somewhat outside the historic center but spacious and quiet, with a fine restaurant.

For the final five nights the program shifts to the Castelli Romani, the picturesque region of volcanic hills south of Rome that was – and remains – a pleasant summer retreat from the tumult of the capital. Home here is another villa hotel just outside Frascati, a name synonymous with the refreshing white wine favored by – no coincidence – the Roman gentry.

Venetian Painting. As her empire declined, Venice’s art – as is often the case in decadent times – flourished. This double class surveys the Venetian school of painting, one of the most prodigious of the Renaissance and beyond, known for its portraits and liberal use of rich red. Titian, Bellini, Giorgione, Veronesi, Tintoretto, and Lotto are among the 16^th century painters discussed, along with later masters Canaletto and Tiepolo.

Tuscany Through the Ages. A look at the history of the territory that was already powerful under the Etruscans, but which would achieve its greatest influence two millennia later as a Grand Duchy under the Medici dynasty.

Villas and Gardens of Tuscany is a multimedia presentation of the most notable palaces, their builders, owners, and vicissitudes, in preparation for the firsthand visits to follow.

Renaissance Sculpture and Painting is an indispensable overview of the style, technique, and symbolism of the humanist art that adorns and defines the Renaissance villa.

Roman Garden Culture. The Italian garden is distinct from its English and French counterparts. In the Renaissance, it was often designed to trumpet man’s mastery of the forces of nature. This double session illustrates the form, function, and (sometimes highly creative) decoration of the gardens around Rome.

The Brenta. This river and its parallel canal became the ‘inland riviera’ for the Venetian elite; among the elegant villas along its bank is the celebrated ‘Malcontenta,’ which we view, among many more, from the decks of a pleasant cruise boat.

Cornaro. Unobtrusively situated in a village north of Padua, Cornaro is a Palladian gem whose charming American owner (and resident) often shows us through the striking interior.

	Reale at Marlia. This massive, stately home has been the residence of a succession of prominent personages: the Dukes of Tuscia, the Orsetti family, the sister of Napoleon Bonaparte, and a cadet line of the House of Savoy. A delightful “water theater” adorns its 16^th century garden.
Gardens of Villa Reale

Grabau was constructed in the hills of Lucca by the powerful Diodati merchant family; its grounds feature both an Italian and English garden, the latter containing fine oak, birch and ilex.

Villa Lante in Bagnaia was commissioned by a cardinal member of the Visconti dynasty; it would later pass into the possession of a series of religious nobles. Most notable is its Italian garden with geometric terraces and allegorical fountains.
	Villa Lante

Villa D’Este in Tivoli is one of the most famous palazzi; originally a cardinal’s residence, the villa towers above a gardens filled with playful fountains and a water organ supplied by a diverted river.

Hadrian’s Villa is a villa only in name; in reality it is a vast archaeological site whose blend of imperial Roman ruins, olive trees, and pines make it one of antiquity’s most evocative sites.

Castelli Romani is the entire region of villa homes in the volcanic hills south of Rome; among them we visit the delightful Abbey of San Nilo and Ninfa Gardens.

Italian Villas and Their Gardens incorporates one-day visits to Italy’s three great cities of art; each blends an organized morning with afternoon free time to pursue personal interests. Lunches on these days are on one's own. There are also forays into Padua and Lucca during the program, where lunches are included.

Florence is introduced with a city walk focusing on its historic heart, between the stunning cathedral and the Ponte Vecchio.

Padua, the main market city of mainland Venetia, boasts botanical gardens that are among the oldest and most varied in Europe.

Lucca. A pleasant stroll with a historian familiarizes us with the streets, alleys, and monuments of this pearl of a city.