Venice:
Giudecca Island. Enjoying one of the most famous views in the world, the Palladio Hotel and Spa and its garden, in Venice on the Giudecca Island looks across
the water to the Doge’s Palace. And, best of all is the experience upon
arriving via the Baurer’s hotel shuttle boat; the atmosphere and tranquility of
the garden immediately propel guests into an oasis of serenity.
The Bauer Palladio Hotel & SPA. The Palladio Hotel and SPA
is a five star hotel with SPA on the Giudecca Island, it has a private garden
and breathtaking views on the lagoon.
Housed in the historic palace ex-Casa
delle Zitelle, which was a charity established by women in the sixteenth
century to prevent young women from falling into prostitution. The building is
attributed to the famous Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio (1508-1580).
Above: A view of the hotel and its al fresco restaurant from one of the
three gardens which have been re-arranged and partially restored behind the sixteenth century Zitelle complex,
where there were vineyards and orchards.
The Palladio gardens - Lunch al fresco. Chairman and CEO of The Bauer hotels, Francesca Bortolotto Possati is a third-generation hotelier and is the
only executive-level female hotelier in Venice.
The Palladio gardens - Lunch al fresco # 1.The menu focuses on light and savory
dishes made with organic ingredients, all of which strictly follow the “carbon
neutral” principle, fresh seafood from local markets, the freshest, ripest
seasonal fruit used in the delicious homemade cakes, and a selection of wines
from the nearby Friuli region.
Above. Refreshing Sliced Chicken
Salad with Mediterranean vegetable.
The Palladio gardens - Lunch al fresco # 2. Meals are served in absolute
peace and quiet on the tree-lined lawn, far from the hordes of walkers who
invade the quays and alleyways of Venice. Protected by the high
monastery walls, you feel as if you are in the countryside
Above: Apricots and Ricotta Cheese Soufflé, White Chocolate and Pistachio
Praline Passion Fruit Ice-Cream.
The Palladio gardens - Lunch al fresco # 3.
Wildberries Cake.
Note: The pretty tablecloth made by the Hotel seamstresses with pieces of
antique fabrics used in The Bauer hotels.
The Palladio gardens # 1. In their
different ways, the three gardens tell three
different stories and bring nature back to this part of the island. The first, attached to the Palladian
Zitelle Convent, preserves its great trees, among them an Aleppo pine
and a European olea, which are the main objects in the composition and historical landmarks. Recovering some
themes connected with the orchards and gardens of Giudecca, the
restorers put back a pergola of Isabella grapes and roses
pointing from north to south with blooms of iris, iris barbata,
catnip, columbine, roses and grasses at the base, planted according
to a natural scheme that
harmonizes with the way in which the lawn was conceived and designed.
The Palladio gardens # 2. The
second garden belongs to the former Asilo Mason, now the Convertino rooms
and suites. A brick wall surrounds the building and has separated the garden with five
plane trees and a magnolia from the
area of the Palladio garden since the middle of the twentieth century. The garden that has been created consists of hedges and though they are
the traditional boxwood, they have been planted next to Annabelle and oak-leaf hydrangea, roses, agapanthus and dwarf pittosporum, playing
different variations on this garden’s main motif and almost making up a maze
laid around the existing trees to imbue the place with a character that provides guests with a new space halfway between tradition and modernity.
The Palladio gardens # 3. The third garden on the west side of the
Zitelle complex also has big trees: a taxus baccata, a monumental
magnolia, and an enormous lime. The classic, long and narrow, umbrageous
Venetian garden opens onto the Giudecca Canal. The garden is perceived as a space of light
and water with a shady green interior consisting of different pre-existing
varieties of hortensia, fern, astilbe, ruscus, fatsia and oleander that
are very much at home in this minute space.
Note: The exclusive Villa F., above, home to a unique luxury accommodation
resulting from the restoration of a charming sixteenth century villa, by
Francesca Bortolotto Possati. The
Villa-like accommodation with hotel service and butler on demand, offers the privacy
and comfort of a Venetian Villa combined with the magic atmosphere of the
Giudecca Island. It has eleven apartments and three acres of private garden, the
largest in the city.
The Palladio gardens # 4. The meditation pool in the three-acre garden.