Art, nature and well-being in soul and body find their perfect equilibrium in exceptional locations tailor-made for their indulgence. Visiting them is like leaping back into the past, in search of flavours and aromas that must be savoured slowly so that each unique taste might be relished for as long as possible.
Villa Barbaro at Maser is one such place that we may also call a ‘storygardenz’. It was commissioned by Brothers Daniele and Marcantonio Barbaro – refined individuals from the Venetian aristocracy inspired by the culture of humanism – and today belongs to the Counts Volpi of Misurata. The villa is a true architectural masterpiece in which Andrea Palladio ingeniously combined the essence of supreme structural harmony together with the natural environment, and it is complemented by the beauty of an immense cycle of frescoes by Paolo Veronese.
Yet, if the word ‘culture’ suggests the epitome of knowledge, traditions and techniques continually employed and handed down over time, then food must also be considered culture. Thus, if both mind and spirit are revived by the culture at Maser, then our taste-buds too will be awakened to ancient flavours, revived by the vast experience of master cheese-makers from the Perenzin dairy. Award-winners both nationally and internationally, they will offer you classic cheeses made in the Veneto tradition, but from new and innovative angles which are guaranteed to revive all your senses.
However, Veneto culture revolves above all around wine. From Merlot, Cabernet, Malvasia and Raboso, to the famous Prosecco. Managed by Princess Isabella of Croy Collalto, the company has been producing wine since the tenth century and is virtually a library for the quantity and quality of historic grape varieties that have been grown and made into wine on the 250-hectare estate. Visiting the historic wine-cellar is an opportunity to admire a place in which, by drawing on a combination of modern techniques and ancient experience, the production of prize-quality wines is perpetuated.
The guided tour offers a relaxing day out in the Veneto countryside to relive the wonders of the past and sample some of the traditional products from the region.
