Villa Alba

The main villa spreads across three floors. On the first floor you will find a spacious living room with a piano and card room, a library, a dining room, a large kitchen with breakfast room and pantry. The second floor holds the principal bedrooms: a master with king-size bed, dressing room, air conditioning and en-suite bathroom, plus three further doubles or twins, most with en-suite bathrooms. A third floor offers additional bedrooms, though these are simpler in finish and better suited to teenagers.

The guest house, a beautifully renovated barchessa, contains two king-size master bedrooms and one twin, all air-conditioned and each with an en-suite bathroom. Worth noting is the 18th-century pavilion on the grounds, originally used as a ballroom and still furnished with its period pieces. Outside, a swimming pool measuring 11.5 by 8 metres sits within the park. Cleaning six days a week is included, and staff prepare one meal daily, with additional meals available at extra cost.

Este makes a genuinely practical base for exploring this part of northern Italy. Padova is 30 minutes away, Venice about an hour, and trains run from Este station to both cities. From nearby Monselice, express services reach Milan, Bologna, Florence and Rome. The Colli Euganei National Park, with its hiking and cycling trails, is right on the doorstep, and the region's Palladian and Venetian villas are well within reach for day trips.