Villa Venete is a new collection of villas in the Veneto region of Italy that are now opening up to tourism.
The 140 villas date from the 15th to 18th century and are scattered throughout the region from Venice to Verona, many with landscaped gardens and parks.
Hotel Villa Michelangelo, near Vicenza, itself home to multiple villas by Renaissance architect Palladio, is just 45 minutes from Venice.
It is a buttermilk-coloured 18th century pad recently renovated to offer 52 rooms and suites.
Bright interiors include wood-beamed high ceilings, original Venetian flooring, ancient fireplaces, antiques and marble bathrooms. Views are of the hotel’s leafy parkland dotted with ancient olive groves, pomegranate, lemon and orange trees and a large outdoor swimming pool.
Kirker Holidays has three nights from £518pp B&B with return flights and car hire, kirkerholidays.com, villevenete.net