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This substantial holiday villa lies just a short walk from the centre of historic Padua. Sleeping 10 in six bedrooms, and with five bathrooms and a kitchen, this 450 square metre property is the ideal Italian vacation accommodation for a large party, for business meetings or for families sharing. There is an outdoor swimming pool open during summer season. Wireless internet access is available at an extra charge.

Villa dei Bonifacio was fashioned into a home in the 16th century by the San Bonifacios, a noble family from Verona. The complex consists of the main house, an oratory, a greenhouse, a tower with battlements, an aviary, a belvedere, a cottage near the lake and a vast garden with a little lake � this is a truly unique Italian holiday property.

The main building is a U-shaped two-storey structure, encircling a courtyard with a well. The west side of the courtyard is bounded by a wall with a central gate of wrought iron. On the top of the pillars there are statues made of Custoza stone. The two parallel wings are the oldest part of the building: one consists of a little church, while the other is the original core of the villa, now used as accommodation. The perpendicular wing, a 19th century structure, is used as accommodation, too.


The original core of the villa was built between the 16th and the 17th century and was renovated during the 18th century, for the wedding of the Count Ercole of San Bonifacio and Teresa of Obizzi. The fa�ade of the building, ornamented with pillars that support a balustraded balcony, faces the Via Adriatica. The oratory, dedicated to St James, is dominated by an ogive doorway, surmounted by a belltower.

In the vast parkland around, your eye is caught by the impressive turreted tower and the tree-lined paths; one of these is lined by monumental 18th century statues. The park is planted with hornbeams, oaks and beeches. There are also hillocks and a little lake � a typically romantic 19th century realisation of a garden. There is a cottage with neo-Gothic windows and a little battlemented brick tower near the lake. Box, yew and privet hedges, fountains and paths with statues lead you to the oak wood. There is an ice-house, now used as a cellar, under one of the hills around the lake. Green meadows, rose gardens, orchards and clusters of magnolia, beeches, acacias and maples create a delightful diversity within the gardens.

The unique hospitality of Villa dei Bonifacio guarantees a stay that has little in common with the usual holiday villa. This is a step back to old-world luxury, twinned with modern comforts. It is the ideal venue for your vacation or business gathering.

The main body of the villa has spacious and comfortable bedrooms (two double rooms, two twin rooms and two single rooms). Almost every room has its own bathroom with a bath. All rooms are furnished with period furniture.

There are several common rooms for every part of the day. You can have breakfast in a spacious dining room with period furniture and at a table for 16 guests. In the sitting room, decorated with frescoes, you can spend your evenings in company playing parlour games or watching satellite TV. You can also spend your time reading in the stuccoed sitting room or using the internet.

There is a spacious ballroom holding up to one hundred people. Completely covered in frescoes, this double-height room is quite magnificent. The frescoes represent Apollo and the Muses, with the labours of Hercules painted between the doors, the windows and the pillars. The acoustics of the ballroom make it perfect for conferences and events such as weddings, parties, performances or dances. You have access to audio-visual aids, internet connections, overhead projector and films. Some of the finest chefs in the Veneto can also be provided for your function.

Your rental includes heating, electricity, water, gas, linen (changed weekly), TV, stereo, DVD, safe, bowls, parlour games, wood for fire, national and international newspapers, final cleaning. Pets are subject to agreement. Extra charges include telephone, laundry, daily cleaning, cook, child�s cradle, daily change of linen, audio in the ballroom, security service, and a lighting system.

This Italian holiday villa is a short distance from the centre of Padua, 25km from Venice, 35km Vicenza, and 70km from Verona. The owners live in a wing of the villa, but they have an independent entrance. The housekeepers live in a separate house within the grounds.

Via Curtatone e Montanara 14, 50053 Empoli, Florence, Italy