The Italian Hotel Barge
La Bella Vita,
accommodating a maximum of 20 guests, offers canal/ river cruises in
Italy including Venice, the Islands of the Venetian Lagoon, the Bianca
Canal, and Po Valley. The Po River flows through the north of the
country and provides the perfect setting from which to discover its
landscape, people and history in the most delightful way.
One popular excursion on this Italian river cruise through the Veneto region is the lovely
Villa Ca’Zen,
a 17th-century villa in the Po Delta Nature Reserve, Italy’s biggest
regional park. The villa’s long and interesting history also has a link
to one of Britain’s greatest poets: Lord Byron (more about that later).
Ca'Zen
Early History
In
the early 1700s, many wealthy Venetian families established grand
estates throughout the Po Delta region, using the area for shooting,
fishing and crop cultivation. The Ca’Zen estate was built by the Zen
family around that time, and is situated on the site of a small stone
tabernacle that dates back to 1459 and is dedicated to Saint Margherita.
The
original estate included the Venetian-style villa, along with a chapel,
stables and a portico. The chapel has a beautiful aspect directly
facing the River Po and contains two important statues (from the famous
Bolognese School) that depict Mary and the Archangel Gabriel during the
Annunciation.
In the early 1800s, when the estate
passed from the Zen family’s hands to the Marchesi Guiccioli of Ravenna,
two extra wings were added to the villa, along with some outlying
cottages and several large granary barns.
Lord Byron
The
history of the villa took on a romantic twist through its association
with Lord Byron, who is perhaps the most romantic of all the great
Romantic poets. Byron fell deeply in love with Contessa Teresa Gamba who
was already spoken for as the wife of Alessandro Guiccioli.
Despite
her marriage to Guiccioli, the attraction between the Contessa and
Byron was instant and mutual and they became lovers. Angered by their
liaison, her husband sent her away to languish in the family estate
(Ca’Zen) far from the social life of Venice
in an attempt to place distance between the lovers. Alas for Guiccioli, Byron instead pursued his passion and secretly travelled to
the estate to be with Teresa. It was from here that the poet penned
some of his most celebrated and beautiful works, many of which were
dedicated to his lady love and the river.
Beyond Byron
In the ensuing years, the estate was taken over by the
Casalicchio-Avanzo family, and it was the wife of Cavalier Pericle
Avanzo, Elaine Avanzo Westropp Bennett, who suggested using part of the
country house to rent out to visitors. Its location in the heart of the
environmental reserve is ideal for a host of outdoor pursuits. Today,
the villa is also very popular as a wedding venue.
The romance, history, culture and landscape of this relatively unspoilt
region combine to create a truly memorable experience both on and off
the water.
About La Bella Vita
La Bella Vita
La
Bella Vita is a stylish 20-passenger vessel offering comfortable, fully
air-conditioned accommodations with a choice of single or double beds.
She has two upper-deck junior suites and eight lower-deck staterooms,
all with en-suite facilities; and a bright, spacious dining room/bar
area. Louvred doors open to the side decks to give a perfect viewing
platform. Above, there is a huge sun deck with an awning and comfortable
loungers to relax on with a drink and a good book, or just watch the
world go by.
See our newly updated brochure for La Bella Vita:
CLICK HERE
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Visit Italy this year, with La Bella Vita
