Casa Myriam

The Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park was created in 1990, but steps towards its creation actually began all the way back in the 1960s. Its holdings are impressive with over 32,000 hectares being protected by the National Park.

The park takes in territories from fifteen different municipalities, in the Val Belluna, north of the centre of the Piave Valley.

It is the most visited national park in all of Italy and with good reason.

This week, we've been talking about the incredible holiday destination that is the region of Veneto. Whether you are looking to spend time in the extraordinary and world-famous capital of Venice or the romance capital of Verona, go hiking or skiing in the Dolomites or discover the many lesser-known charming towns and villages around the region, it is an ideal location. We have plenty of amazing vacation rentals in Veneto but here are some more of our favourites of just a selection of the best of the best among them:

2. Casabrando

This imposing 15th century property is still in the position of the Conti Brandolini d'Adda and maintains the family's armature, statues and the building's overall historic character.

The pretty town of Pordenone is the main comune of the province of Pordenone in the northeastern Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Settlements have dotted the surrounding area since the time of the Romans but the town of Pordenone itself was not actually established until during the Middle Ages, when it was founded as a port town on the Noncello river. In fact, the town's very name comes from the Latin Portus Naonis, meaning “port on the Noncello River”.

Like the rest of Italy, the town passed through plenty of different hands and rules throughout the ages and by the 13th century, it came into the possession of the Habsburg family. It flourished over the next few decades and gained city status in 1314. In the 16th century, it came under the rule of the Republic of Venice and a new port was built in town. Annexed to Italy in 1866, the town further flourished under industrialisation and though the failure of the cotton sector threatened the town's prosperity in the early 20th century, the raising of local firm Zanussi to the status of a world giant of household appliances after WWII helped stabilise the economic situation. In 1968, the city became the capital of the province of the same name.

In the last post, we discussed the charming and pretty town of Pordenone and its many architectural gems. However, that isn't all there is to the town. In fact, it has a lot to offer a visitor. In addition to everything else, Pordenone is a cultural hub that plays host to many different events throughout the year. One of these is the book festival Pordenone Legge, which has been taking place for over a decade and sees the town taken over by book stalls, interviews with both Italian and international writers, and lectures by journalists and scholars for a week each September.

Pordenone has also been the primary host to the Giornate del Cinema Muto, a festival dedicated to silent film, since 1981. Taking place each October, the festival was the first, largest and most important international festival dedicated to silent film. Named as one of the top 50 unmissable film festivals in the world according to Variety, it is a unique experience that any movie lovers visiting the city will enjoy. Additionally, the FMK International Short Film Festival takes place in the town on an annual basis, as well.

Italy is known as a gourmet country and foodie destination and there are lots of different dining experiences that one can enjoy while holidaying in Italy. Some are conventional but elevated and delicious and others are more unique and unusual. If you have found a vacation rental in Veneto and are planning on enjoying some culinary experiences and adventures while in the area, then you should definitely pencil in a visit to the rather special Osteria senz’Oste.

This restaurant offers a very unique dining experience as it famously does not have any chefs or waiters present! The name literally means, “restaurant without hosts” and they aren’t kidding. Located in a picture-perfect and exceptionally pretty 19th century farmhouse, set amongst vineyards on the hills of Cartizze in Veneto, it boasts the most amazing views over the lush landscape that unfolds beautifully below.

There is no shortage of excellent museums to choose from in Italy, as is patently obvious. Whether you’re heading to the Vatican City, which is essentially one giant museum-state, to Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance, to Venice, home to the Biennale, which remains one of the world’s most important contemporary art exhibitions, and much more besides, there are plenty of options. However, while the famous and large museums filled with renowned names and works of art are undoubtedly important and worth seeing, we are big fans of the more obscure hidden gems that are dotted around the country. If you have found a vacation rental in Trentino, for example, you might want to check out a rather special museum indeed: an outdoor museum located across a beautiful forested alpine area.

In the Val di Sella, a pretty little valley located in the the Valsugana region of Trentino, a half hour from Trento, you will find the Arte Sella an open-air museum that is home to around 58 works of art dotted along a trail through the woods of Val di Sella. Tracing its roots back to 1986, when local artists began exhibiting their art in this area, the one-off event then became a biannual event and, finally, in 1996 became a permanent fixture in the area. The works are all created using natural materials that are found in the area – with twigs, branches, logs, rocks, and leaves being some of the most common materials that are used – and are sometimes interwoven with living plants and trees, allowing them to change, grow, and take on a life of their own. Works are also set up to make the most of their surroundings, frame views, and live in harmony with this lovely part of the world.