Meanderings in the Venetian countryside
Once we’d booked one castle for our Christmas holidays, it seemed silly to divert from the theme when deciding upon our second Italian destination. So, we splurged a bit and booked ourselves the honeymoon apartment at Castello di Lispida, a monestary-turned-winery-estate outside of Padua in the countryside around Venice. With magnificent castle grounds to explore by foot or on borrowed bikes, thermal springs baths open 24/7 and private wine tastings available in the basement wine cellar, this place was a dream. I’m fairly certain even Obi put on a pout when he realized we weren’t actually moving in permanently.
Here, we slowed way down, enjoying dips in the warm spring baths, playing with Obi in the expansive lawns, taking bike rides along the canals and trying to capture photos of the (apparently friendly) wild boar that lived on the hillsides behind the main estate grounds. Obi befriended the resident australian shepherd dog, nearly his doppelgänger, and joined Freddy on many an early-morning walk through the property. Together we all explored parts of the Euganean Hills Regional Park, including the beautiful town of Arqua Petrarca — the self-proclaimed “second most beautiful village in Italy” — and took a day trip to the famous city of Venice herself.
The whole experience felt like living in a painting, and I took SO many pictures attempting to capture the feeling and save it for future reminiscing. It was the coziest, loveliest, most elegant spot to rest to round out our last remaining December days.
Love from Leysin,
sbmc
