Francesca Bortolotto Possati, the owner of the collection of the Bauer hotels in Venice has a gem up her sleeve and it comes in the form of a garden, filled top to bottom with fragrant flowers and hidden away from the canals, it’s a haven hidden within the city itself.
Gardens are not the first thing that springs to mind when you think of Venice; people tend to think of the romantic gondolas floating down the long turquoise canals, the palazzos and the churches. But look a bit closer and you’ll find Venice’s largest garden at 3 acres, attached to the Palladio & Spa Hotel and Villa F on Giudecca Island, one of Venice’s best kept secrets. This secluded space encapsulates the original heritage of the historic city with a combination of classical Italian design and traditional English flowers, including the city’s oldest Magnolia tree. Other flowers that bring the garden to life in the spring include, tulips, anemones, crocuses, narcissus and delicate fritillaries, while summer brings lilacs, lily of the valley, and the blossoming of climbing white roses, tumbling across a pagoda walkway lined with lavender. This setting provides one of the most romantic and enchanting spots in the city, a setting perfect for the ultimate holiday enveloped by the intimacy of the garden under the rose walkways.
Since crafting the garden back to life, Francesca Bortolotto Possati has become involved in a new enterprise that encapsulates the rich history of the city incorporating the fragrant flowers and fragrances that can be found in her garden as well as aiding and supporting people who are in the community, this organisation is named the Rio ‘Tera Dei Pensieri’.
From the beginning of the VXIII century Venice was the heart of perfumery in Europe, this was due to the vast amount of imports from all over the world shipping in strange, wonderful essences such as spices, scents, and balms from the wonders of the East; these imports would then be converted into cosmetics and perfumes for the Venetian nobility. Today the Rio Terà dei pensieri enterprise run by Raffaele Levorato involves the local inmates of the female jail. They are trained by experienced and dedicated volunteers to produce the luxury cosmetics; continuing to support the rehabilitation program. This program has enabled the Bauers hotel to provide guests with quality, cosme tic products throughout the hotel, that are lovingly and carefully made locally in Venice using traditional techniques and natural ingredients that Venetians have used for centuries.
Rio Terà dei pensieri website: http://www.rioteradeipensieri.org/.