The Association for the Venetian Villas (APS), with the valuable support of the Veneto Region, is the creator, organizer, and promoter of the project “1st National Forum on Heritage Tourism and World Heritage Sites – Venetian Villas Re-Thinking.” This initiative was born with the primary goal of promoting and enhancing the immense heritage of the Venetian Villas, recognized as fundamental elements of the identity of the Region and Italy as a whole, thanks to their unique historical, artistic, landscape, and agricultural value.
The Ville Venete Re-Thinking project focuses on the “Development of territorial marketing” (pursuant to art. 4 of Regional Law 30/2023), as it satisfies the following requirements:
Reinterpretation of the “Venetian Villas” phenomenon, according to a multidisciplinary approach. Today, the Venetian Villa has a multifaceted nature. It can be a farm, an architectural monument, a museum, an event venue, a place to stay, a historic garden, a winery and a producer of excellent food and wine, a school, a social gathering place, a municipal office, and so on.
The “Ville Venete Re-thinking” major event raises awareness of Venetian Villas and Villa Civilization internationally. Through an annual forum, the aim is to showcase a complex heritage, both for its long history and the large number of villas throughout the Veneto region. The event will highlight the strategic assets of this heritage, underscoring how the Venetian Villas are already part of the UNESCO World Heritage sites, including Palladio and the Palladian Villas, and the surrounding areas, such as the Prosecco Hills, the Dolomites, and the city of Venice.
The forum is structured as an event for reflection and discussion on Heritage tourism, focusing on the Venetian Villas as a unique identity for their beauty, history, and territorial presence. The aim is to present research on the topic to a national and international audience, with experts from various sectors and institutional representatives, in order to explore and discuss the circular economy system generated by the Venetian Villas, in terms of its impact on the territory, the environment, and the community, as well as the governance that underpins it.
The initiative represents a decisive step towards the conservation and sustainable enhancement of this extraordinary cultural heritage, aiming to redefine the role of the Villa not only as a historical testimony but also as a key element of a circular economic system. It is based on an innovative approach that seeks to connect the rich history of the Villas with the challenges and opportunities of the present, creating a harmonious link between history and sustainability.
A re-thinking of the Venetian Villa heritage through current and relevant topics, for both the owners and/or managers of Venetian Villas, as well as for tourism and cultural operators, and for producers of Italian culinary and artisanal excellences connected to this world.
It will be a participatory forum, during which a dialogue will take place between owners, managers, and sector experts. Through a rich panel of presentations, they will present part of the research entitled ‘Venetian Villas Re-birth,’ initiated by a center of excellence (TEHA – The European House Ambrosetti). This research will allow us to explore topics related to the economy, the environment, governance, tourism, education, agriculture, and gastronomy. The aim is to reflect on the current challenges faced by the Venetian Villas and to identify solutions aligned with the objectives of the SDG 2030 Agenda (Sustainable Development Goals 2030).
The research project < 4 >Ville Venete Re-birth, < 7 >part of the Forum, < 10 >is intended as the starting point for a virtuous study and research project, capable of updating the landscape of this cultural heritage with concrete, current numerical and economic data. Not only data relating to the number of villas open or closed to the public, but also economic data that provide a comprehensive picture of the value generated by the Venetian Villas.
The European House Ambrosetti (TEHA), durante la giornata del 28 aprile 2026, presenterà la ricerca e uno o più percorsi di studio per diversi cluster (ospitalità, ristorazione, produzione agricola e o artigianale, ticketing di visita, affitti location etc..), con l’obiettivo finale di scoprire i dati aggiornati di un’identità culturale unica al mondo in grado di attrarre visitatori, ospiti e un turismo di qualità, lento, Heritage, esperienziale, culturale ma, soprattutto, sostenibile.
Because the Venetian Villas are a cultural heritage of enormous proportions, comprising more than 4,000 properties consisting, in addition to the villas, of complexes such as castles, barchesse, oratories, gardens, parks, rustic buildings, and significant artistic structures. For our Region, they are a unique calling card in the world, thanks to the number of villas (4,300 between Veneto and Friuli), their geographical distribution (one in almost every municipality), their artistic, architectural, cultural, economic, agricultural, and identity-building value (a fundamental part of Venice’s history), and the fact that many of them are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites (Palladio’s Villas).
A narrative that now more than ever needs to be updated and revitalized through research that not only accounts for the number of Villas still active in the territory but also investigates and analyzes the economic value generated by their activities as production and service centers. Research focused on the various uses underlying these realities as socio-economic activities (agricultural and food production, viticulture, livestock, accommodation/catering, receptions/conferences/events, hosting commercial or professional activities, etc.) has never been conducted, except in a discursive manner without supporting numerical data.
The Venetian Villas represent a sustainable future with great potential for economic, agricultural, artisanal, touristic, cultural, and civic development, and Ville Venete Re-born aims to bring this to light. The work of Ville Venete Re-birth will last several years and requires immediate support from the institutions.
Participation in the Forum is limited and reserved for industry experts, owners of Venetian Villas, institutional representatives, and stakeholders from the various thematic clusters.
Participation in the event will be possible by registering at this link.
Filling out the link will not automatically register you for the event; you will need to wait for confirmation from the secretariat.
In registration, priority will be given to:
RE-BIRTH research
RE-BIRTH research
