Villa Foscarini Rossi

Well-heeled Venetians wouldn’t have dreamed of decamping to the Brenta without their favourite cobblers, sparking a local tradition of shoemaking. Today, 538 companies produce around 19 million pairs of shoes annually. Their lasting contribution is celebrated with a Shoemakers’ Museum at this 18th-century villa, its collection including 18th-century slippers and kicks created for trendsetter Marlene Dietrich. Admission includes access to the villa's 17th-century foresteria (guesthouse), which wows with allegorical frescoes by Pietro Liberi and trompe l'œil effects by Domenico de Bruni.