Castello di Roncade, Renaissance villa with castle walls in Roncade, Italy.
The Castello di Roncade is a fortified villa with two corner towers and crenellated walls that give it a defensive appearance, while its interior spaces reflect classical Venetian villa design from the Renaissance. Extensive gardens and working vineyards surround the main building, with stone outbuildings scattered across the grounds to support both domestic and agricultural functions.
The property was established in 1508 and gradually shifted from a fortified defensive structure to a wine-producing estate over the following centuries. This transition shaped its development more significantly than its initial military purpose, turning it into an important agricultural center in the Veneto region.
The estate has remained in the hands of the Giustinian family for centuries and continues to represent how Venetian nobility lived between their city homes and rural properties. The way the grounds are organized, from the formal gardens to the working vineyards, shows how landowners managed both their status and their agricultural output.
The property is accessible by road through the countryside north of Venice, and visitors can walk around the grounds at their own pace since the main buildings are arranged on a central axis. Wear comfortable shoes as the gardens and vineyard areas are spread out across the site, and many pathways are unpaved or gravel.
Inside the villa stands a private chapel containing stone busts of Girolamo Giustinian and Agnesina Badoer, dating to the 1500s and often overlooked by visitors. These portraits reveal how families commissioned lasting reminders of their ancestors within their own homes.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.