Discover Polesella: the Po, culture and waterscapes

Polesella combines the history of the Po with sacred art, villas and a waterscape shaped by embankments, canals, ports and riverbanks. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Polesella, you will find a place where cultural discoveries and observations by the water offer different focal points for planning your trip.

Culture between churches, villas and hydraulic engineering

The original structure of the Chiesa Romanica di Raccano and its bell tower are generally dated to the 13th or 14th century. During extensive restoration work in 1940, a fresco believed to date from the 15th century, depicting the Madonna, the Child and two angels, was discovered there. The image, which had been damaged by moisture, was transferred onto a panel by the Soprintendenza ai Beni Artistici e Ambientali. In this way, the site’s sacred history spans several centuries.

Another historical trace is the Botte Paleocapa. It is a three-pipe inverted siphon that runs beneath the Fossa Polesella and its embankments and was built in 1566. The Basilica di Santa Maria del Rosario also takes visitors into a considerably later period: construction began on 28 November 1734 with the blessing of the foundation stone by the archpriest don Domenico Cullatti.

Waterscapes and special experiences

The Fossa di Polesella tourist route is characterised by embankments, floodplains, river groynes and small ports. It also includes Venetian villas, evidence of industrial and hydraulic engineering archaeology, rural farmsteads and sacred architecture. La Fossa is now a small, fish-rich canal with banks lushly overgrown with reeds. There you can see finches, nightingales, wrens, Savi’s warblers and great reed warblers.

Il Porticciolo is an equipped rest area for river tourism, with moorings for canoes and boats on the Po. Arenile Canon offers a different connection with the water: the sandy beach near Molo Micheli is used as a meeting place and for swimming in the river during hot summers. When choosing a holiday apartment in Polesella, these different facets can be helpful if you wish to give varying importance to culture, nature observation or river experiences.

Villas, art and destinations in the surrounding area

Villa Morosini is located beneath the Po’s left embankment, about one kilometre from Polesella; its construction has been attributed to Vincenzo Scamozzi. The villa houses the Carrain Collection, featuring works by the renowned Venetian artists Vedova, Santomaso, Pizzinato and Birolli. This makes the site a place where architectural history meets modern art.

The area around Polesella also includes the Civic Museum Civiltà in Polesine, a museum, Palazzo Roncale, a palace, Galleria Il Melone Arte Contemporanea, a museum, and Due Torri di Rovigo, a fort. The island of Isola Bianca and the parks Parco Rosetta Pampanini, Parco Lisieux and Parco Alexander Langer are also nearby. A holiday apartment in Polesella can therefore be selected according to the subjects you would particularly like to explore during your stay.

Discover more places

Guarda Veneta, Castelnovo Bariano, Loreo, Paviole, Frassinelle Polesine, San Martino Di Venezze, Costa di Rovigo, Boccasette

To the higher-level travel overview: Rovigo.