Open for Schools, Groups, Families, Individuals, Disabled, Summer Camps and Church summer groups GREST

Activities for groups of adults and/or children for several days: Please call for further details.

The Altaura and Monte Ceva organic holiday farms are located in two places:
in Casale di Scodosia, via Correr 25 at Altaura.

The holiday farm in Casale di Scodosia is an antique 26-hectare farm where the land is farmed according to organic methods. It gives its visitors – whether big or small – the chance to actually get to know life on a farm, farm animals and country traditions. With its ditches and hedges the farm is an area of healthy and luxuriant vegetation and is a real wildlife haven. Half of the farm is covered by a wood of walnut, hazelnut, and ash trees, along with oaks, alders, and paulownias. One hectare is cultivated for the wild fauna. Soya, corn, wheat, and Lucerne are grown on a 12-hectare land. The huts for the hens, ducks and geese and the shelter for the sheep are among the kiwi-plants; the cattle and donkeys’ one is under the paulownias, and the rabbits have an open-air pen. We are able to watch in full safety the worker bees, the drones and the queen bee from the special hut fitted with mosquito screens, as well as taste the honey straight from the honeycomb. We can also stroke the young donkeys, calves, rabbits, piglets, chicks, lambs and goats; we can learn how to weave with an old loom, or to use traditional farm tools. The Farm also offers in-depth studies and work sessions on different topics such as biodiversity and seed protection, animal wellbeing and the construction of shelters for chicken, guinea fowls and turkeys, biotechnology and wood biomass boiler, and insects that populate an organic farm.
As to accommodation, in addition to outdoors, there are also the rustic annexes of the XVII^th  century Correr Villa, as well as the old stables for meeting up and a big colonnade where you can admire and use the home-grown goods. The former tobacco drying rooms, which have recently been restored and equipped with all the requisites in order to guarantee a comfortable stay, house the lodging rooms (all with private bathroom, television and fly screens on the windows), the dining-hall and the rooms for meetings and events, decorated in a simple and welcoming style.

in Battaglia Terme, via Cataio 68 at Cà Vecchia, at the foot of Monte Ceva.

The farm tourism estate Cà Vecchia is located between Battaglia Terme and Montegrotto Terme, in the Euganei Hills Regional Park, in a doubly-protected area: SIC (Important Site for the Community) and ZPS (Special Protection Area). It counts over 50 hectares of woods with large expanses of the Mount Ceva’s Wildlife Sanctuary. Within the estate, three paths of different lengths and difficulty have been chosen and provided with signs to give directions and to show illustrations of the botanical species; in the former barn next to the lodgings is kept the Herbarium with those of the species of Mount Ceva which are present on the Holiday Farm, it was commissioned by the estate and was carried out by Prof. Noemi Tornadore of the Geobotany Institute, Padova University. The visitors will be led along the paths on the hill and will be invited to see and recognise the place’s characteristic plants and rocks, as well as to admire the attractive surrounding views of the Euganei Hills. If they are lucky they might even see the fallow deer that roam freely on the grounds. The importance of the biodiversity on Mount Ceva is recognised by the European community.
For visiting, for consulting the Herbarium, for lone or guided hikes on Mount Ceva and in different areas (marshland, oak grove, chestnut wood, Mediterranean scrub...), for going into specific subjects like the geology of the place, phytosociology, mushrooms, the identification of the very numerous insects that live in the Euganei Hills, and any other topics, and for organising whole days, please contact the company numbers.  The renovation of the three cottages on the Cà Vecchia estate was completed in spring 2004. The first floor of the farmhouse is divided into two studio flats: one of them – called “Il Nocciolo” (“The Hazel”) – consists of a room with a kitchenette and a bathroom, the other one – “La Quercia” (“The Oak”) – consists of a bedroom, a kitchen and a bathroom. Both flats are equipped with fly screens on the windows, a fireplace, air conditioning, a television, a DVD and a VHS player.
The ground floor hosts the entrance for reception, the farm kitchen and dining-room for eating together and for gathering round the fireplace. The Herbarium of Mount Ceva is kept in the meeting room on the first floor of the former barn, and the ground floor is available for workshops and experiments.  The turret is an ideal observatory for animal watching. The restoration made use of bio ecological architecture techniques: airy roofs, eco-friendly natural lime plaster; and the plaster in the living-room is mixed with straw from the farm’s organic plantations.
Central heating and sanitary water of the three units are taken care of by a wood biomass boiler that allows reusing the waste product after pruning the trees in the woods.On the roof, instead of getting walled up, the top part of the chimney has been left open in order to let small birds build their nests and shelter.A stay at Cà Vecchia is especially recommended for visitors who feel the need to plunge into the peace of the environing wood and who would enjoy seeing the fallow deer which often come to quench their thirst at the fountains next to the buildings, and it would also please people who would like to be within short distance of an extremely interesting historical and cultural tourist centre.Even in the hottest summers the weather is temperate, thanks to the “microclimate” due to the estate’s privileged situation in a small valley.

The holiday farms offer rooms with facilities for meetings, courses, etc. and large-scale cooking.

The holiday farm in Casale di Scodosia is an antique 26-hectare farm where the land is farmed according to organic methods. It gives its visitors whether big or small the chance to actually get to know life on a farm, farm animals and country traditions. With its ditches and hedges the farm is an area of healthy and luxuriant vegetation and is a real wildlife haven. Half of the farm is covered by a wood of walnut, hazelnut, and ash trees, along with oaks, alders, and paulownias. One hectare is cultivated for the wild fauna. Soya, corn, wheat, and Lucerne are grown on a 12-hectare land. The huts for the hens, ducks and geese and the shelter for the sheep are among the kiwi-plants; the cattle and donkeys’ one is under the paulownias, and the rabbits have an open-air pen. We are able to watch in full safety the worker bees, the drones and the queen bee from the special hut fitted with mosquito screens, as well as taste the honey straight from the honeycomb. We can also stroke the young donkeys, calves, rabbits, piglets, chicks, lambs and goats; we can learn how to weave with an old loom, or to use traditional farm tools. The Farm also offers in-depth studies and work sessions on different subjects such as biodiversity and seed protection, animal wellbeing and the construction of shelters for chicken, guinea fowls and turkeys, biotechnology and wood biomass boiler, and insects that populate an organic farm.
As to accommodation, in addition to outdoors, there are also the rustic annexes of the XVII^th  century Correr Villa, as well as the old stables for meeting up and a big colonnade where you can admire and use the home-grown goods. The former tobacco drying rooms, which have been recently renovated and equipped with all the requisites in order to guarantee a comfortable stay, house the lodging rooms (all with private bathroom, television and fly screens on the windows), the dining-hall and the rooms for meetings and events, decorated in a simple and welcoming style.

Prices are inclusive of: tax, water, electricity, weekly bedding change, central heating.
Equipment and services included: cleaning after departure, microwave oven, fridge, television. By request: high chair and bed for children up to three years old and use of the farm kitchen.

Services by request:

Payment: 30% of the rent is to be paid at booking; the remaining 70 % is to be paid on arrival. Payment can be made by PayPal, postal order, online money order, or by paying a deposit on the bank current account Deutsche Bank Piazza Erbe 1-35122 Padova Agenzia A. Swift code DEUT IT 1512 C.I.N.: X, ABI: 3104, CAB: 12101, C/C: 000000010090 Deutsche Bank Piazza Erbe 1-35122 Padova, registered in the name of Az. Altaura e Monte Ceva di Maria Dalla Francesca.

Bailment: € 150,00 as a guarantee for any damage or breaking that could happen during the stay.
Number of beds: the number of guests may not exceed the number of beds.
Arrival and departure: unless otherwise arrangements, arrival must take place between 5 and 7 pm and departure before 11 am.
Cancellation: The following fees will be deducted in case of cancellation: 10% of the total if the cancellation is made at least 4 months before the date of arrival; 50% if it is made after the 119^th day to the date of arrival; 100% after the 59^th to the date of arrival. Customers will be refunded if the flat gets partially or entirely rented out.

Apartment for one night from € 60,00 to € 100,00. Discounts for extended stays.

CHIA

The Cà Vecchia holiday farm is surrounded by a 50-hectare wood, enclosed in the Euganei Hills Regional Park; it is 1 km away from the Catajo Castle (Castello del Catajo) which it used to be part of. The estate counts large expanses of the Mount Ceva’s Wildlife Sanctuary.
The Farm is within easy reach, situated about 3 km away from the motorway exit Terme Euganee on the Bologna-Padua motorway. It is 13 km away from Padua, 3 km away from the thermal spas Montegrotto Terme and Abano Terme and 30 km away from Venice.
Within the estate, three paths of different lengths and difficulty have been chosen and provided with signs to give directions and to show illustrations of the botanical species provided by the Geobotany Institute, Padova University. Geologists classified Mount Ceva as the most thermophilic region north of the Po. Many rare species such as the Opuntia Compressa (or prickly pear) and the Sempervivum Arachnoideum (or Cobweb Houseleek) grow on the estate. The landscape in spring at blooming time is unforgettable.
The renovation of the three cottages on the Cà Vecchia estate was completed in spring 2004. The first floor of the farmhouse is divided into two studio flats: one of them – called “Il Nocciolo” (“The Hazel”) consists of a room with a kitchenette and a bathroom, the other one – “La Quercia” (“The Oak”) – consists of a bedroom, a kitchen and a bathroom. Both flats are equipped with fly screens on the windows, a fireplace, air conditioning, a television, a DVD and a VHS player.
The ground floor hosts the entrance for reception, the farm kitchen and dining-room for eating together and for gathering round the fireplace. The Herbarium of Mount Ceva is kept in the meeting room on the first floor of the former barn, the ground floor is available for workshops and experiments. 
The turret is an ideal observatory for animal watching. The restoration made use of bio ecological architecture techniques: airy roofs, eco-friendly natural lime plaster; and the plaster in the living-room is mixed with straw from the farm’s organic plantations.
Central heating and sanitary water of the three units are taken care of by a wood biomass boiler that allows reusing the waste product after pruning the trees in the woods.
On the roof, instead of getting walled up, the top part of the chimney has been left open in order to let small birds build their nests and shelter.
A stay at Cà Vecchia is especially recommended for visitors who feel the need to plunge into the peace of the environing wood and who would enjoy seeing the fallow deer which often come to quench their thirst at the fountains next to the buildings, and it would also lease people who would like to be near an extremely interesting historical and cultural tourist centre.
Even in the hottest summers the weather is temperate, thanks to the “microclimate” due to the estate’s privileged situation in a small valley.

HOW TO REACH THE FARM AT ALTAURA IN CASALE DI SCODOSIA - PD

Leave the A13 Padua Bologna motorway by taking the Monselice exit; continue on the main road 10, direction Este-Montagnana. Pass Este and Ospedaletto Euganeo, turn left according to the signs for Santa Margherita d’Adige. Then follow the signs for Megliadino S. Vitale and Casale di Scodosia.
Coming from Padua, take the main road 16 towards Battaglia Terme and Monselice; then follow the previous instructions.
Coming from Verona, take the expressway Transpolesana until Legnago, then the main road 10 until Montagnana and eventually follow the signs direction Casale di Scodosia.

Coming from Vicenza on the Riviera Berrica, carry on until Ospedaletto Euganeo, turn right onto the main road 10 direction Montagnana, then turn left according to the signs to Santa Margherita d’Adige. Then follow the signs for Megliadino S. Vitale and Casale di Scodosia.

Coming from Mantova, stay on the main road 10 until Montagnana, from there follow the signs for Casale di Scodosia.

Coming from Rovigo on the Transpolesana expressway, carry on until Badia Polesine, then drive on to Castelbaldo, Merlara, Urbana and Casale di Scodosia.

Coming from Ferrara on the A13 Padua Bologna motorway, carry on until Rovigo, then follow the previous instructions.

Once you have reached Casale di Scodosia: in front of the big Santa Maria parish church, cross via Roma to get onto via Ungheria opposite. Drive along till the crossroads where you turn left direction Altaura. Follow the signs for Villa Correr. Once in front of the Villa, carry on until the bend to the left where you will see the entrance to the Farm.

By bus: the bus stop is 1 500 metres far from the Farm, by previous agreement with the SITA administration (Tel. 049/8206830) it is possible to ask to stop in front of the farm. The bus route is Padua – Battaglia – Monselice – Este-Montagnana or Badia Polesine. The route can be seen on the following map.

HOW TO REACH THE FARM AT MOUNT CEVA – CÀ VECCHIA IN BATTAGLIA TERME - PD

Warning for Coaches exceeding 3,5 tons. The access road is the one across the Catajo Bridge, which can be driven on by such vehicles only one way from the bridge direction Montegrotto. There are two difficult places on this route: one is on the actual Catajo Bridge, due to the limited space (See the drawing and dimensions of the place); the second is a sharp bend, nevertheless equipped with a mirror to see if any traffic is coming from the other direction. Straight after the level-crossing, on the right, there is a parking area for coaches. The Farm is 500 metres away on foot. When the coach leaves it will have to follow the Montegrotto direction.

Organic and Educational Farm Altaura and Monte Ceva: TARGETS

“The creativity, ideals and courage of the youth of the world should be mobilized to forge a global partnership in order to achieve sustainable development and ensure a better future for all.”
(Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, Principle 21, United Nations Conference, Rio de Janeiro, June 1992.)

Maria Dalla Francesca, owner of the Farm and Giancarlo Perdon,
Padua, August 2005.

The Altaura and Monte Ceva organic holiday farms are located in two places:
in Casale di Scodosia, via Correr 25 at Altaura and in Battaglia Terme, via Cataio 68 at Cà Vecchia, at the foot of Monte Ceva.

In Casale di Scodosia (Padua), the holiday farm is an antique 26-hectare farm where the land is farmed according to organic methods. It gives its visitors – whether big or small – the chance to actually get to know life on a farm, farm animals and country traditions. With its ditches and hedges the farm is an area of healthy and luxuriant vegetation and is a real wildlife haven. Half of the farm is covered by a wood of walnut, hazelnut, and ash trees, along with oaks, alders, and paulownias. One hectare is cultivated for the wild fauna. Soya, corn, wheat, and Lucerne are grown on a 12-hectare land. The huts for the hens, ducks and geese and the shelter for the sheep are among the kiwi-plants; the cattle and donkeys’ one is under the paulownias, and the rabbits have an open-air pen. We are able to watch in full safety the worker bees, the drones and the queen bee from the special hut fitted with mosquito screens, as well as taste the honey straight from the honeycomb. We can also stroke the young donkeys, calves, rabbits, piglets, chicks, lambs and goats; we can learn how to weave with an old loom, or to use traditional farm tools. The Farm also offers in-depth studies and work sessions on different topics such as biodiversity and seed protection, animal wellbeing and the construction of shelters for chicken, guinea fowls and turkeys, biotechnology and wood biomass boiler, and insects that populate an organic farm.
As to accommodation, in addition to outdoors, there are also the rustic annexes of the XVII^th  century Correr Villa, as well as the old stables for meeting up and a big colonnade where you can admire and use the home-grown goods. The former tobacco drying rooms, which have recently been restored and equipped with all the requisites in order to guarantee a comfortable stay, house the lodging rooms (all with private bathroom, television and fly screens on the windows), the dining-hall and the rooms for meetings and events, decorated in a simple and welcoming style.

In Battaglia Terme (Padua), the farm tourism estate Cà Vecchia is located between Battaglia Terme and Montegrotto Terme, in the Euganei Hills Regional Park, in a doubly-protected area: SIC (Important Site for the Community) and ZPS (Special Protection Area). It counts over 50 hectares of woods with large expanses of the Mount Ceva’s Wildlife Sanctuary. Within the estate, three paths of different lengths and difficulty have been chosen and provided with signs to give directions and to show illustrations of the botanical species; in the former barn next to the lodgings is kept the Herbarium with those of the species of Mount Ceva which are present on the Holiday Farm, it was commissioned by the estate and was carried out by Prof. Noemi Tornadore of the Geobotany Institute, Padova University. The visitors will be led along the paths on the hill and will be invited to see and recognise the place’s characteristic plants and rocks, as well as to admire the attractive surrounding views of the Euganei Hills. If they are lucky they might even see the fallow deer that roam freely on the grounds. The importance of the biodiversity on Mount Ceva is recognised by the European community.
For visiting, for consulting the Herbarium, for lone or guided hikes on Mount Ceva and in different areas (marshland, oak grove, chestnut wood, Mediterranean scrub...), for going into specific subjects like the geology of the place, phytosociology, mushrooms, the identification of the very numerous insects that live in the Euganei Hills, and any other topics, and for organising whole days, please contact the company numbers.
The renovation of the three cottages on the Cà Vecchia estate was completed in spring 2004. The first floor of the farmhouse is divided into two studio flats: one of them – called “Il Nocciolo” (“The Hazel”) – consists of a room with a kitchenette and a bathroom, the other one – “La Quercia” (“The Oak”) – consists of a bedroom, a kitchen and a bathroom. Both flats are equipped with fly screens on the windows, a fireplace, air conditioning, a television, a DVD and a VHS player.
The ground floor hosts the entrance for reception, the farm kitchen and dining-room for eating together and for gathering round the fireplace. The Herbarium of Mount Ceva is kept in the meeting room on the first floor of the former barn, and the ground floor is available for workshops and experiments.
The turret is an ideal observatory for animal watching. The restoration made use of bio ecological architecture techniques: airy roofs, eco-friendly natural lime plaster; and the plaster in the living-room is mixed with straw from the farm’s organic plantations.
Central heating and sanitary water of the three units are taken care of by a wood biomass boiler that allows reusing the waste product after pruning the trees in the woods.
On the roof, instead of getting walled up, the top part of the chimney has been left open in order to let small birds build their nests and shelter.
A stay at Cà Vecchia is especially recommended for visitors who feel the need to plunge into the peace of the environing wood and who would enjoy seeing the fallow deer which often come to quench their thirst at the fountains next to the buildings, and it would also please people who would like to be within short distance of an extremely interesting historical and cultural tourist centre.
Even in the hottest summers the weather is temperate, thanks to the “microclimate” due to the estate’s privileged situation in a small valley.