Andrea Palladio
Villa Foscari 1558-1560
photo by Maurizio Sartoretto

This villa, a classical styled mansion, which Palladio executed for the brothers Nicol and Alvise, members of a patrician Venetian family Foscari. On the outside, perfectly symmetrical porticoes overlook manicured lawns and a romantic stretch of river. Inside, the piano nobile (the main floor) is painted floor-to-ceiling with frescoes that tell the stories of Roman gods. Even though it's a UNESCO World Heritage site, it's actually still a private home.