One of Andrea Palladio's greatest works, Villa Barbaro at Maser stands five kilometres north-east of Asolo and is the single best reason to have a car. Commissioned in the 1550s by brothers Daniele and Marcantonio Barbaro, it represents the perfect fusion of Palladio's architectural genius and Paolo Veronese's painterly brilliance — every room is frescoed with trompe-l'oeil landscapes, mythological scenes, and playful figures looking down from painted balconies.
The nymphaeum behind the villa, with its fountains and statues, and the circular Tempietto (a small chapel designed by Palladio) complete the ensemble. The villa is still privately owned by the Volpi family and open to visitors on limited days; book ahead, as spaces fill quickly. This is one of the finest Renaissance complexes in the Veneto, arguably in all Italy.