Did you know that between Padua, Venice, and Treviso, there are 70 mills along six rivers?
Some of these mills have been restored and are open to visitors, while others bear the marks of time. Yet, the beauty of their history is worth discovering. If you’d like to learn more, we recommend the book 6 Fiumi per 70 Mulini, written by Mauro Scroccaro, featuring stunning photographs by Giorgio Bombieri, and published by our Cooperativa La Città del Sole. You can purchase a copy here at our Camper Park.

The book is a journey through ancient history, a guide to understanding waterways and the economy of the mills, which, especially during the era of the Serenissima, were thriving and strategically important for the Doges. It also serves as a travel guide for wonderful day trips.

The six featured rivers are the Sile, the Zero, the Dese, the Marzenego, the Muson, and the Tergola.
The Sile, currently stretching nearly 84 km, is considered the longest spring-fed river in Europe. The other rivers measure between 35 and 50 km in length. The shortest is the Muson Vecchio, at 34 km, from its source to where it joins the Brenta canal in Mira.

Listen to the history of the Muson River on our podcast

What makes these rivers so interesting?
First, their hydrological characteristics. Second, they all flowed into the Venetian Lagoon, which is why they were subject to interventions by the Magistrati during the Serenissima—those high-ranking state officials tasked with protecting and preserving the lagoon from silting up. Because of this (and this is the third common element), all six rivers have undergone continuous modifications, diversions, and relocations over the centuries.

However, it is the mills, with their evocative architecture and rich history, that make these six rivers truly special.