Northwest of Venice on the mainland, Mestre is often used by travelers as a base for exploring Venice and the Veneto. Piazza Ferretto, Mestre's pedestrian-friendly main square, includes cafes, shops, and the town's 12th-century watchtower. The Brenta Canal, famous for its elegant Palladian villas, empties into the lagoon next to Mestre and stretches to the historic university city of Padua.
