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Castello di Montegalda

Ponte Furo a Vicenza

Colli Berici

Colli Euganei

MONTEGALDA

A treasure deep in the hills and defended by a castle

In the distant past, Montegalda was known as Mons Gaudii, mount of pleasure and joy, which explains why various famous figures, such as Antonio Fogazzaro, chose to live there.

Halfway between the lands of Vicenza and Padua, at the feet of a low-lying group of hills detached from the Euganean and Berici Hills, Montegalda is a small town located amidst villas and woodlands, a treasure trove of natural beauty and architectural splendour.

Steeped in mystery and tradition, Montegalda is host to seven hills and seven churches, but the true symbol of the town remains Villa Grimani-Marcello-Sorlini, the medieval castle of Montegalda, which was the stage of many dramatic events and is mentioned as far back as 1176.

Montegalda also evokes the genuine flavours of the table, with local farming specialised in the cultivation of vines for classic wines.

VICENZA.

A mosaic of history and nature, art and cuisine

Vicenza is a treasured medieval city and one of the provincial capitals of Veneto region, founded on the northern slopes of the Berici hills, along the banks of the river Bacchiglione.

A UNESCO World Heritage site, known as the “City of Palladio” for the rich legacy left there by the famous architect. Countless architectural treasures including villas, palazzos and squares are like veritable open-air museums that enrich the city of Vicenza.

The heart of the city is Piazza dei Signori, overlooked by Basilica Palladiana, next to the Teatro Olimpico commissioned by the Accademia Olimpica.

Just outside the centre is Villa “La Rotonda”, the pinnacle of Palladio’s art, as well as Villa Valmarana ai Nani, where frescoes by Tiepolo can be admired.

History, life and culture can be breathed in its lively districts, yet Vicenza is not just Palladio. It is also nature, with its spellbinding hills, as well as food and wine traditions, offering typical dishes handed down through generations.

THE BERICI HILLS

A journey through flavours, from one trattoria to another

The soft, sculptural Berici Hills rise up through the fogs of the Po valley, a compact area framed by the mountains to the north, and stage of bloody battles during the world wars.

Forming the group of hills on which Vicenza stands, their origins date back at least hundreds of millions of years, once the bed of an ancient sea.

The most important summit is Mount Berico, dominating what is an expansive and varied territory whose common denominator is the uniqueness and enhancement of each single area.

Still today, wandering from one hill to the next, you can come across countless trattorias, characteristic culinary idylls, as well as agritourisms, often located in renovated farmhouses, where the strong, full-bodied flavours of traditional dishes can be enjoyed.

THE EUGANEAN HILLS

Amidst oak trees, chestnut trees and famous guests

The Euganean Hills are of volcanic origin and rise, almost like an archipelago, just a few kilometres southwest of Padua.

Forming the first regional park in Veneto, established in 1989 to safeguard the territory and valorise the environment, they are soft elevations, rarely exceeding five hundred metres and covering a relatively vast area of approximately 200 square km.

"If only I could show you the second Mount Helicon I have prepared for you and the Muses in the Euganean Hills! I truly doubt you would ever want to leave". The words of Francesco Petrarch in praise of the Euganean Hills, and it is here, in the village of Arquà, that the Arezzo-born poet chose to take refuge.

Besides Arquà Petrarca, small medieval villages are several: Este, the home of the eponymous family, Battaglia Terme with its impressive Obizzi residence, Monselice with its evocative trail of the “seven churches”, and finally the majestic late fifteenth century Duomo di Montagnana.