To the discovery of Palladio by bike
- Travelling time: one day
- Difficulty: Medium
- Why we love it: Because of the evocative landscape of the Berici and the wonderful buildings of Palladio
- Length: 45 km
- Total Elevation Gain: 300 m
- Way to travel: by bike
- Cost: 0 €
- Our Advice: The Palladian villas are many: you can discover them all with the other itineraries in Veneto!
The Venetian countryside and its cities are enriched by the magnificent works of the famous architect Andrea Palladio. With this itinerary we will offer you a cycle path to discover his villas, set in idyllic landscapes.
We start from Vicenza, where Palladio lived and left the majority of his works. This elegant Venetian city is an outdoor museum of Palladian monuments, Renaissance palaces and ancient villas. In the beautiful inner city, surrounded by ancient walls, there are the main attractions.
In our journey through the architect and his landscapes we can’t miss the beautiful Palladian Basilica (which, despite its name, isn’t a sacred building) inserted in the beautiful Piazza dei Signori and the Olympic Theatre, one of the greatest architectural masterpieces of the world.
In Piazza dei Signori (the main square of the city) there’s also the Loggia del Capitanio, another building by the architect.
But Palladio's works are not only found in the city, they are in fact scattered here and there, in the surrounding countryside, enriching and in turn enriched by the evocative landscape. So we leave the center, to discover the works and landscapes. We head to Noventa Vicentina, following the cycle-path of the Riviera Berica. Here, on a hilltop, there is the Villa Capra Valmarana, called "La Rotonda", the most famous villa of Palladio.
We follow the cycle-path up to Longara. We turn right in Via Cipro and head towards the road Via Grancare turning left and then right at the intersection with Viale Rivera Berica. We are at the foot of the sweet and spectacular Berici Hills. Among slight ups and downs we follow the road until we get to Lake Fimon. This small lake nestled in the landscape of the Berici Hills is a jewel of nature and archeology. The willows, poplars, reeds and water lilies are home to numerous species such as amphibians, mallards, coots and pike. On its banks they were found remains of a prehistoric village.
After completing the tour of the lake (about 4km), you reach the village of Fimon. Here begins the ascent to Arcugnano where you can enjoy a wonderful view of the Berici Hills. We head first towards Tormeno and then back to Longara. From here we head to Mount Berico where we find on our right, the Sanctuary of Mount Berico: the beautiful result of the integration of two churches: one Gothic and the second in the Baroque style. In front of the sanctuary we find the Piazzale della Vittoria where you can admire the historic center of Vicenza and the surrounding landscape, from the Dolomites to Mount Grappa.
Author: Chiara Marras
