Discover Marostica: Castles, City Walls and Cherry Trails

Marostica between Castle Culture and Landscapes

Marostica combines impressive buildings, special events and paths through a landscape shaped by cherry trees. If you would like to explore Veneto independently, you will find a range of experiences here: you can visit a medieval fortress, walk along a narrow section of the city walls, discover a historic church or explore nature along the Valletta stream.

Living Chess Game and Castello Inferiore

One of the most unusual cultural features is the living chess game on Piazza Castello. It takes place every two years in September, with around 600 performers taking part in medieval costumes. The game was proposed and staged in 1923 by university students Mirko Vucetich and Francesco Pozza as a historical reenactment. The event is therefore part of both today’s festival culture and the history of Marostica.

Castello Inferiore is a square, battlemented fortress with a tall keep and two drawbridges. You can currently visit twelve frescoed and partially furnished halls, six cells in the tower and the wall walk. Castello Inferiore is open daily, except on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

City Walls and Castello Superiore

The Cammino di Ronda begins at the Torre della Compagnia delle Mura. There, qualified staff sell admission tickets and fit visitors with safety harnesses before you walk the panoramic route independently. The eastern side of the route along the city walls has been accessible since 2014. This section is 8 to 12 metres above the ground and 70 centimetres wide. The Cammino di Ronda is open on Sundays and public holidays from March to November.

Castello Superiore stands on Colle Pausolino and dominates the walled town of Marostica. The inner courtyard is currently closed and is opened only on special occasions, such as exhibitions or events, by prior announcement. This restriction is important when choosing between the two castles: at Castello Inferiore, specific interior rooms and the wall walk can be visited, while the inner courtyard of Castello Superiore is not normally accessible.

Church, Museum and Districts

The Pieve di Santa Maria Assunta is the oldest evidence of the Christian faith in Marostica and probably dates back to the early Middle Ages. Its Baroque façade and three bronze doors with relief panels create different focal points: the panels depict episodes from the Bible and the life of Christ. The Ecomuseo della Paglia in Crosara, a hilly district of Marostica, offers another cultural insight. It is part of the Alto Vicentino museum network.

Gorghi Scuri and the Sentiero dei Ciliegi

Gorghi Scuri is a wetland with ponds and small waterfalls along the Valletta stream. The waters serve as breeding grounds for salamanders and provide migratory birds with a resting place during their long journeys. Thus, in addition to its buildings, Marostica also offers a clearly defined natural area.

The Sentiero dei Ciliegi leads from Pianezze to Marostica via the district of Roveredo Alto and skirts the district of San Luca. Its route passes through a landscape shaped by cherry trees and offers views of the hills and the plain around Marostica. The regional importance of the fruit is also reflected in the fact that Ciliegia di Marostica received European recognition as a PGI product in 2001.

The annual Cherry Festival takes place on the last Sunday in May in Piazza Castello. It includes a market, tastings and entertainment; you can also sample and buy cherries from Marostica. For further destinations that you can include in your travel plans, you will find Villaverla, Mussolente, Sarcedo, Castelgomberto, Campese, Poiana Maggiore, Nove and Belvedere.

For the overview of the wider travel area: Vicenza.