Discover Montegalda

Montegalda combines the riverside landscape of the Bacchiglione with a remarkable concentration of castles, villas, historic gardens and cultural sites. The Bacchiglione runs along the edge of the town and thus defines its geographical setting. Those wishing to explore Veneto away from the major centers will find a variety of points of interest here: a paved cycle route along the embankment, evidence of the history of hydraulic engineering, and buildings whose origins range from the 14th century to the second half of the 17th century.

Cycling along the Bacchiglione

One particularly straightforward way to experience Montegalda is the Ciclovia del Bacchiglione. It follows the embankment throughout and runs almost entirely along a paved cycle path. The route is considered easy and safe and is also suitable for families with children. Alongside the historic sights, it therefore offers an independent cycling experience shaped by its course along the embankment.

Castles, Bridges and Historic Gardens

Castello Grimani Sorlini looks back on more than 1,000 years of military and civilian history and towers above Montegalda. The castle includes a 14th-century drawbridge that is fully preserved and still operational. The castle park complements the building with cypresses, exotic trees, an orangery and an Italian garden.

The navigation lock at Colzè also opens up a different historical dimension. It was built in 1870 with two rows of lock gates and is now regarded as an interesting example of engineering as well as evidence of industrial archaeology. Together with the Bacchiglione, it makes the history of waterways and their technical infrastructure visible.

Art, Literature and Venetian-Influenced Architecture

The apse of the church and monastery of San Marco still contains a valuable altarpiece by Alessandro Maganza from 1606. Literary insights are offered by the Museo del Fogazzaro, with a museum tour featuring first editions and translations of the most important works by the famous novelist.

Several villas add a range of architectural and botanical features to the picture. Villa Gualdo draws on and imitates Palladian architecture. The park of Villa Fogazzaro-Roi-Colbachini contains rare exotic plants, including bald cypresses, cedar trees and Japanese pagoda trees. Villa Feriani was built in the second half of the 17th century on the site of an earlier 15th-century building.

Plan Your Visits Carefully

Those interested in visiting Palazzo Gualdo can obtain information from the municipal offices of Montegalda at 0444 736414-17. This information point is particularly relevant if the palazzo is to be a specific part of your visit. In this way, the cultural exploration can be extended with another historic site without conflating or equating the individual buildings and their distinctive features.

For additional destinations in this section, you can then discover Places, Caldogno, Creazzo, Sossano, Schiavon, Lonigo, Cornedo Vicentino and Canova di Cereda.

To the higher-level travel overview: Vicenza.