The medieval castles which front each other on the hills of Montecchio Maggiore bring back the memory of the feud between the Capuleti and the Montecchi families, and the two lovers made famous by Shakespeare, but invented by the Vicenza- born Luigi da Porto.
The first castle is the Castello della Villa, or Romeo’s Castle, built by Cangrande II della Scala in 1354 and dismantled by the Venetians in 1514. What remains are the perimeter wall with the donjon and the tower, which are the background of theatre performances and summer events. At a distance of few hundred meters, a little above, we find the Castello della Bella Guardia, or Juliet’s Castle, more spectacular because its reconstruction allowed the builders, among other things, to place a restaurant inside.
Every year there is a historical event, set at the time of Romeo and Juliet. From its terraces we have a fantastic view on the plain and up onto the mountains.