Along the Brenta river

At times surrounded by undergrowth, at times reminding a lunar landscape, the river reveals its secrets and accompanies us throughout the excurtion. Cycle along the banks of the Brenta river on gravel roads, embankments and, for the lovers of knobbly tires, on even more technical stretches that will not fail to put the forks to the test. From Nove, follow the Brenta river to Bassano del Grappa, with the inevitable stop at one of the grappa distilleries close to the bridge. Continue along the Brenta river until you reach Valstagna, a charming town nestled between the river and the mountain; you cannot miss a visit to the Oliero Grottos or even a rafting descent, for those who also wish to experience the thrill of the river. The route then winds towards Marostica, to relax in the Piazza degli Scacchi and then return to Nove, accompanied in the final stretch by the pleasant sound of the Brenta river.

BASSANO-CAMPOLONGO ROUTE: The track on the left side of the Brenta River runs on a cycling path that starts at the Conca D’Oro area. The cycling path is very well paved up until the Campese area. From there, it becomes narrow and rocky and continues until the underpass below the main road. The track points towards Bassano del Grappa and after about 300 m it is possible to cross the pedestrian gangway (hand-guided bike) to get to the right side of the river. Heading north (Contrà Fietto area) take the old Campesana up to Campolongo, from where you can use the pedestrian path that leads to Oliero. Mind the intersection of the route with the SP73 “Campesana Vecchia” at Contrà Fietto (especially if you are returning from Campolongo towards Bassano); if you want to head south, continue along the SP73 towards Bassano until the junction with Via della Resistenza, from which you can easily resume the route by turning left. Pay attention to road signs, because it is mandatory to guide your bike by hand in the area surrounding Ponte Vecchio and especially in the crossing of the gangway at Campese.

The cherry trees path

Cycle along the foothill route towards the first mountains of the Asiago Plateau. From the walls of the Castle of Marostica, the road continues through gentle hills, adorned with cherry trees, to reach Monte Corno, from where you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the plain of Vicenza. A challenging but multifaceted route that will allow you to admire beautiful mountain landscapes, small districts filled with ancient flavours, the areas where the Great War took place as well as the ever-present spectacle of nature, that gradually changes as the altitude rises.

Grappa and chess: from Bassano to Marostica

An easy route, mostly flat and accessible to all that goes through secondary roads, cycle paths and very short stretches on gravel roads. You will be able to enjoy the beautiful view of the walled city of Marostica, renowned for its chess games with living characters. The sight of the mighty walls that encircle the city in a charming embrace will accompany you for most of the excursion up to Bassano del Grappa, where taking a picture on the notorious "Ponte Vecchio" is an absolute must. After an occasional drink of "graspa" (dialectal word for grappa, local product of Bassano) to recharge, the return is quite relaxing, with pleasant ups and downs at the foot of the hills between Bassano and Marostica and spectacular views on the plain, constantly surrounded by nature. Let the small districts surprise you by recreating the feeling of being inside a real medieval carousel.

MAROSTICA: on the tracks of the malgari

This route runs along the tracks followed by the shepherds of the Po river valley at the time of transhumance, a tradition that dates back to the Middle Ages and which in our days only a few passionate breeders carry on, walking their flocks and herds to the pastures of the Asiago Plateau to spend spring and summer there.
The proposed itinerary is quite long, so visitors can decide whether to cover it all or only take the uphill stretch to San Luca or the flat stretch to Nove. The rural landscape visible while going up and down from San Luca is really a gentle slope towards the plain along meadows and orchards. The part of the track in the plain runs along the bank of the Longhella stream and it is open and sunny. Encounters of grey herons are frequent. The route is easy and runs on a wide and comfortable unpaved path; it is very suitable for cycling trips with children.

MAROSTICA: Val d'Inverno and the chestnut trees of the villages Costa, Marosi and Valeri

The hamlet of Vallonara is the starting point of this route which runs through the shady and suggestive Val d'Inverno. The main objective of the climb (especially in autumn or late summer) will be the view of the colors of the chestnut trees that invade the route with their splendid and bright foliage from a certain point on.

MAROSTICA: Marostica, a town in the plain: villas, churches and country houses

This is the Marostica you would never expect. A typical plain landscape where some stretches have been saved from the transformations brought about by infrastructures and industrialization, which is fearfully trying to go unnoticed, but still preserves its own charm and hides treasures of culture and architecture such as the villas, mansions and rural churches, which highlights qualities that are worth rediscovering.