THE CYCLE ROUTE OF NORTHERN ITALY'S MAIN CITIES

STAGE 3

(Vicenza - Padua, 45 km)

The starting point of this excursion is Vicenza, home to some of the most celebrated works by Andrea Palladio, the great architect and stage designer of the Serenissima Republic of Venice, whose masterpieces are a stunning combination of these two aspects of his genius – structural and spectacular. In particular, one should not fail to mention piazza dei Signori, with the Basilica, Loggia del Capitaniato, Teatro Olimpico, Palazzo Chiericati, and Villa Almerico Capra, known as La Rotonda. The section of the route between Vicenza and Longare follows the Berica cycle path, which runs along the eastern side of the Berici hills, on the tracks of the old tramway to Noventa and Montagnana, then from Longare to Padua it follows the meandering course of the river Bacchiglione, and as a whole it is one of the most scenic regional cycle routes.

From Vicenza's very heart, piazza dei Signori (km 0.0), you reach the Scalette archway (km 1.6), the starting point of the Riviera Berica cycle path. From here you follow this beautiful itinerary for a while, riding past the hillock on top of which the Rotonda, the magnificent Palladian villa, stands out theatrically (km 3.0). When you reach Longare (km 10.5), you leave the Riviera Berica cycle path and take the pleasant new path on the left bank of the river Bacchiglione at Secula (km 11.0). After riding past the hamlet of Colzè (km 12.7), you come out on a roundabout (km 14.6), where you cross the cycle path of the former Treviso-Ostiglia railway, part of the main Green Tour loop (see the description of the relevant stage). Here, you cross a bridge safely over to the right bank of the river, which you continue following on a fine cycle path. On a hill beyond the Bacchiglione you soon start glimpsing the Grimani Sorlini castle of Montegalda (km 19.0), which is just across the bridge after Montegaldella (km 18.4). Just after the bridge, you take the embankment track, always in compact gravel, and you soon cross into the province of Padua. At km 21.2 you follow the bend into via Traghetto and you cross the river again on a cycle bridge, in a very pretty riverside setting. Just across the river, in the area of Cervarese Santa Croce, you continue pedalling left around a bend (km 21.8) along the embankment track, always in smooth, compact gravel. At km 23.0 you come onto a surfaced road, via San Martino: just after that, at km 23.5, there is sign indicating the connection to the Euganean Hills Loop, but you carry on until, at km 24.1, you come to the fine Castle of San Martino della Vaneza, a fortress built in the Middle Ages by the city of Padua at the border with Vicenza, on the Bacchiglione river, which currently houses a museum. Here you turn left, ride past the castle, and continue along the right embankment track. At km 27.3, in the hamlet of Creola of Saccolongo, you take a left and cross over the bridge. Then you continue on the left bank until you take a right (km 31.2), cross the river again and enter the municipality of Selvazzano Dentro. At km 34.2 you come to the hamlet of Tencarola, where you cross the bridge and go back onto the left bank. Just after that you enter the municipality of Padua, and the outlet of the Brentella (km 36.1). This canal was built in the 14th century by the Paduans to convey water from the Brenta into the Bacchiglione, as a defence against the many diversions the Vicentini had made as part of the feud between the two cities. You ride up the Brentella canal for about 1 km, until you come to a bridge (km 37.0) which you cross, then you ride back down the other bank until you come back to the Bacchiglione (km 37.9). At km 39.3 you come onto tarmac again in via Isonzo, in the Bassanello district, south-west of the centre of Padua. You continue until (km 41.3) you take the cycle and foot crossing of viale Cavallotti and go back onto the left bank of the Bacchiglione, which you follow until you come to a junction to the town centre (km 42.8). Use the cycle and foot underpass onto via d’Acquapendente. After the roundabout on via Manzoni, you go through the ramparts, then at the next junction (km 43.9), you take a right in via Sanmicheli until the junction (km 44.3) with via Cavazzana, where you turn left, and arrive in the beautiful Prato della Valle (km 44.6) then, after turning right at the end of via Belludi (km 45.0), you come to the Basilica of Sant'Antonio, centre of worldwide worship, which we may well consider the heart of the city of Padua.

Possible detours

• The Riviera Berica cycle path (RV6) linking Vicenza and Noventa Vicentina is 32 km long and runs east of the Berici hills along the former railway, and is currently one of the most popular segregated cycle paths in the Veneto region. In Ponte di Barbarano, it crosses the tracks of the former Treviso-Ostiglia railway, hence also the main Green Tour loop (see the stage between Cologna Veneta and Piazzola sul Brenta). A little further south, just before arriving in Noventa, places such as Campiglia dei Berici, Sossano and Agugliaro are within easy reach. In particular, about 4 km after Agugliaro, in Vo’ Vecchio, you can intercept the Euganean Hills Loop in a point other than that indicated in the relevant appendix to the Green Tour.

• The Bacchiglione cycle path between Vicenza, Padua and Stra is currently the part with the highest quality of regional itineraries I-1 Garda-Venice and I-2 Venetian Loop. For more information, see www.veneto.eu then click Itineraries – Sport and Tourism – Cycle tourism.

• The end part of the route leading into the centre of Padua belongs to the city's enchanting pedestrian and cycle circuit on river and canal banks, called “Anello Fluviale”, the River Loop.