THE CYCLE ROUTE OF NORTHERN ITALY'S MAIN CITIES

STAGE 2

(Verona - Vicenza, 70 km)

This stage starts in Verona, the city of the Della Scala family, with the monumental Roman Arena, which was the backdrop of Romeo and Juliet's story, and arrives in Vicenza, the city of Palladio, going through Montecchio Maggiore, a historic town at the mouth of the industrious river Agno valley. In actual fact, the romance between the two young hopeless lovers – written by Luigi da Porto from Vicenza and brought to fame by William Shakespeare's tragedy – can be seen precisely as the leitmotiv of the itinerary, which starts from the residence of the Capulets and goes through the Montagues' birthplace. From the point of view of the landscape, the route skirts the Lessinia, the area of the Venetian foothills between the valley of the Adige to the west, the valley of the Ronchi and the Carega massif to the north and val Leogra to the east, crossed by many vertical valleys, of which the Agno is the easternmost. We therefore pedal on flat ground, but enjoy the constant view of the mellow and lush western Venetian foothills. The final stretch between Montecchio and Vicenza is mixed, with pleasant sections on the embankment of the river Retrone.

From piazza Bra, the very heart of Verona (km 0.0) you head east and cross the Adige (km 0.6). From the San Pancrazio district (km 2.1) you cross over to the left bank of the river again (km 2.9) and ride along it for about 2 km until villa Buri Bernini (km 4.8). You then ride through the pleasant landscape of Basse di San Michele, past the hamlet of Castiglione (km 6.7) and next to the A4 motorway until the hamlet of Case Nuove di San Martino Buon Albergo (km 10.1). After the motorway flyover, you ride into the quiet countryside of Basse di San Martino, through the hamlet of Mariona (km 15.0) with its picturesque mansion and watermill. After a short stretch on a busy provincial thoroughfare (km 16.1-16.5), you take a right into via Formighè and ride on a farm track, after which (km 17.9) the route leads you on quiet back roads to the spa village of Caldiero (km 22.2). After riding past the Terme di Giunone, Juno's Spa, (km 23.3), you go across the state road and under the motorway, and come to the municipality of Colognola ai Colli, on roads flanked by vineyards, from which you soon begin to glimpse the imposing outline of the Scaligero castle of Soave in the distance, the beautiful walled town that you will soon reach (km 29.8). After Soave you come to Monteforte d’Alpone (km 35.1), the last municipality in the province of Verona, and from there ride east through the countryside to the hamlet of Sorio di Gambellara (km 41.8) and the town of Montebello Vicentino (km 45.2). A little after the centre of Montebello, you ride on the embankment of the Chiampo stream, then leave it (km 48.2). The route first crosses the Agno river, goes over the dual carriageway that leads to Valdagno and Recoaro, and finally takes you into the old town of Montecchio Maggiore (km 54.4). From the centre of Montecchio you ride through the outskirts and past villa Cordellina Lombardi (km 55.7). A cycle path, mostly segregated, starts after the villa and leads into Sovizzo (km 58.4), just outside which you come onto a fine new cycle path along the river Retrone that leads to the area of the Creazzo sports facilities (km 61.5). After leaving the embankment of the Retrone, you enter the town of Creazzo, after which (km 63.4) there is a section on a provincial road that must be ridden carefully. After crossing the ring road (km 67.0), you ride through the residential district of Vicenza, with sections often on segregated cycle paths, until you come to the beautiful theatre set that is piazza dei Signori (km 70.4).

Possible detours

• Apart from some small variations, this stage follows regional itinerary I-1 Garda-Venice: see www.veneto.eu, Itineraries – Sport and Tourism – Cycle tourism.

• Verona is one of the main stops on the Adige cycle path (RV3), that leads from northern Europe straight to the beaches on the Adriatic.

If you head north from Verona (km 0), the cycle path runs along the Biffis canal to Bussolengo (km 12) and Rivoli Veronese (km 30), where it joins the Sun Route to Rovereto (km 75), Trento (km 100) and Bozen (km 163). From Bozen you can continue north along the Isarco to Bressanone-Brixen (km 208) and the Brenner pass (km 263), or just before Bozen (km 157) you can continue west along the Adige towards Merano (km 185), and from Merano along val Venosta until Reschen Pass (km 263).

If you head south from Verona (km 0), the cycle path on the right bank of the Adige is segregated again in Porto di San Giovanni Lupatoto (km 10), then continues on the right bank towards Legnago (km 51), the junction of the Chiara Lubich cycle path (km 95.9) that takes you to the centre of Rovigo after 2 km, then Cavarzere (km 124.4), to the river mouth in Rosolina Mare (km 149.5). 9 km before the river mouth you can cross the river and arrive in Chioggia after about 18 km, as indicated in the corresponding stage of the main Green Tour loop.

• In Basse di San Martino, turn into via Coetta at the junction (km 11.6), and you will get to the hamlet of Mambrotta di San Martino in no time. From there, you can reach again the cycle path on the left bank of the Adige from Verona (lungadige Galtarossa, San Pancrazio and villa Buri) that leads to Belfiore and Albaredo.

• From Soave, follow the river Alpone and you soon come to Villanova di San Bonifacio, and always following the Alpone you take the Colognese Route (RV5) to Arcole, Veronella, Cologna Veneta, Zimella, Pressana and Roveredo di Guà (see www.percorsodelcolognese.it).

• The fine cycle path along the river Agno (RV4) starts just north of Montecchio and leads to Cornedo Vicentino, Valdagno and Novale. It will go all the way to Recoaro Terme once it is finally completed.