Discover the Euganean Hills: cycling through history, nature, and relaxation
Known as the “hills of Venice” by Americans and described as “islands without a sea” by the English poet Shelley, the Euganean Hills are ancient, dormant volcanoes rising from the Po Valley like emerald-green peaks.
This enchanting region has long been cherished by writers and nobles, offering a wealth of treasures: hermitages, castles, abbeys, Venetian villas, navigable canals, and historic villages. Its rich biodiversity is intertwined with vineyards that paint the rolling hills in shades of green.
The Euganean Hills Cycle Ring offers one of the best ways to explore this region, uncovering its beauty, flavors, and traditions at a cyclist’s pace.
Cycling on the Euganean Hills
In just a few kilometers, the Euganean Hills deliver a wealth of landscapes and emotions, from Petrarch’s final home to the centuries-old culture of Praglia Abbey and the historic thermal baths of Abano and Montegrotto.
To fully savor its charm, the Euganean Hills deserve to be explored leisurely, with the calm approach of bicycle tourists seeking authentic experiences.
An immersive cycling experience
Because that is what it is all about: an experience. Cycling the 63-kilometer loop offers a condensed journey through everything that makes Veneto one of the most visited regions by international travelers. Along lonely roads, just a few miles from the spas and art cities of the Veneto, we encounter medieval towns, villages, landscapes and Venetian villas, history and nature, traditions and modernity.
The route is mostly flat and varied, making it an effortless ride that invites contemplation and relaxation.
The ring is developed within the Euganean Hills Natural Park and in this unmistakable geological setting nature shows itself in its richness, amidst important archaeological evidence and endless forests, in which, in the past, hermits and monks found peace – and it was not by chance – hermits and monks, still present today at theCamaldolese hermitage towering over Mt. Rua, visitable only by males.
How to travel the Euganean Hills itinerary
Being a loop, the route can be started at any point. Cyclists arriving by train can begin from the stations of Montegrotto Terme, Este, Monselice, or even Padua.
Starting in Abano Terme—the heart of one of Europe’s oldest spa regions—cyclists can follow the route markers to nearby Montegrotto Terme, where a first stop at Villa Draghi and the Museum of Thermalism is recommended.
You then climb up the embankment of the waterway Battaglia, which Petrarch himself used to go to the city: here you cannot miss a visit to the Catajo Castle, a stone colossus designed to amaze, with 350 rooms and one of the largest and most spectacular fresco cycles of the late Venetian Renaissance.
After Battaglia Terme, a detour is a must to see. Villa Barbarigo, in Valsanzibio: the designer of Versailles is said to have been inspired by his park, a magnificent example of a symbolic Baroque garden, born of Francesco Barbarigo’s promise to create a paradise on earth if his children were spared the plague. It was designed in the late 17th century by the papal architect and fountainmaker Luigi Bernini, brother of the more famous Gian Lorenzo.
Next, Monselice greets visitors with its picturesque historic center, ideal for a pause to explore the Castle and the nearby Seven Churches Jubilee Sanctuary promenade, framed by a medieval fortress.
A few kilometers away lies Arquà Petrarca, one of Italy’s most beautiful villages, named after the poet who made it his home and whose narrow medieval streets invite exploration.
After Monselice we go into the southern part of the Hills to Este, with its Carrarese castle and beautiful cathedral. Also worth a stop is the town of Cinto Euganeo with the Cava Bomba Paleontological Museum, an interesting example of industrial archaeology recovery.
The vineyards of the Euganean Hills
You still pedal on the plain, but the panorama is never the same: here the light changes, the vegetation changes, and the view widens to the Berici Hills. The Euganean Hills are renowned for their exceptional wines, from robust reds to Moscato Fior d’Arancio. Many wineries welcome visitors, blending the joys of discovery with those of the table.
In Lozzo Atestino, the cycle route circumnavigates the mountain of the same name, allowing you to reach the 13th-century Castello di Valbona. After a short while, we climb Mount Sereo, the only climb of the route, which offers magnificent views of the Euganean and Berici Hills. Having conquered the summit, 70 meters above sea level, the road has a short flat section before plunging toward the Frassanelle golf course. We skirt it for a few hundred meters until we reach the Rialto drainage, which accompanies us to the starting point, passing by Praglia Abbey, an authentic Renaissance jewel and an important Benedictine spiritual center, still active today and also famous for its medicinal herbs.
And from here it’s back to Abano or Montegrotto, where you can end the experience by soaking in the famous thermal waters.
Whether you choose to experience the Euganean Hills Cycle Ring as a day trip or a short vacation, the combination of cycling, nature, and history creates an unforgettable adventure. Finish your journey with a relaxing soak in the thermal waters of Abano or Montegrotto Terme—a perfect ending to a perfect ride.
