Roana | Vicenza Province

TOWN OF ROANA IN VICENZA PROVINCE The Roana area is called the “land of the six towers” because of the numerous rural centres present around here, each of them with its own bell tower: Canove, Cesuna, Tresché Conca, Mezzaselva, Camporovere and, finally, Roana (“Robaan” in Cimbrian). Roana is one of the towns on the Plateau where ancient Cimbrian traditions are still alive and you can experience them even today on many occasions such as, for example, the ethnic summer festival Hoga Zait. The territory of Roana includes the Val d'Assa, a deep valley, used in old times as a route for trade and communication. This is an interesting place from an archaeological point of view, since here many petroglyphs from prehistoric times were found. The valley is crossed by a beautiful stone bridge, which was built more than a century ago and represents a great historical and architectural value. Roana and its surrounding villages offer many attractions ranging from history to art, such as the Museum of the Great War in Canove, the “Cuchi” Museum in Tresché Conca, the Exhibition of local tools in Mezzaselva, the Corbin Fort in Tresché Conca and the Hösle Zeelighen Baiblen, the so-called “house of the saint little women”, a historical place associated with an old legend: it is said that a long time ago, in the large cave on Valdassa lived small women with magical powers. You can find the cave by hiking the trail that starts from the last houses of the village and leads towards Albaredo along the valley of Rust. Roana is also the home of the Institute of Cimbrian Culture. The area offers a lot of possibilities for outdoor activities, such as hiking and excursions; there is also a complex for down-hill skiing in Monte Verena, equipped with lifts; as well as a "beach" complex by the Lake Lonaba, recently renovated and equipped with a swimming pool and an acrobatic park.

Montecchio Maggiore | Vicenza Province

TOWN OF MONTECCHIO MAGGIORE IN VICENZA PROVINCE Ancient town of strategic and economic important at the beginning of the Agno valley. Now it is more famous for the concentration of manufacturing and commercial centers. the main town is where SS11 intersects with SS500 from Lonigo. Listed in some guide books as a quaint village nestled in the Agno Valley, among the gentle rolling Berici hills, Montecchio Maggiore, is one of the worst examples of the industrial expansion in the Veneto. The old center is quaint and it still has many historical structures from the middle Ages. Two medieval castles overlook the town and are known as Romeo and Juliet, partly because they are separated by the valley as two star-crossed lovers were separated by human folly, and partly because Luigi Da Porto, who told the tale long before Shakespeare, lived in nearby Montorso. The name Montague used by the English playwright is derived from Montecchio. Villa Cordellina dates back to less tragic times, and is frescoed by Tiepolo. The Zannato museum has a unique collection of fossilised crustaceans and semi-precius stones from the area. Also if you visit the town and you enjoy art do not miss visiting Palladio's Villa Cordellina Lombardi, the residence hall still has the frescoes by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, who is also said to be the artist of the drawings of the statues that adorn the beautiful garden. Tiepolo also painted the frescoes of Villa Loschi Zileri, found in the nearby Biron di Monteviale. The splendid neo-classical Villa Lorenzoni, is now home to the Civic Museum of "Giuseppe Zannato", with an archaeological and naturalistic section. The famous mostarda vicentina, a spicy quince and mustard sauce, is also made at Montecchio. Some cultural events are the "Rogo della stria" a propitiatory bonfire at the beginning of the year and the "Feud between the Montecchi and Capuleti", a commemoration in full medieval atmosphere that takes place at Castle Bellaguarda in May. The hills behind Montechccio are quite and offers some nice walking paths and bike rides.

Italiaoutdoors Travel Guide to Italy

Conco | Vicenza Province

Communita di Conco

CONCO | VICENZA PROVINCE The town of Conco (“Kunken” in Cimbrian) is located in the South-East of the  Asiago Plateau. In 1796 it became independent from the city of Lusiana, becoming thus the eighth of the 7 Municipalities of the Plateau. The territory includes a variety of landscapes ranging from plains to the foothills of the Prealps, and is influenced by different climates.

 Conco is famous for its reserves of marble and for some typical crops, including dandelion and celery cultivated in the surroundings of the village of Rubbio. Apart from Rubbio, the county of Conco includes also the villages of Fontanelle, Gomarolo, Tortima and Santa Caterina. Two of the most important sights to see are the Painted Quarry and the Inhabited Quarry, by the artist Tony Zarpellon.

The Palazzon, the so-called “fortified house”, has a peculiar architecture that is also worth seeing. It is located near the top of Mount Caina, a remote corner of the Asiago Plateau 1000 metres above sea level that looks like a bow of a big ship leaning towards the plain. From Mount Caina you can see Bassano del Grappa, a large part of the Valsugana Valley and a huge portion of the Venetian Plain; you can also see the Lessinian, the Euganean Hills, the lagoon of Venice and, on clear days, the Apennines. Monte Grappa is also located not far away from here.

The Palazzon represents an interesting historical site. Historians are almost certain that it used to be a fortified house at the time of Venetian domination, with a lookout post and a small garrison; the foundation could date back to the XIV or XV century. However, considering the extraordinary location, it is also reasonable to suppose a previous construction, dating back to the Roman times. This theory is supported by the presence, in San Nazario (not far from here), of the Roman fortification Pian di Castel. Actually, the few remains of Pian di Castel are today part of a very old house characterized by a particular architecture, with beautiful vaulted ceilings on the ground floor and a very unique porch. Inside one can see the columns made in traditional Roman style, which used to support ceiling of the barn. The building, once used as storage and later as a stable, belongs to a private person and unfortunately is in a poor state of preservation.

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CAMISANO VICENTINO, VICENZA PROINCE

Camisano is no longer the quite farm community with it's old square that hosted one of the largest markets in the area, every Sunday.  Trendy subdivisions of housing have filled up much of the farmland, and a few small factories keep the main road busy.  The town makes a great stop if you need something mid day.   It is best to cross the town north to south and try to avoid riding on the main road unless it is during repose time.

GETTING TO CAMISANO VICENTINO

Regional bus or private transfer is the only way to get to the area without a personal car.  If you wish to bike tour through the area you can do so following secondary roads and it is not a bad point to include into a Vicenza to Piazzola sul Brenta to Padova route.