Hermitages and abbeys of the Euganean Hills
The Colli Euganei offer a unique environment where there are hermitages and sanctuaries, linked by roads and paths of faith where one can surround oneself in a deep spirituality.
The way of the seven chapels
The road of the seven chapels is a short but scenic route around the foot of the Rocca di Monselice fortress; it consists of six chapels and a small church built by the famous architect Vincenzo Scamozzi from Vicenza. From the centre of Monselice, you get to the tour's starting point by passing through Piazza Mazzini and Porta Romana. From here, the road continues slightly uphill until you reach the seven chapels, a short route that affords a beautiful view of the Po Valley.
Monte Rua Hermitage
Along the wine route that winds through the Colli Euganei, between curves and gentle slopes, we come across the Eremo Camaldolese di Monte Rua. We are in the town of Torreglia, about twenty kilometres from Padua, among beech, birch and oak forests and orderly terraced vineyards.
Surrounded by an imposing wall built in the sixteenth century, the Hermitage has been home to a monastic community for around a thousand years and its members live in cloistered silence respecting the Benedictine rule of ora et labora.
Monte Ricco and the Terrace of Hercules
Do you want to spend half a day protected by the shade of woodland packed with oak, chestnut and manna ash trees? Follow this easy and relaxing route through the gentle landscape of the Euganean Hills. The route leading to Monte Ricco is circular, marked as no. 6, with the starting point behind the railway station of Monselice.
Valley of Mills
The "San Bernardino" trail is an easy 10-kilometre loop that starts from the village of Mossano, in the province of Vicenza. Centuries ago, this town was very rich in waterways and the inhabitants exploited this characteristic by developing the industry of milling, building 12 mills that remained in activity until after the Second World War. The most famous, and photographed, example is the Mulino Mucchietto with its large wooden wheel that still works today.