Walking in the Venetian Hills

Activity Level

Easy

Activity

Walking & Trekking

Overview

This walking holiday is based in the wonderfully unspoilt Euganean Hills, tucked in a quiet corner below the beautiful medieval city of Padua, west across the plain from Venice.

This walking holiday is based in the wonderfully unspoilt Euganean Hills, tucked in a quiet corner below the beautiful medieval city of Padua, west across the plain from Venice. Once volcanic islands, these hills have a striking conical appearance; they are cloaked in an astonishing variety of plant life including holm oak, maple, orchids, heather and poppies and have been recognised as a National Park. The lower slopes give way to colourful meadows and immaculately groomed vineyards so it’s little wonder the region produces such a fine variety of wines!

Starting in the tiny hamlet of Cortela, nestled amongst vines, you head across poppy fields and through forests to Valnogaredo. You discover the jumbled cobbled streets of medieval Arqua Petrarca, where the famous 14th century Italian poet, Petrarch, made his home, before continuing through fertile fruit orchards to Galzignano. A convenient stone’s throw from the Italian Baroque gardens of Valsanzibio, there’s time to explore its magnificent maze before a series of outstanding views leads you to panoramically perched Teolo.

Key Information

Trip Code: W08VN
Ways to Travel: Self-Guided Holidays
Countries: Italy

What's Included

All continental breakfast and 6 evening meals
All accommodation
Headwater App
Luggage transfers between hotels

4 days of Walking & Trekking

Terrain:

This is of easy/medium difficulty. It mainly follows forest paths and country lanes, with just a few brief steep sections. Walking boots are recommended.

Day 2: 14 km / 8.7 miles
Day 4: 11 km / 6.8 miles
Day 6: 12 km / 7.5 miles
Day 8: 11 km / 6.8 miles

Highlights

Untouched verdant walking country: rolling hills, shady forests, vineyards and olive groves
Amazing array of wild flowers: heather, poppies, wild orchids and Mediterranean maquis
Venetian architectural treasures: villas, churches and monasteries
Option to visit historic Padua and romantic Venice

Itinerary

First Destination: Cortela
Next Destination: Cortela

Meals included:Dinner

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Meals included:Breakfast

Meals included:Breakfast

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Meals included:Breakfast

First Destination: Cortela
Next Destination: Cortela

Arrive at Gabriella and Alessandro’s farmhouse in time for dinner in their cosy dining room.
You stay at the Agriturismo ll Feudo (breakfast and evening meal)

Meals included:Dinner

You start the day walking through vineyards and woodlands, before climbing Monte Gemola to arrive at Villa Beatrice. Onto Monte Fasolo, the highest point of the walk rewards with stunning views, before a descent enjoying glorious views of Arqua Petrarca.
You stay at the Hotel Villa del Poeta (breakfast and evening meal)

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Explore Arqua Petrarca, still as it was when Petrarch came here in 1370. Visit his well-preserved house and walk up geranium-decked streets to sumptuous 15th century villas.
You stay at the Hotel Villa del Poeta (breakfast and evening meal)

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Today’s walk undulates through shady woodland before dropping down to the fabulous Villa Barbarigo at Valsanzibio.
You stay at the Sporting Hotel Galzignano (breakfast and evening meal)

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Catch the local bus (35 mins excl Sundays) to Padua, the region’s second art city. View the Cappella degli Scrovegni (Giotto frescoes), admire Donatello’s Gattamelata statue or savour a cappuccino in the largest square in Italy! You may wish to treat yourself to a spa/massage at Montegrotto – great for aching muscles!
You stay at the Sporting Hotel Galzignano (breakfast and evening meal)

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Ascending through olive groves you reach Monte Rua hermitage, a popular lunch stop. A woodland path leads towards Rocca Pendice, an imposing volcanic stone massif. You skirt round it to enjoy breathtaking views across the chain of hills as you descend to Teolo, the only ‘alpine’ village here.
You stay at Villa Lussana (breakfast only)

Meals included:Breakfast

Supposedly the birthplace of the Roman historian Livy, Teolo is alive with history, and many of the buildings from its Serenissima heyday remain. There are lovely walks available including a circular one up Monte della Madonna with its panoramic views (walking notes provided). For a longer day out, take the bus/train to Venice and see St Mark’s Square, the Doges’ Palace and the Peggy Guggenheim Museum.
You stay at Villa Lussana (breakfast only)

Meals included:Breakfast

Walking through rows of lush green vines you reach the highest point of the holiday, on the flanks of Monte Venda (601m). The plain is mapped out before you, with views towards the Berici Hills near Vicenza. Then it’s on through oak and chestnut forests, and down through vineyards and olive groves, back to Gabriella and Alessandro’s welcoming farmhouse.
You stay at the Agriturismo ll Feudo (breakfast and evening meal)

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

The tour ends after breakfast in Cortela.

Meals included:Breakfast

Dates & Prices

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Call us on 0203 733 5948

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Accommodation

Hotels

The hotels we’ve selected for you are full of character and are all family run, with warm welcomes throughout. They range from a hillside villa just outside medieval Arqua Petrarca and Gabriella and Alessandro’s rustic, yet cosy agriturismo, to the exquisite Liberty Villa Lussana with its stunning position overlooking the dramatic Euganean Hills.

Essential Information

Flight inclusive prices include our standard flights/transfers

British Airways Gatwick to Venice Marco Polo 07:30/10:50 then rail Venice Mestre to Montegrotto 13:53/14:17 and transfer to hotel 35 minutes. Return: Transfer to station 35 minutes then rail Montegrotto to Venice Mestre 13:35/14:07 then British Airways Venice Marco Polo to Gatwick 17:25/18:35.

Business/club/first class seats are available on request.

Alternative transfers
If you require alternative transfers, then we can usually arrange these for you (there may be an additional charge).

Italy

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Italy. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/europe/italy
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/italy
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/italy/entry-requirements
• USA:  www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Italy.html

Please note: it is compulsory to carry ID with you at all times in Italy.

All continental breakfast and 6 evening meals.

The Veneto ranks as one of the most fertile agricultural regions in the country. You will see fields of maize and barley everywhere. It is also a big area for fruit; expect to eat cherries, peaches, melons, plums, pears, strawberries and apples. The cuisine varies from the coast up into the mountains and reflects the region’s mixed cultural past. Nearer to Austria in the mountains, you get a more Tyrolean cuisine with dishes such as apple strudel creeping onto the menu, whereas towards the coast, you will find a lighter cuisine with lots of fish dishes.

Three typical dishes you are likely to find throughout the region are baccalà (air-dried salted cod soaked and cooked to a creamy consistency in garlic, parsley and olive oil), carpaccio (now seen on menus throughout Italy and even internationally, this is thin slices of very rare beef sprinkled with lemon juice and garnished with parmesan cheese, mushrooms or even white truffles according to the season and the restaurant) and polenta (made from maize, this is served as an accompaniment to meat or fish).

In Veneto and the surrounding areas the temperatures are cool/mild in spring and autumn and warm/humid in summer, with potential summer storms. You can find more information on the weather in Veneto on www.arpa.veneto.it.

As a certified B Corp, we’re on a mission to improve our social and environmental impact across all our adventures.

We do this through our innovative Thriving Nature, Thriving People plan.

This ‘nature positive’ approach is designed to help nature and communities thrive in harmony through practical solutions, such as reducing carbon and waste on our trips, supporting conservation projects through the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation, and rewilding 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller.