Three Easy Day Trips From Vicenza

Once you have arrived and settled-in to your hotel, you will find you have a little bit of time for fun. It can be really overwhelming to get out and do anything when you don’t know the area or the language. I want to encourage you to get out and see the area. Here are three easy day trips from Vicenza that are great for those just got here. (Disclaimer: I am not a city person, so I am going to talk about some smaller towns to visit. Many choose to visit Venice or Verona for their first trip, but I like to start small and work my way up!)

Marostica

Marostica is a small town just to the northeast of Vicenza. It is one of the walled cities that are all around the Vicenza area. Marostica is famous for the live chess match that is played in the town center every other year. (The next live chess match will be in September 2014, if you are interested.) Marostica has an upper castle and a lower castle. The upper portion of the castle is pretty much just walls. The lower castle has a courtyard you can see for free and an inexpensive tour of the castle interior if you choose.

If you come on a clear warm day, you can actually walk the from the lower castle to the upper castle. It is a steep path, so be aware that it is not an easy jaunt. You can also drive to the upper castle and eat at the restaurant at the top. The road is very narrow and there are portions that you will have to back up if you meet another car. The view from the top is spectacular and worth the trip to the top.

Marostica is about a half an hour drive from Vicenza, just off highway SP211. I advocate using a GPS so that you don’t have to map read, but the hardest part of getting to Marostica is finding your way out of Vicenza. If your car has not arrived, you can take a bus from the downtown bus station for less than 10 euro.

Marostica has a nice town square with several restaurants and coffee bars. There are also areas you could sit and picnic, if you choose to bring your own meal. You can easily see most of the town in half of a day. Combine Marostica with the town of Bassano Del Grappa for a full day.

Nove

This trip is for the shoppers out there.  It’s best to take a car to Nove. A bus is available, but it is not direct from the bus station. Besides you’ll be carrying all of  your  awesome purchases. Not an easy feat considering Nove, Italy is well-known for its ceramic factories. It only takes a few minutes to reach Nove from the main post of Caserma Ederle.

Nove is a pretty small town with a population of around 5000. However, it houses around 100 ceramics factories. Not all of them are open to shopping, but many are. If you are interested in purchasing dishes or ornaments that are sold at  department stores like Tiffany’s or Macy’s at a much lower cost; this is the place to shop. Lennox and Williams-Sonoma are only two of the brands you will find on the shelves.

There are restaurants around the town to eat. However, it is such a short trip to Nove, you can plan on eating in Vicenza before or after your trip. Be aware that like many other Italian shops, most of the ceramic outlets are closed for riposo from noon until 2PM.

Soave

If you like castles and wine, Soave is a great place to visit. Hop on A4 and drive west to get to Soave. It is around thirty minutes from Vicenza.  The signs to the castle are pretty clearly marked and there is parking just outside of the main entrance of the city wall.

Wine lovers will enjoy a stop at the Cantina de Soave where you can taste the wonderful Soave White Wines. Several other places in town offer wine tasting, as well.

Soave’s old  town center is quaint and pretty. There are some sovenier shops, wine shops, a great gelato store and some restaurants that are reported to be good. At the top of hill, you can visit the Castello di Soave. There is an admission fee, but the view from the castle by itself makes the cost worthwhile. Kids will enjoy exploring the castle grounds and the seeing the interior is pretty interesting, too.

The walk up the hill is steep in parts and the path is cobblestone. Don’t wear heels and plan on working a bit if you plan on pushing a stroller.

Whether you take in the view from the upper castle  in Marostica, enjoy a glass of wine in Soave or buy out the ceramic stores in Nove; you will enjoy at least one of these day trips from Vicenza.Happy sight seeing!