Euganean Hills Grand Tour

The Euganean Hills Grand Tour is a scenic circular walk through the Colli Euganei Regional Park, a cluster of conical volcanic hills rising abruptly from the flat Po plain southwest of Padua in the Veneto. The route, around 15km with roughly 600m of cumulative ascent over five to six hours, links vineyards, chestnut woods and panoramic ridges with the area's cultural highlights. A natural starting point is the medieval village of Arquà Petrarca, where the poet Francesco Petrarca spent his final years and where his house and tomb can be visited; the village is reached by car or by bus from Padua and Este. The park is criss-crossed by the well-marked Sentiero Atestino and local CAI routes, following dirt tracks, grassy ridges and short cobbled village lanes, with woodland providing welcome shade on hotter sections and open summits offering long views. Because the hills are isolated volcanic cones rather than a continuous range, the trail repeatedly climbs and descends — modest individually but cumulative over the day. Landmarks along the way include the hilltop Monte Venda, the highest point at 601m with the remains of a monastery, the thermal towns of Abano Terme and Montegrotto Terme on the plain below, and views toward the Villa Barbarigo gardens at Valsanzibio. Surfaces are generally easy underfoot with no exposure or scrambling, making this one of the gentler outings in the region, though there are few water sources on the ridges, so walkers should carry supplies and refill in the villages. Cafés and trattorie in Arquà Petrarca and neighbouring hamlets provide food and shelter. The walk pairs naturally with a soak at the Abano or Montegrotto thermal spas afterward, and the spring wildflower meadows and autumn vineyard colours make it especially rewarding in the shoulder seasons.