Walking in the Venetian Hills

9 Days Excluding Flights From

9 Days from

£ 1089

£ 1199

Walking & Trekking

Activity Level

Moderate

Ways to Travel :

Self-Guided Holidays

Activity :

Walking & Trekking

Ages :

18+

Trip Code :

W08VN

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.

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

Key Information

8 Nights, hotel-to-hotel
Route notes and maps provided
Luggage transfers between hotels

Countries visited: Italy

What's Included

All continental breakfast and 6 evening meals
All accommodation
Route notes and maps
Luggage transfers between hotels

What's Not Included

Travel insurance
Single accommodation (available on request - compulsory supplement)
Solo traveller supplements (where only one person is travelling on a departure date)
Visas or vaccinations
Arrival & departure transfers (available on request and at a supplement)

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

Sustainability and Impact

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 though 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.

TRIP

W08VN - Walking in the Venetian Hills

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Trip Notes

Click on the button below for detailed Trip Notes containing all the particulars about this trip, including kit lists and practical information.

Note: these can vary by departure; you can check out the specific Trip Notes for your chosen adventure on the dates & prices page.

View Trip Notes

Itinerary

Cortela Cortela London London

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)

Distance covered: 9mi (14km)

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)

Distance covered: 7mi (11km)

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)

Distance covered: 7mi (12km)

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)

Distance covered: 7mi (11km)

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

The tour ends after breakfast in Cortela.

Meals included: Breakfast

Essential Info

Is this trip for you?

Joining Instructions

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).

Full joining instructions including local emergency numbers will be sent to you as part of our Final Joining Instructions. If you do not receive these at least a week before departure, or require them earlier please contact our office or your travel agent.

Location start: Cortela
Location end: Cortela

Transfer Details

Standard transfers
If making a flight inclusive booking standard transfers are included from Montegrotto train station at 14:17 and back to Montegrotto train station at 13:35.

Vaccinations and Health

Italy

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for tetanus, rabies and tick-borne encephalitis. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

Visa

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.

Food & Drink

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).

Weather

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.

Weather Charts

TRIP

W08VN - Walking in the Venetian Hills

Departure Date

Number Of Passengers*

Message*

To enquire about an existing booking click here

First Name *

Last Name *

Email *

Phone *

Keep me up to date with news and offers from Exodus by email.

Thank you for contacting Exodus Travels.

Find out more about how we use your data

Request a Brochure

Trip Notes

Click on the button below for detailed Trip Notes containing all the particulars about this trip, including kit lists and practical information.

Note: these can vary by departure; you can check out the specific Trip Notes for your chosen adventure on the dates & prices page.

View Trip Notes

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.