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Monselice - Via Orti 7/c
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About ten kilometres from the busy centre of Padua lies Monselice, a town of 17,000 inhabitants still little known to tourists from outside the region. Why not consider it?
The historic centre of Monselice is squeezed between two hills. One is the Colle della Rocca, the symbolic image of Monselice: a hillock dominated by a mighty medieval construction and surrounded at its lowest point by seven small churches representing the stages of a votive path.
Seen as a whole, the Rocca di Monselice is very evocative and invites one to climb the path leading to the top to admire the plain and the nearby hills from above.
Monselice’s other hill is Monte Ricco: much loved by hikers, cyclists and runners in the area, it is also an interesting destination for day-trippers who want to stretch their legs in the cool or sit on a bench to enjoy the view.
Close to the centre runs one of the many branches of the Bacchiglione river, the river artery that originates in the Vicentine Pre-Alps and flows into the sea near Chioggia. Strolls along the banks of the Bacchiglione are one of Padua’s favourite pastimes, and the Monselice stretch is no exception: take your cue.
Upon returning from your walks, treat yourself to a spritz seated at an outdoor table and you will be sure to have experienced the day like a local!
Easy to reach and visit, Monselice is the ideal destination for a quick stop but can also be the base for a stay in the Euganean Hills.
The centre of Monselice is small and easy to get around on foot. All the city’s main attractions are concentrated in the centre and in the immediate vicinity, so once you arrive in Monselice you will no longer need to take the car out.
Mazzini Square is Monselice’s central square, the classic living room in the heart of the city where locals meet for chats and drinks. It is not very large but it is pretty and lively.
The square is overlooked by the Civic Tower with its clock, still perfectly functional and hand-wound according to the technique used since its construction, the loggia of Monte di Pietà (now housing the tourist office) and a Gothic-style palace.
Piazza Mazzini is the ideal starting point from which to explore the town.
Monselice’s top attraction is the Rocca, the hillock that rises behind the historical centre. At the top of this low relief stands the Mastio Federiciano, a tower with a defensive function built on behalf of Frederick II of Swabia by Ezzelino da Romano.
One part is well preserved, while another has been destroyed. What remains, however, is enough to make us realise that this was once an imposing construction and represented an impregnable fortress.
It is possible, and recommended, to visit the Mastio Federiciano. The rooms inside house a collection of archaeological artefacts found in the area, but if this does not interest you, it is worth paying the entrance fee to climb to the top of the panoramic terrace. From here you can enjoy a beautiful view of the Euganean Hills; on clear days you can see the city of Venice in the distance.
In some tourist guides, the name Rocca is used to indicate the Mastio Federiciano or the other buildings that make up the Monselice Castle complex. This may seem a little confusing, but do not worry: they are attractions within easy reach of each other and once on site you will easily recognise them.
Monselice Castle is a complex of medieval buildings rising at the foot of the Rocca, also known as Cini Castle after the count who owned it from 1935 until the 1980s.
The oldest buildings in the castle are the Romanesque House and the Castelletto, which represent the first residential nucleus: they date back to the 11th and 12th centuries respectively; a century later the Ezzeliniana Tower, a building with a defensive function, was added.
In the 15th century the castle was purchased by a noble Venetian family that added a palace connecting the various structures, (Ca’ Marcello) and enlarged some rooms of the Ezzeliniana Tower to make it a summer residence. Over the centuries, the Marcello family made other changes, such as the construction of the library and private chapel, and the renovation of the Venetian courtyard.
Having fallen into decline with the end of the Venetian Republic, the castle was despoiled of furniture and works of art. It is due to Count Vittorio Cini that the castle was enhanced and furniture, musical instruments, tapestries, carpets, paintings and other furnishings were found, recreating a medieval and renaissance atmosphere within the rooms.
Monselice Castle is currently owned by the Veneto Region and houses a museum open to individual visitors and groups; it can only be visited with guided tours.
The entrance ticket to the castle also includes the Antiquarium Longobardo and the Museo delle Rarità Carlo Scarpa (the latter is based in Treviso)
The ground floor of the Castle Library houses the Antiquarium Longobardo, a museum reconstructing a Longobard necropolis found along the slopes of the Colle della Rocca.
The tombs and skeletons taken from the necropolis have been reassembled and displayed in the museum in the same position in which they were found. Weapons and personal objects that constituted the grave goods are also on display.
The ascent to Colle della Rocca begins with an alley from the centre of Monselice called Via delle Sette Chiese (Street of the Seven Churches); it is accessed by crossing Porta Romana (also known as Porta Santa). The name of the street refers to a sanctuary comprising six votive chapels lined up along the lower part of the hill and a final small church dedicated to Saint George located halfway up the hill.
The Sanctuary of the Seven Churches was built at the behest of the noble Venetian Duodo family in the early 17th century; the Church of St. George was once the family’s private oratory, while today it is a popular pilgrimage site on St. Valentine’s Day and a year-round tourist destination.
The six votive chapels and the small church that symbolically concludes the route are inspired by Roman basilicas and ideally reproduce the Holy City in miniature. It is therefore a votive path that entitles one to plenary indulgence, but even those without religious feelings will be enraptured by the beauty of the landscape and the peace of the place.
The Street of the Seven Churches ends with a square overlooked by Villa Duodo, an elegant villa built by a noble Venetian family. The original part dates back to the late 16th century, while the more recent front part was added in the 18th century.
The villa currently houses a hydrological research centre of the University of Padua and therefore cannot be visited inside. You will have to be content with admiring it from the outside, after which you can continue on your way: from the forecourt of the villa starts the path to the top of the Rocca and the Mastio Federiciano.
Along the way to the Sanctuary of the Seven Churches is the Church of Santa Giustina, a Romanesque religious building with a beautiful crenellated bell tower.
If you do not want to climb to the top of the Rocca, stop here: you can take the opportunity to visit the interior of the church, which houses frescoes dating from between the 14th and 18th centuries, and admire a beautiful view, albeit reduced compared to what can be seen from the top.
After visiting the centre of Monselice and its most famous hill, do you still have time left? Then move on to explore the hill that rises on the opposite side of the Rocca. This is Mount Ricco, an elevation of just over 300 metres, criss-crossed by paths in the midst of greenery perfect for trekking, mountain biking and trails.
The classic route is an easy walk, within everyone’s reach: there is only one steep climb at the beginning, but it can be avoided by driving along the first stretch on an asphalt road and continuing on foot along the trail.
The path is rich in viewpoints: on one side you can admire the Rocca rising above the expanse of the Venetian plain and on the other the gentle slopes of the Euganean Hills. The best known vantage point is the terrace of Hercules, a square dominated by a statue of the hero holding the world on his shoulders.
At the top of Monte Ricco stands the Hermitage of Santa Domenica, which can be reached via a path or by climbing a monumental staircase. The hermitage cannot be visited.
Trained hikers, rather than simply reaching the top and returning, can continue along path no. 6 and take a loop that passes along the summit of nearby Mount Castello.
Another green oasis in Monselice is Buzzacarini Park, also known as Friar Grove. It is located just 2 km from the centre, on flat land, and can be a valid alternative to Monte Ricco for those who want shade and coolness without having to climb uphill paths.
It is a lovely municipal park inspired by English gardens and includes a picnic area, a children’s play area, a sports track and a botanical garden with more than 250 plants.
About 5 km from the centre of Monselice, at Rivella, stands the 16th-century Villa Emo Cortusa Maldura, designed by architect Vincenzo Scamozzi. The villa is surrounded by a splendid Italian-style garden open to visitors at weekends.
Be careful not to confuse this villa with the Palladian Villa Emo in Treviso and Villa Emo Capodilista in Selvazzano (PD).
Another elegant Veneto villa in Monselice not to be confused with another more famous villa is the Villa Nani-Mocenigo, located between the central square and the beginning of Via del Santuario. The more famous villa of the same name is located in Rovigo.
It is not possible to pass through the gate of the villa, but from the outside you can admire the mighty surrounding wall on top of which are seven statues of dwarfs alluding to the name of the villa’s owners.
From the gate, you can take a peek at the garden and the monumental staircase leading to the entrance of the villa.
Half a day is sufficient for a visit to the centre of Monselice and the Rocca. With a day trip, one can then visit Monselice and another town in the surroundings.
Este is an interesting walled city just over 10 km from Monselice. It is the most important town in the Paduan lowlands and has a rather lively centre, full of shops and aperitif bars.
Another idea is to combine a visit to Monselice with an afternoon of relaxation in a pool at the Terme Euganee spa. If you prefer walking or cycling, you have a wide choice of routes in the Euganean Hills.
The centre of Padua is also not far, but there are many attractions to see in the city and doing Monselice and Padua in one day might be a bit too much.
In the following map you can see the location of the main places of interest mentioned in this article.
The choice of accommodation in the centre of Monselice is limited to a few b&bs and rooms-to-let: these are generally simple but well-maintained rooms, good value for money and perfect for a short stay.
If you stay longer, or if you want to treat yourself to something special, you need only move a few kilometres from the centre to find splendid agritourisms and villas surrounded by greenery.
Another possibility is to sleep in a resort in the Euganean Spa. Montegrotto is only 12 km away and can be reached quickly via the SS16: here you will find a wide range of hotels with thermal pools. Galzignano is even closer, but the choice of hotels is less.
Monselice is an important centre and is well connected to Venice and Bologna by road and rail, which means that it can be easily reached from several directions both by car and by public transport.
The Monselice motorway tollbooth, located along the A13 motorway connecting Padua and Bologna, is less than 3 km from the centre: just follow the signs; you can enter the A13 from either the A4 Turin-Trieste or the A14 Bologna-Taranto. The centre is ztl, but free and paid parking spaces can be found in the immediate vicinity.
Arriving in Monselice by train is very convenient. The railway station is located next to the historic centre and is situated along the Venezia-Bologna and Mantova-Monselice railway lines. The former is an important artery, served by frequent regional trains and some Intercity trains; the latter is useful for travelling by train from Monselice to Este, but trains are less frequent so pay attention to timetables.
Monselice can also be reached by extra-urban buses departing from Padua and some locations in the Euganean Hills.
The closest airport to Monselice is Venice.
What's the weather at Monselice? Below are the temperatures and the weather forecast at Monselice for the next few days.
Monselice is located in the south-western part of the province of Padua at a distance of about 25 km from the centre of the provincial capital. Venice is 60 km to the east, Verona 110 km to the west.
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