Home › Bike Routes › Euganean Hills Ring
Loop route

Euganean Hills Ring by bike
from Montegrotto Terme

A 61 km loop through the volcanic hills south of Padova: DOC vineyards, medieval villages, the Abbey of Praglia and the village where Petrarch chose to spend his last years. A complete itinerary, back to your starting point.

Open the route on Google Maps Book the e-bike
Loop distance
61 km
Total duration
Full day
Elevation gain
Moderate
Difficulty
🟡 Medium
Ideal bike
E-bike
Suited for
Active riders

The Euganean Hills: a volcanic island on the plain

Rising abruptly from the flat Padova countryside, the Euganean Hills are an isolated volcanic group with peaks up to Monte Venda, 603 metres. A unique landscape that has drawn travellers, poets and pilgrims for centuries.

The 61 km loop touches the area's iconic stops: Monselice with its castle and Via Sacra, Este and its Carraresi walls, Arquà Petrarca — one of Italy's Most Beautiful Villages, Galzignano Terme, the UNESCO-listed Villa dei Vescovi and the Abbey of Praglia with its working Benedictine monks.

The Euganean Hills Regional Park was established in 1989 and protects over 15,000 hectares of woods, vineyards and volcanic outcrops — Italy's first hill park and a unique ecosystem in the middle of the Veneto plain.

Aerial panoramic photo of the Euganean Hills

The stages of the Ring

The unmissable stops along the loop, in order.

🗼

Monselice

Dominated by its castle and the Via Sacra — seven chapels climbing to the Villa Duodo sanctuary at the top of the hill. The historic centre preserves intact medieval and Renaissance architecture.

🏰

Este and the Carraresi Castle

An Etruscan and Roman town, home to the National Atestino Museum, one of Veneto's most important archaeological collections. The castle walls and garden are open to visitors.

🖊️

Arquà Petrarca

One of Italy's Most Beautiful Villages, where the poet Francesco Petrarca spent the last years of his life. His house is open to the public, surrounded by a maze of stone alleys and stairways.

🌿

Galzignano Terme

A spa town nestled among hills covered in chestnut woods and vineyards. The perfect stop for a break in the shade, before tackling the final climbs of the ring.

🏛️

Villa dei Vescovi (UNESCO)

A 16th-century Renaissance villa built for the Bishops of Padova, now owned by the FAI (Italian National Trust). Its loggias offer one of the most beautiful panoramic views over the whole park.

⛪

Abbey of Praglia

A working Benedictine monastery since the 11th century. The monks still restore ancient books and produce honey and herbal liqueurs that you can buy directly at the abbey shop.

Wine, oil and the flavours of the Euganean Hills

The volcanic soil of the Euganean Hills produces some of the Veneto's finest wines. Fior d'Arancio DOCG is the area's signature sweet, aromatic white, while the Colli Euganei DOC covers reds (Merlot, Cabernet) and whites (Pinot Bianco, Serprino).

Alongside the wine, look out for the area's DOP extra virgin olive oil and the honey produced by the monks of the Abbey of Praglia — both excellent souvenirs to bring home after the ride.

For lunch, try bigoli al torchio, the traditional hand-pressed pasta of the area, served with duck ragù or local sausage — the perfect refuel between two climbs of the Ring.

Bottle of Fior d'Arancio DOCG wine from the Euganean Hills

5 facts you wouldn't expect

1
A marine archipelago. 35 million years ago the Euganean Hills were a chain of volcanic islands in a tropical sea. The surrounding plain only formed millions of years later, filled by sediments from the Alps.
2
Thermal water is born here. The hot springs of Montegrotto and Abano have their geological origin precisely in this volcanic system: rainwater infiltrates, heats up underground and resurfaces here after a journey of decades.
3
Petrarch chose to die among these hills. The poet spent his final years in Arquà, drawn by the climate and tranquillity. He died here in 1374, and his tomb still stands in the village square.
4
The monks of Praglia restore books. The abbey is home to one of Italy's most respected book-restoration laboratories, working for libraries and archives across the country.
5
Monte Venda's secret military history. During the Cold War the summit hosted a NATO radar base, partly hidden inside the hill. Some structures are still visible today to those who climb to the top.

Practical information

🚉

Starting point

Piazzale della Stazione, 12
35036 Montegrotto Terme (PD)
Right across from the train exit

🗺️

Type of route

Complete loop, back to the starting point.
Secondary roads, some climbs.
E-bike recommended.

📱

Route on your smartphone

With every e-bike or bike rental, we give you the route pre-loaded on your smartphone.
Just start riding, no prep needed.

🕘

Km Rental hours

Open every day
from 9:00 to 19:00
No public holidays excluded.

Ready to go? Open the full route in Google Maps with cycling mode already active.

Open the route on Google Maps  →

Start from the station — finish at the station

Rent the e-bike and ride the Euganean Hills Ring

Km Rental is 30 seconds from the exit of Montegrotto Terme station. E-bikes with a range of up to 140 km make the 61 km loop, climbs included, comfortable for everyone.

Fast
€15 / 2 hours
Half day
€25 / 4 hours
Full day
€38 / 8 hours
Book now WhatsApp