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Trail on the
“Terre bianche” with departure point and arrival
at Luvigliano
Trail length: 4,5 km
Altitude: 250 m
Duration: about 2 hours (stop-offs excluded)
Difficulties: none, but in some seasons the
steepest points can be slippery, hence take
suitable footwear with you.
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Luvigliano is situated a few kilometres away
from Abano, a small village spread around
the famous villa dei Vescovi ( XVI cent),
one of the architectural jewels of the
Euganean Hills, at the foot of mount Pirio.
Leave the car in the car park of the parish
church dedicated to San Martino
[picture 1], at the very
front of the Villa entrance. As an
alternative you can reach the depature point
from Abano by using the bus of the TL line,
which arrives at Luvigliano.
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The church is slightly raised with regards to
the countryside and on the left, looking towards
the facade, we pass through the excavated street
[picture
2]
that leads to the Villa Pollini (venue for the
DOC wine festival in Autumn); we keep to the
left, and after several metres, we turn right as
the street begins to go upwards. Soon enough we
find ourselves in an environment that alternates
between stretches of forest, vineyards and olive
groves, while the tiny street clambers up with
some hairpin bends allowing us to enjoy the
panoramic |
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view which, with a splendid view of the
Villa
dei Vescovi, opens up onto more distant horizons: the
spa centres of Abano and Montegrotto, Padua, and the
plains on the east of the Hills, until one can
distinguish the Venice lagoon and Chioggia during serene
days. |
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The last point
of rising goes out of the forest and crosses
through downward slopes of cultivated
vineyards, whilst at the end of the road it
becomes stony and rocky: at this point we
have to be a bit careful so as to avoid
falling over on the unstable crushed stone.
Given the 360° panoramic view
[picture
3] which can be
easily distracting. The road folds south and near several houses it
links with via Fornetto, an excavated road used
by some local cars.
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The white road now carries on going downhill
slightly towards the north (we are at about 220m
above sea level), with a view to the plains on
our right, and after having come across the small
church [picture
4]
the view also opens up towards the west,
towards the sheer cliffs of Rocca Pendice
[picture
5], the valley underneath it and the inhabited area of
Teolo, practically opposite our position.
This zone is called “Terre bianche” due to the
very properties and nature of the soil, which is
composed of Biancone and argillaceous limestone.
The road winds across the watershed between the
two sides of mount Arrigon, usually with
alignments of cypresses along its sides that
give a touch of “Tuscany” to it, making it
particularly picturesque and peaceful, in this
area of the Hills. |
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Near to the farm Il Pirio, we leave the road
that now begins to head down towards the
location ‘Treponti di Teolo’, by taking a
deviation on the right that will take us to
Luvigliano. This is a beautiful lane as well,
with alignments of cypresses, on both sides,
as well as cherry trees and vineyards in
between [pictures
6-7]. After a hundred or so metres, the
cultivated zone ends, and the road near a
wooden Cross curves to the right and, going
through a narrow valley, swiftly goes
downhill, passing an old, very well salvaged
quarry, to come out towards Luvigliano
inside the Villa. After a small stretch of
asphalt road on the right and we find
ourselves once again in the church parking
lot. |
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■
Download the map in pdf format >>
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VILLA DEI VESCOVI:
Built in between 1535 and 1542
on an embankment of the Euganean
Hills, the villa’s impotent
structure stands on the
surrounding rural landscape.
Consisting of more than just one
villa with agricultural
functions, it is known for its
architectural framework that
imitates the models of Roman
times and testifies to a perfect
harmony between art and harmony,
restated on the inside by the
broad cycle of frescoes, and of
a Raphaelean matrix, which were
carried out between 1542 and
1548 by Lamberto Sustris.
Nowadays they belong to FAI
(Fondo dell’Ambiente Italiano)
and are in a stage of
restoration. The opening is
scheduled for Spring 2011. |
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