Discover Zovencedo

Hiking Trails Through the Valle del Gazzo

Zovencedo is a destination for you if you would like to combine landscapes, hiking trails and traces of cultural history within a compact village setting. The Sentiero di Zovencedo begins in the town centre and is 9 kilometres long. The complete route takes 3 to 4 hours; one variant shortens it to 6.5 kilometres. The trail leads to the settlement of Calto and the remains of an old lignite mine in Val Gazzo. It therefore showcases not only the landscape, but also part of its industrial past.

Another option is Stage 16 of the Altavia dei Berici from Zovencedo to Pozzolo. It offers panoramic views over the Valle del Gazzo. The Altavia dei Berici can be completed entirely on foot, by mountain bike or on horseback. Those wishing to compare different forms of travel will therefore find a clearly described alternative to the individual trail here.

River, Caves and Stone Landscape

The Liona River rises in Zovencedo, flows down through the valley and continues towards the Po Valley. For orientation in the area, the local tourist guide “La Valle della Liona” covers Zovencedo and Val Liona. The publication is available digitally on the websites of the participating municipalities and is also available in printed form at municipal offices and Pro Loco offices.

The Sentiero di San Gottardo offers an external view of the most important quarry for white Vicenza stone, the “Pietra di San Gottardo” variety. The Grotta di San Gottardo is also one of the longest natural caves in the Berici area. In the municipality of Zovencedo, white Vicenza stone, Pietra Bianca di Vicenza, has also been quarried for more than a century. The information thus points to different facets of the same regionally distinctive stone tradition, without equating the individual sites or quarrying methods.

Archaeology and History

The Grotta de Nadale is a Palaeolithic archaeological site in Zovencedo associated with settlement by Neanderthals around 70,000 years ago. Its only preserved archaeological layer documents the presence of Neanderthals in the Berici area. The Castrum of Zovencedo also represents the history of the locality; it was first mentioned in 1158 in an imperial document issued by Frederick I.

In the hamlet of La Sengia, the Casa rupestre was built at the entrance to an old quarry and inhabited by a very large family until the 1960s. The Museo della Pietra is located inside the quarry. The former quarry, secured by the municipality, preserves traces of the original underground quarrying techniques. The Sentiero di San Gottardo and the facilities in La Sengia make the extraction and processing of the stone visible in different ways.

A Specific Dining Venue

In Zovencedo, the Osteria Imbusà is located at Via Gazzo 2. It is freely accessible or accessible by reservation. For combining a visit to the locality, hiking and regional history, there is therefore also a specifically named dining venue alongside the trails and cultural sites.

Compare Other Places

For comparison with other locality pages, you can also select Radi, Grisignano Di Zocco, Tonezza Del Cimone, Sovizzo, Costabissara, Gambellara, Malo and Pedemonte.

For the overarching travel overview: Vicenza.