Itinerary 1: Villas and Wines in the Hills of Lugo di Vicenza and Colceresa

Itinerary 1: Villas and Wines in the Hills of Lugo di Vicenza and ColceresaAndrea Palladio was the greatest architect of the Renaissance. His villas and gardens left a lasting mark on history.His journey began where ours does: at Villa Godi Malinverni, the very first he designed.In this episode of On the Road – Journeys of Discovery in the Pedemontana Vicentina, we take you on an unmissable day trip dedicated to villas and wines, winding through the hills of Lugo di Vicenza and Colceresa, in the Veneto foothills.Our route begins on the gentle slopes just outside the village of Lugo di Vicenza. Here we find Villa Godi Malinverni. Completed in 1542, the villa was commissioned by nobleman Gerolamo Godi.The whole estate stretches over roughly 14 hectares, where the balanced, harmonious spirit of the Renaissance is reflected both in the building’s architecture and in the elegant Italian-style gardens.Behind the villa lies the centuries-old park, home to 1,400 trees and 80,000 flowering plants. Just imagine the colors and scents in springtime.Step inside the villa, past its austere façade, and you’ll be stunned by the opulence that lies within: frescoed halls and decorations by some of the most influential painters of the 16th-century Venetian school. There’s even a remarkable museum devoted to valuable fossils. One last curiosity before leaving Villa Godi Malinverni: the building also made its mark on Italian cinema, serving as the set for Luchino Visconti’s 1954 masterpiece Senso.We continue our journey together through Lugo di Vicenza and Colceresa. In just an 8-minute drive, we reach another enchanting spot: the little Church of San Pietro, in the Mare area. Perched on a hilltop, it offers a stunning panoramic view over the lush Vicenza plain, the Astico stream, and the surrounding mountains.From there, we head towards Breganze, known as a ‘City of Wine’ and home to certified DOC vineyards, about 10 km from Mare. It’s the perfect place to sample dishes from the Vicenza culinary tradition, such as polenta or bigoli, a typical homemade long pasta.But Breganze also boasts its own signature dish: torresano, young pigeon roasted on a spit, once served on the tables of noble families.Of course, the true highlight of this food and wine experience is the local wines: Cabernet, Merlot, and Vespaiolo first and foremost.To finish your meal in style, we suggest a glass of Torcolato, a dessert wine made from the sweetest dried and pressed Vespaiola grapes. You can only find it here… and it’s worth the trip.We’ll return to the wines of Breganze. But for now, we make our way to Colceresa, just 4 km away. This is the start of a well-marked network of nature trails, suitable for all experience levels. The landscape is dotted with streams, woodland, and vineyards. The trails are named after some of the animals you might—if you’re lucky—spot along the way: hedgehogs, squirrels, hares, roe deer, snails, and dragonflies.After this breath of fresh air, we return to Breganze. We wrap up our one-day itinerary with a guided tour of one of the historic, family-run wineries, where you can sample their DOC wines.Breganze’s winegrowing families are proud to show visitors their barrel cellars and the attic spaces where clusters of Vespaiola grapes are hung and twisted—torcolati, as they say in the local dialect. As the grapes dry, their sugar level becomes more concentrated, resulting in the exquisite dessert wine known as Torcolato.Our one-day journey through villas and wines ends with a celebratory toast scented with the tang of freshly pressed must.But our adventure through the Veneto foothills is far from over! In the next episode, we’ll explore a route brimming with history and nature, between Tonezza del Cimone and Posina.You’ve been listening to On the Road – Journeys of Discovery in the Pedemontana Vicentina, a podcast produced by OGD Pedemontana Veneta e Colli.Writing, voiceover, music, and post-production by eArs.Co-funded by the 2025 National Tourism Fund.Visit visitpedemontana.com to learn more about our itineraries and immerse yourself in the local landscape.