Ring around the Colli Euganei: Monselice to Padova

The ring route around the Colli Euganei [Euganean Hills] is a bike route for the most part on a dedicated bike path, created by the Region of Veneto and the Province of Padova [Padua]. The route runs completely around the Colli Euganei following primarily along the banks of the many canals which circle the hills.

The route is well signed using only the symbol E2 (which stands for Excursion 2) as in these adjacent images.

The first part of the ring between Padova and Monselice is described on a separate page.

This second section starts at the train station at Monselice. Upon leaving the station the simplest thing to do is to take Via Trento e Trieste as far as the Bisatto Canal, turn right before crossing the bridge taking Via dell’Argine Sinistro [left bank street] (in this direction, since we’re traveling upstream, the left bank is on the right side of the canal). Alternatively, you can follow the GPS trace which passes through the town of Monselice on paved streets until you merge onto SR10 (Padana Inferiore) just before a railroad underpass; shortly after on the right is the turnoff for Marendole and immediately after the bridge, by turning left, one finds the left bank of the Bisatto Canal.

The path although unpaved alternates between sections that are in good condition and others that are rather rough; on the right there are broad views of the Colli Euganei with the occasional farm or agritourism complex, such as Ca’ Barbaro; on the left the Bisatto Canal and further along the plain of the lower Po valley.

This section of unpaved bike path ends at Este on Via Martiri della Libertà which you take by turning right. After a rotary you will arrive in front of the entrance to Castello Carrarese, now converted into a public garden. Go through the garden and exit in front of the Museo Nazionale Atestino [National Museum of Este] and turn right onto Via Schiavin which you follow for a few hundred meters until you find, on the left, an arch that is an underpass to the building above; after passing through the arch you will find on the right the bike path along the Bisatto Canal, at this point on the right bank, paved but not entirely bike friendly since the road is shared with automobile traffic; after crossing SP247 the bike path continues with the canal and the hills towards the right, up to the turnoff for Cinto Euganeo and then the village of Lozzo Atestino at the base of Monte Lozzo, a conical-shaped hill isolated from the rest of the Colli Euganei.

At Lozzo on the right there is a modern bridge with railings made of stainless steel, and a bit further along one can begin to see Villa Correr.

Continue on the right bank on a road with little traffic, although it is not a dedicated bike path, following the signs for the E2 bike route as far as Lanzetta, where shortly before the village the ubiquitous E2 sign directs you to cross a small bridge on the right and get on to a bike path which takes you to Vò Vecchio and then to Bastia di Rovolon. Here, after crossing the piazza of the village take Via Monte Cereo to the left which runs around this small hill; when you come near the provincial highway make a sharp U-turn to start the brief climb up to the pass at about 65 m/215 feet; come down again heading in the direction of Via Euganea; after the turnoff for the 19th century Villa Papafava, the path becomes unpaved and the last stretch is reduced to being a very bumpy trail.

Coming back to the asphalt one reaches the very busy Via Euganea towards Padova and points beyond; to avoid this section of road one needs to follow the E2 signs for local side roads which run more or less parallel to Via Euganea, as far as the road to the Praglia Abbey; here we leave the E2 route which heads to the right towards the abbey and Montegrotto; instead, going left, one finds Via Euganea at San Biagio where there is the start of a bike lane on the left side of the road.

Shortly before Selvazzano Dentro, a comune now absorbed into the metropolitan area of Padua, one finds Via Montecchia on the left with a view of Villa Capodilista. The bike lane continues with some shifting from left to right and vice versa as far as Padova.

Photos

Este, the castle Este, the museum Bisatto Canal Bisatto Canal Lozzo Atestino Turnoff to Papafava Altimetry

Captions

Este, the Carrara Castle today is a public park. Este, the National Museum of Este. Bike path along the Bisatto Canal between Este and Lozzo Atestino. The bike path continues along the Bisatto Canal just before Lozzo Atestino. Lozzo Atestino, on the right Villa Correr half hidden by the embankment, on the left the Bisatto Canal which one continues to follow even after Lozzo. Descending to Via dei Colli one encounters this bike path turnoff to Villa Papafava, constructed during the nineteenth century. A bit further along one runs into an unpaved section that is very bumpy.