A route along the Vicentine hills, at the base of the Asiago high plain, that follows along roads with medium traffic, with a few sections on bike lanes, but that touches on places of great interest: Bassano del Grappa with its famous bridge designed by Palladio, Marostica with the chessboard in its piazza, Breganze with its wines, Lugo di Vicenza with the Palladio-designed Villa Godi and Villa Piovene, the hills of Valdastico and finally Schio.
Point of departure is the train station at Bassano del Grappa, easily reached using the train+bike combination from Venice and Padova; upon leaving the station take the road to the right, cross through the historic center as shown on the GPS trace. Once you have reached the elongated Piazza del Terraglio, from which one has a spectacular view of the Ponte [bridge] degli Alpini(*) below, descend down the stairway and go across the Ponte degli Alpini; once across the river Brenta continue towards Marostica along SP 248, initially called Viale Vicenza. The route at first is rather busy, but for the most part has a bike lane on the right side.
At Marostica you arrive in the historic center and reach the main piazza with its famous chessboard at the center; here every two years (even years) in September a game of chess is played using live participants as chess pieces.
After Marostica continue along SP 121 crossing through the villages of Mason Vicentino and Breganze, a village renown for its wines; after Breganze one comes to Valdastico; just before the bridge over the river Astico turn right onto Via Astico which runs north along the river; in the final section you will see towards the north the imposing mass of Villa Piovene; once across SP 91 continue on a long straight road towards Lugo di Vicenza. At the end of the straight road turn left onto Via Palladio; the name of the road anticipates two famous Palladio villas; in fact, shortly after one will find the turnoff for Villa Godi and Villa Piovene. A rather steep climb takes one first to Villa Godi and after another climbing section to Villa Piovene. Both of the villas can be visited for a fee.
Descend back down to Via Palladio towards Lugo di Vicenza. After Lugo take SP 68 in a gentle climb towards the villages of Calvene and Caltrano; from here descend to the bridge over the Astico with a spectacular view of the river and of the countryside; after having crossed the superhighway two times you will come to Via della Pace, and consistent with the name there is little traffic and with a bike lane, which follows more or less parallel to the heavy traffic SP 349. At the end it is necessary to get onto the provincial road which becomes SP 350, and which has a bike lane on the right.
Eventually you will reach Schio, a city famous above all for its textile industry, which has an ancient tradition. In the historic center stands the monumental eighteenth century duomo [cathedral].
At Schio is the terminus station of the Vicenza-Schio line. Today the line is served by comfortable Minuetto trains which have a place for two bicycles in the middle car.
