A route that is quite bike-friendly is this one that goes from Vicenza to Thiene following partially along a bike path, between Anconetta and Cavazzale, and for the remainder on local roads that are relatively peaceful. This is a route that could be called proto-Palladian because it touches upon several villas designed by the very young Palladio or in a Palladian style.
Leaving the train station at Vicenza take the large avenue right in front [Viale Roma] that takes one directly to the historic center of Vicenza and to the main pedestrian street with the predictable name of Corso Andrea Palladio. A must stop is at the main piazza with its Basilica Palladiana [actually, the town hall] and the two columns of San Marco [Saint Mark]. Also worth a stop is the open space further along with Villa Chiericati on the right and Teatro Olimpico [Olympic Theater] on the left.
After Teatro Olimpico and after crossing the bridge over the river Bacchiglione, take Via IV Novembre and follow this long straightaway all the way to Anconetta, where one crosses the railroad tracks of the Vicenza-Schio line; immediately after turn to the left onto Via dei Camaldolesi up to the point where you cross the railroad tracks again; after the street-level crossing, on the right is the beginning of a bike path, gravel at first, then paved, which follows along the railroad tracks all the way to Cavazzale.
Here the bike path ends and one needs to continue on streets that are open to traffic; follow Via Chiesa and Via Leonardo da Vinci up to a rotary where you join Via Pilastroni, a long straight road that in the distance has the monumental Villa da Porto-Casarotto designed by Ottone Calderari. Once in front of the villa turn left onto Via da Porto and after a few hundred meters [yards] you will come upon another Villa da Porto [Porto-Pedrotti] attributed to Palladio, with a large garden in the foreground and a moat filled with water and water lilies. Here again is a long straightaway that ends in front of the villa.
Continue by traveling around the villa and you will reach the center of Dueville(*), and then continue to Montecchio Precalcino; upon coming to a large rotary turn right onto Via Venezia and shortly after you will pass in front of Villa Forni Cerato, this also attributed to Palladio, but currently abandoned.
Continue in the direction of Lugo di Vicenza, cross the bridge over the river Astico, and then to the left, take the long straight road with a gentle uphill climb; at its end again turn to the left and you will come to a small uphill road on the right that takes you to Villa Godi Malinverni and Villa Piovene; at 220 meters/720 feet above sea level it is in every sense the high point of this route. Villa Godi does not have the appearance of a classic Palladian villa, but it is one of the first works designed by Andrea Palladio; Villa Piovene by contrast does have a Palladian appearance, but Palladio’s contribution to this design is highly doubtful.
Continue towards Lugo di Vicenza and from here take the road to Thiene; this is the section of the route that is least bike-friendly, being quite busy with traffic and without a bike lane.
Finally you get to Thiene, with an attractive historic center and a train station on the Vicenza-Schio line.
Latest visit of this route: 1 May 2013
