Stage Three Marano – Velo d’Astico (Km 21)
Route description
Start in Marano where the road forks in Via Braglio, bear left and on the flyover turn right towards the embankment along the Timonchio, at the junction with Via Pasubio, a dual carriageway, turn left over the bridge and immediately right back onto the embankment, at the junction with the main road SP122 continue along the embankment on the same side and after 300m, at the junction with Via Prole turn right; continue straight on until Via Venezia and turn left, after 200m turn right onto Via Milano and after another 200m turn left and then right shortly after onto the dirt track; go on approximately 1km as far as the tarmacked road Via Nazario Sauro, continue as far as the crossroads with Via Stazione, turn left over the level crossing and 50m later turn right into Via Molette; after 400m take a sharp left into a side road and continue until you come to Via Capitello, which is normally very busy; go straight on following the dirt track and just past a farm on the right, turn left; after 50m be careful as a sharp bend to the right brings you onto the new bike-pedestrian path which crosses over the new road below and leads into contrà Vanzi; not far ahead is the crossroads with Via Machiavelli, turn left by an old farmhouse; after 100m look carefully as the entrance to the bike-pedestrian path on the right is half-hidden; go through four crossroads in the Schio business park and at Campo Romano cross over Via Dell’Industria just before the traffic lights; be very careful here as there are no signs on the road and it is a highly dangerous crossing; continue along the road and after 30m turn right onto Via Campo Romano; continue until the new hospital and turn left into Via Campagna which initially runs parallel to the bike-pedestrian path leading to the hospital; straight on through the fields along the dirt track as far as the Chiappin farm; turn left into Via dei Prati where the dirt track eventually becomes tarmacked; continue for more than 1km and just past the new cemetery on the right, turn right at the crossroads into Via Prasamarin; after 400m leave the main road and turn right at the wooden bridge, continue through the underpass and go on past the schools; keep to the right and go up towards the bike-pedestrian path which leads to the playing fields; continue along the narrow cycle path until the pedestrian roundabout; look to your left and you will see an entrance in the walls surrounding Villa Rossi; go through and there is a wide-stepped dirt track which climbs to come out on Via Alessandro Rossi; continue right past Villa Rossi, downhill into Via Lesina and straight on at the crossroads into Via San Carlo, past the little church of the same name; after a short climb the road drops down and watch out for the turning on the left, 500m ahead, down into Via S. Vito; continue down, going straight on through all the crossroads in the area of Grumello di Piovene Rocchette; there is a big roundabout at the end, stay on the pavement to the left and go straight on; after 300m you will see Centro Expert on your right on the other side of the road; turn left here and after 100m turn right into Via del Monte and then straight ahead onto Via Libertà; continue straight on uphill against the flow of traffic and when you reach the little square turn left to climb up into Via delle Fonti; at the end of this short stretch you will reach the car park for the Birreria Vecchia; keeping this to your left continue straight on up the paved steps through the renovated houses as far as the big fountain; cross over Via dell’Angelo into Via Castel Manduca and continue downhill; go under a portico and into an open space; turn left into Via Preare, a dirt track which climbs first and then drops; at the junction with the main road keep to the pavement on the left and not long after cross over the route for the bike-pedestrian path and then cross over again; follow the route of the old railway line, shown on a noticeboard, which descends immediately into a tunnel; stay on the path for 5 km until you reach the old Velo d’Astico station, which is now the Gran Passo Restaurant.
Route information
Parking in the centre of town, 1 km away
SP46 from Schio-Malo
Once in the town centre head south to Via Braglio
The hardest climb begins just outside town: Via dell’Ospizio (cyclists will have to get off and walk)
Gentle descent as far as the “Patronato”
Another climb up to the former lime works
Some gentle gradients along the old railway line
Asphalt from Timonchio to Garziere and the crossing at Piovene
Paving stones Via Ospizio Piovene
Dirt track Garziere-Piovene and the old railway line Piovene-Velo
- pace 4 kmph > 4hours 45 minutes
- pace 6 kmph > 3hours 20 minutes
- pace 8 kmph > 2hours 25 minutes
- pace 18 kmph > 1hour 10 minutes by bike
- Viale Europa in Marano
- level crossing in Marano
- Via Capitello di Sopra Marano-Schio
- several crossings on bike path through Schio business park
- Via Dell’Industria warning heavy traffic (Campo Romano)
- Via Garziere by the new hospital warning heavy traffic
- short section (80m) against flow of traffic Via Garziere
- main road near Garziere (after the villa)
- main road SP349 Piovene near Pilastri (near motorway flyover)
- main road SP349 again near Piovene
- Via Libertà: route is signposted in yellow (against flow of traffic)
- Via Rossi Piovene, two crossings, beginning of bike-pedestrian path
- Three crossings of minor roads along the bike-pedestrian path
- Special care should be taken on all road junctions. Always follow the highway code and above all use common sense
Route map
Elevation profile
Our association, Sportiva Dilettantistica Culturale Cammini Veneti was founded in 2014, the brainchild of a group of friends with a shared passion for hiking, trekking, rambling and Nordic Walking. It aims to create long trails in the area where we live (the province of Vicenza in the Veneto region).
Andrea Cevese has always been a keen nature lover and sports enthusiast, above all mountain sports. He began walking longer trails in 2005 (the Way of St. James, the Way of Le Puy, the Francigena Way and the Anaunia Way). He believes that local culture and natural heritage are the ideal soil for a person’s roots to thrive in. After his diploma in Classical Studies he graduated in Law and has lived abroad for several years. He works freelance.
Paola Franco, is a keen nature and animal lover. She enjoys walking and exploring new places in her free time. After walking the Way of St. Francis in 2013 she tackled the Way of St. James. She is a freelance professional with previous experience in local government and works in a variety of ways to promote local culture and natural heritage. She deals with organisational and administrative aspects for the association.
As head of the Vicenzaè Tourist Board, Vladimiro Riva has spent years working to promote tourism in the area of Vicenza. His schemes and projects include the development of the Denominazione Comunali (De.Co.), a regional mark of quality to promote local produce, the campaign for the recognition of Unesco World Heritage Sites in Vicenza and its province, and his work to have the Basilica Palladiana listed as a national monument. He is a founder member and brings his wide experience to bear on all aspects of the association.
Remo Longin is an athletics coach and Nordic Walking instructor, joint owner of a fitness centre and a keen hiker. He has devised “the green way”, nature walks designed to encourage people to connect with their natural environment. These walks include the “Giro delle Chiesette Prealpine” in the foothills of the Alps near Vicenza, the route from Folgaria to Venice along the E5 European long distance trail, and the regional R2 bike-pedestrian path along riverbanks in the Veneto region. He advises the association on technical and sport matters.
Chiara Faresin is a keen lover of art, landscape and cultural tourism and has travelled widely in Italy and abroad. She prepared the texts on Antonio Fogazzaro and his grandson Roi, and the analysis of the novels set in the area around Vicenza. After taking a degree in Economics and a career in business, she also graduated in Art History, a subject which she is qualified to teach.
Cecilia Calgaro is a keen nature lover and traveller and her delight in exploring other cultures has taken her abroad for several years. She walked the Way of St. James in 2010 and immediately fell under its spell. Thanks to the Associazione Cammini Veneti she combines her passions with her professional experience in the field of public relations.
Rosanna Cerato is a keen lover of nature, dogs, art and children and was thrilled to walk the Way of St. James. She works in business administration but prefers flowers and treks to numbers and figures. She has an administrative role within the association.
Diego Capitanio has an innate passion…nature, the environment, walking and enjoying the outdoors. He is a member of the mountaineering group Alpi Trivenete. He loves scenery and landscapes, getting to know people, sharing knew ways of life, respect for the environment, the mountains and people. In 2007 he began walking and cycling: Via dei Borboni, the Way of St. James, the Way of St. Francis, The Francigena Way..-and that was just the start. Happy walking! He is responsible for the routes and waymarking in the association.
Erik Umberto Pretto is studying engineering and works in local government. He loves his land and the traditions of the people who live there. He has completed the Way of St. James and noticed how proper management of local resources, especially its history, its natural heritage and locally sourced food and wine products, can have positive economic and cultural effects on the local community.
Maurizio Dal Ferro, is a keen lover of the mountains in both winter and summer and a competent sailor. He is also a keen birdwatcher. He has worked for many years in international institutions. He is a freelance consultant on EU financing and uses his experience for the enhancement of the Veneto area.
Renzo Priante, architect, has worked for a long time as an architect and urban planner in the enhancement of the territory of the Alto Vicentino that he knows in depth. He designed the renovation of the Park of Villa Rossi, the High Path of Cogollo del Cengio, created the paths around the little lake of Posina, written a Guide to the Cammino Fogazzaro Roi in the village of Piovene Rocchette. He writes and lectures on the history and culture of the Alto Vicentino area.
Giorgio Marchetto has long been a keen mountaineer and runner, in and around the mountains near Vicenza. He works as a freelance web designer for tourism-based sites and creator of multimedia applications (panoramic photos and virtual tours, web mapping applications), and he deals with these technical aspects for our association.