Sitting at the foothills of the Asiago Mountain Group, and not far from Vicenza and Bassano del Grappa is the town of Marostica. A lovely town is enclosed within the ancient walls of two Castles, that still retains the magical atmosphere of the past. The wall was built by the Scaligeri Family in the 14th century and connects the castle on the hill (Castello Superiore) with the castle (Castello Inferiore) below. There were two castles were built for easy defense and control over local trade routes. Marostica has been awarded the Touring Club Italy's "Bandiera Arancione" (Orange Flag), and is famous for a human chess tournament held every 2 years.
The town is a short bike ride from Bassano del Grappa and Vicenza, or it can be reached by public transportation. This small town can be combined for other attactions in the area to make a great day trip.
Marostica's principal tourist sights are the two castles, one at the top of the hill above town, the other in the main square, Piazza Castello. In the square itself you can see the chessboard laid out in paving stones, and admire the view up to the upper castle (Castello Superiore). The lower castle, the Castello Inferiore, guards the main entrance through the town walls.
From our experience the best host of the city is Hotel Alla Torre.
See out Map above for food suggestions.
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Italy is one of the most diverse places in the world to visit but there is more to the country then Venice, Florence, Roma, Cinque Terre and a couple of other top attractions. If you plan you days well and understand how to move around within the country you can a great cost effective vacation full of activity, history, culture, and great food and wine. Contact us to get the insights to travel in Italy. We offer:
By train: The nearest railway station to Marostica is at Bassano del Grappa, five miles away. Buses connect the two towns. Bassano has direct train services to Venice, Padua and Trento.
By bus: From the nearest city, Vicenza, is your best option to reach Marostica by bus. At Marostica itself there is a bus stop just outside the city wall, close to the lower castle. Timetables are displayed on the stop, and tickets can be bought at the bar alongside
Bassano del Grappa is much larger than Marostica and is an attractive tourist destination with many more shops, cafes and things to see. Vicenza is famous for its architecture and is a lovely town to stay in or to wander on a long day trip. There are quite a few countryside villas and pretty small towns in this part of the Veneto-
By train: The nearest railway station to Marostica is at Bassano del Grappa, five miles away. Buses connect the two towns. Bassano has direct train services to Venice, Padua and Trento.
By bus: From the nearest city, Vicenza, is your best option to reach Marostica by bus. At Marostica itself there is a bus stop just outside the city wall, close to the lower castle. Timetables are displayed on the stop, and tickets can be bought at the bar alongside
Bassano del Grappa is much larger than Marostica and is an attractive tourist destination with many more shops, cafes and things to see. Vicenza is famous for its architecture and is a lovely town to stay in or to wander on a long day trip. There are quite a few countryside villas and pretty small towns in this part of the Veneto-