The Rialto trail, marked with R5, starts along Via Rialto (Rialto Street), the provincial road that goes from Rovolon to Montemerlo.
Leave your car in the little parking area near “Casa Gialla”, a yellow house along the street. Park here, where the cycle path begins, in front of what remains of industrial archeology, now almost completely covered by vegetation: a base of a silo and a wall belonging to the old quarry Italcementi, where fragments were extracted and brought to the cement factory.
Start walking in direction of Montemerlo, passing near “Casa Gialla”. (1)
After 150 meters, turn right onto Via Rialto. On the left you can see two old lime kilns called “Forni de Quaiato”. Going uphill on Via Rialto for about 400 meters, you find “Calto de Marin”, near a lawn fenced with wire mesh. The path goes up to Colle Mottolo and, once you get to the top of the hill, you can enjoy an expansive view of Monte Grande. Here a flat path begins among the olive trees and the typical vegetation of the Euganean Hills.
After that you will get to a crossroad: turn left following the trail R5, in the direction of “Capitello del Monticello”.
After 200 meters turn left and walk among the vegatation until you find yourself on a paved road that divides the two municipalities of Teolo and Rovolon. Keep to the left going downhill.
Along the street you can see Villa Marani on the right side. After the villa, the descent begins along a steep paved road. On the right you can enjoy the beautiful panorama of the plain towards Montemerlo and Padua.
At the end of the descent, you will cross Via Rialto at a place called Ponte dei Cogoli. To get back to where we started, turn left, skirting the base of the hill and follow the cycle path. (2)
NOTES:
(1)On your left you can see Frassanelle Golf Club, one of the four golf courses in the Euganean Hills. On your left again, watching below street level, you can see the remains of an ancient fountain called “Fontana delle grotte” (fountain of the caves), with an arch made of stones. In the past people went there to wash clothes and get fresh water.
(2)Before the construction of the golf club, in the area on your right there was a rain-fed lake with a spring that fed Rialto river. That area belonged to Parco Frassanelle.
Trail time: about 1 h
Difficulty + +
