Discover Marostica

Marostica combines historic buildings and local festival traditions with two distinct natural highlights: the Sentiero dei Ciliegi and the Gorghi Scuri wetland. When planning your stay, it is worth keeping the different visitor arrangements and event dates in mind.

Living Chess and the Cherry Festival

The living chess game takes place every two years in September in Piazza Castello. Around 600 performers take part in medieval costumes; the number may vary depending on the production. The historical reenactment dates back to 1923, when university students Mirko Vucetich and Francesco Pozza proposed and staged it.

The Cherry Festival follows a different schedule: it takes place every year on the last Sunday in May, also in Piazza Castello. The programme includes a market, tastings and entertainment. Visitors can sample and buy cherries from Marostica. Dates and programme may vary, so check the details for the relevant festival in advance. In 2001, Ciliegia di Marostica received European recognition as a PGI product.

Castles, City Walls and Sacred Architecture

Castello Inferiore is a square, crenellated fortress with a tall keep and two drawbridges. Visitors can currently see twelve frescoed, partly furnished rooms, six cells in the tower and the wall walk. The castle is open daily for visits, except on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Check the current opening hours before your visit.

The Cammino di Ronda begins at the Torre della Compagnia delle Mura. Qualified staff sell admission tickets there and fit visitors with safety harnesses before they walk the panoramic route independently. The eastern section of the city walls has been accessible since 2014. It is 8 to 12 metres high and 70 centimetres wide—specific measurements that characterise this part of the complex.

Castello Superiore stands on Colle Pausolino, overlooking the walled town of Marostica. Its courtyard is currently closed and opens only on special occasions, such as exhibitions or events, following prior notice. At the Pieve di Santa Maria Assunta, the focus is on sacred history: it is the oldest evidence of the Christian faith in Marostica and probably dates from the early Middle Ages. Its Baroque façade is complemented by three bronze doors with panels depicting episodes from the Bible and the life of Christ.

The Ecomuseo della Paglia is another cultural destination in the area. It is located in Crosara, a hilly district of Marostica, and is part of the Alto Vicentino museum network.

Cherry-Growing Landscape and Wetland

The Sentiero dei Ciliegi leads from Pianezze to Marostica, passing through the district of Roveredo Alto and skirting the district of San Luca. The route winds through a landscape shaped by cherry trees and offers views of the hills and the Marostica plain. It thus connects several named districts through a landscape that differs from the castles and historic buildings.

Gorghi Scuri is a wetland with pools and small waterfalls along the Valletta stream. Its waters provide breeding grounds for salamanders and a resting place for migratory birds on their long journeys. These natural features give the area a different character from the historic sights: the focus here is on water, habitats and resting places for migrating birds.

Discover more destinations: Sarego, Longa, Zugliano, Valstagna, Sandrigo, Lumignano, Schio, Mirabella.

Return to the main travel overview: Vicenza.