Montecchio Maggiore-Alte Ceccato: Castles and Priare

Montecchio Maggiore-Alte Ceccato brings together castles with historical and literary significance, the underground Priare quarry complex, a museum that serves as an exhibition and coordination centre, and the 7th-century Ex Pieve di Santa Maria. During your stay, it is worth distinguishing these highlights by their character. Visiting conditions also vary: access to Castello di Giulietta depends on restaurant opening hours, you should check current guided tour times for the Priare, and the dates of the annual festival may vary.

Castles steeped in history and literature

Castello della Villa, also known as Castello di Romeo, is linked to the story of Romeo and Juliet through historical family feuds and the novella by Vicenza writer Luigi Da Porto. The castle’s first securely documented mention dates from the early decades of the 13th century, when it was a fief of the Pileo family. These are two distinct points of reference: the fief places the castle within the history of medieval rule, while Da Porto’s novella connects it to the literary history of the Romeo and Juliet story.

Castello della Bellaguardia is also known as Castello di Giulietta. Access is tied to the restaurant’s opening hours: Wednesday to Friday from 18:00 to 00:00, and Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 to 00:00. Check these hours before travelling.

The Priare and Museo civico G. Zannato

Beneath Castello di Bellaguardia lies the 1.5-kilometre underground Priare quarry complex. It includes artificial chambers and natural cavities of epikarstic origin. Human-made spaces and natural formations thus meet within the same complex. The Priare opened to the public in 2008 and were also equipped for safe guided tours. If you are planning a tour, check in advance which dates are currently available.

Museo civico G. Zannato serves as an exhibition centre and coordinates the activities of the Sistema Museale Agno-Chiampo as its operational hub. Its role therefore combines an exhibition function with an organisational one within the museum system. For travellers who also like to understand cultural sites by their function, this dual role offers an additional point of reference.

Church history and the Festa della Tegolina Cornetta

The Ex Pieve di Santa Maria dates back to the 7th century and was the mother church of the Valle dell’Agno. Its historical significance therefore lies in its ecclesiastical role; its story differs in focus from the feudal history and literary associations of Castello della Villa. Together, they offer different historical perspectives, without making the histories of the castle and the church one and the same.

The Festa della Tegolina Cornetta De.Co. e della Tagliata is held every year to promote Montecchio Maggiore’s tegolina cornetta as a De.Co. product. Dates and the programme may change; if you want to plan your stay around the festival, check the details for the relevant edition. At the 2025 edition, a food stall served tegolina cornetta with tagliata, hamburgers and French fries, or with pancetta on Friday evening. These food details refer to the 2025 edition.

Discover more destinations: Villaganzerla, Bosco di Tretto, Brendola, Arzignano, Preara-Moraro-Levà Nord, Rosà, Lovara and Lonigo.

Back to the regional travel overview: Vicenza.