Discover what to do in San Giovanni Ilarione: the chestnut and Vin Durello festival, the church of San Giovanni Battista, a bike ride in San Giovanni Ilarione. Want to know more? First of all…
Where is San Giovanni Ilarione?
The municipality of San Giovanni Ilarione borders to the north with Vestenanova, to the south with Montecchia di Crosara, to the southeast with Roncà, to the east with Chiampo, to the west with Tregnago and Cazzano di Tramigna.
The chestnut and Vin Durello festival
The 2023 edition of the chestnut festival took place from Thursday 5 to Monday 9 October in Piazza XXIV Maggio, in front of the parish church of Santa Caterina in Villa.
During the event, the historic heart of the town comes alive with numerous stalls and spacious dining areas where you can choose from inviting savory dishes, from risotto with tastasal, bigoli with duck, and spätzle with cream and speck to delicious mixed grills and cotechino with pearà (a sauce made with beef marrow, butter, breadcrumbs, meat broth, and pepper), just to mention a few of the dishes from the previous edition’s menu.
The undisputed protagonists of the event are the food and wine excellences born from the flourishing chestnut groves and sunny vineyards that find optimal conditions to grow lush in the fertile territory of the Val d’Alpone.
If you are wondering what to do in San Giovanni Ilarione, the chestnut and Vin Durello festival is an ideal initiative to spend the autumn season with live music, dance evenings, and exquisite typical products that characterize the cultural identity and agricultural soul of the charming and welcoming Ilarione community framed by the Lessini Mountains.
For more information about the lively event, you can consult the Facebook page Pro Loco San Giovanni Ilarione.
The church of San Giovanni Battista
Located in Piazza del Costo, 17, the church of San Giovanni Battista stands on the ruins of a medieval castle, contested in the 13th century between the Malacappella family and the municipality of Vicenza. Following the failed attempt to conquer the stronghold in 1241, the Vicentines managed to defeat the Malacappella the following year, thanks to their alliance with Ezzelino da Romano. From the privileged position of the majestic 19th-century place of worship, you can enjoy a spectacular view of the bright valley and the wooded slopes of the Lessini Mountains.
Bike ride in San Giovanni Ilarione
The starting point of the short itinerary is the parking lot in Piazza XXIV Maggio, next to the Parish Church of Santa Caterina in Villa. Leave the entrance of the place of worship behind you and take Via Monfalcone. Follow Via Monfalcone and Via Colombara for 1.8 km, entering the serene rural landscape of Ilarione dotted with rural farmhouses surrounded by endless expanses of vineyards, cherry trees, and olive trees that follow the gentle grassy slopes of the Val d’Alpone.
Once you reach the small shrine (45.519527507667796, 11.256027320648625), keep left and proceed north. Ride the hairpin bends that follow the elevation of the hill, then continue on Via Gecchele and Via Cerina until the intersection with the provincial road. Turn left and continue west for 1 km, then turn right onto the small road that gives access to a picturesque rustic hamlet. Unless there are signs prohibiting it, keep left along the dirt path that winds between a flourishing vineyard and a lush forest.
Once you reach the hairpin bend, continue downhill for about 75 meters, then take Via Ruggi to reach the splendid Romanesque church of San Zeno, a stone place of worship surrounded by radiant hills that draw their sinuous profile on the horizon. After the visit, return to the main road, turn left and proceed for 500 meters to the intersection, then turn right.
After 450 meters, you will find on your left the entrance to the parish church of San Giovanni Battista. After visiting the church, descend the hill shaded by cedars, acacias, and cypresses, pass the cemetery of San Giovanni Ilarione and continue along Via Allegri until you return to Piazza XXIV Maggio.
