Monte Ricco: a tiny cone rich in beauty
As our first official hike together as a group, we set out to conquer Monte Ricco in Monselice - a gorgeous hill in the southeastern part of the Colli Euganei that boasts olive trees, a fascinating hermitage at its summit, and a seriously cool geological past. The weather wasn't the best to start with, but it got better when we passed the inversion layer that was keeping all that fog at the base; let this be a quick reminder that you can enjoy the hills all year round, but spring would be the best *wink*
There are plenty of ways to get to the top, but the most popular trail starts conveniently behind the Monselice railway station; this hike hits the sweet spot: challenging enough to feel like an accomplishment, but not so intense that you question all your life choices halfway up. As we made our way along the trail, we were treated to sweeping views of the Euganean Hills, with adorable villages sprinkled across the landscape like something out of a postcard and with olive trees lining the path - these beauties have been thriving in the hill’s volcanic soil for generations, producing some top-tier olive oil!
After complicating our lives by climbing the side of the hill, on a steep set of worn out stairs near the red house (that you will probably pass by), instead of following the path, we reached the Eremo di Santa Domenica (St. Domenica’s Hermitage) on top: once a peaceful retreat for monks seeking solitude, this well-preserved spot offered us fresh water and a breath taking view. If you haven’t been yet, trust us—this is worth lacing up your hiking boots for!
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- How did we get on top?
First things first, we got to the Monselice train station, easy enough, huh? but if you’re not willing to hop on a train and prefer riding on the toll highway, you can just take the exit at “Casello A13 Monselice” and go towards the station (it has a nice parking lot), otherwise you can park at the end of Via Sottomonte, where you will find another small parking spot, or at the start of Via Montericco - but beware, this one can be rough.
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- So, if you start your hike from the station, you have to go on the other side and, unfortunately, there’s no passage under the railways... but fear not, as you can easily go around them by going south from the station, reach the underpass of road SP6, turn left on Via Sottomonte and then follow Via Montericco
If you’re already in Via Montericco, congrats then!
To reach the real start line of the hike, follow Via Montericco until you get to a red and white bar that blocks the road: worry not, your adventure doesn’t end here, the bar is there only to prevent cars from going up, but you can easily go around it and finally start the hike on Sentiero N°6 of Monte Ricco and Monte Castello!
Good luck, and remember: Be respectful of the environment and do not pick up any piece of vegetation 🌸
There's fresh water once you get here
- The Hermitage and Hercule’s Statue
At the very top of Monte Ricco, standing quietly among the trees, is the Eremo di Santa Domenica. This place has seen its fair share of history, solitude, and now… radio signals 📡 This peaceful retreat was originally built in the 17th century as a haven for hermit monks, who sought silence, meditation, and a break from the chaos of the outside world. And honestly, with the killer views and fresh mountain air, we understand why they picked this spot. Imagine waking up here every morning with no alarm clocks, just birds chirping and the soft rustle of the olive trees. Sounds dreamy, right? The hermitage remained active for centuries, but over time, it was abandoned and left to the elements; luckily, the building has been well preserved and is now privately owned. And here’s the twist: It’s still a hub for communication, just in a very different way! Instead of monks whispering prayers, the building now hosts radio antennae for the Radio Amatori Italiani (Italian amateur radio operators). So in a way, the hermitage went from transmitting spiritual energy to transmitting actual radio waves. Not bad for a centuries-old retreat.
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| Hercules, not Atlas! |
- A bit of geology (because these hills are cooler than you think)
The Euganean Hills are like volcanic time capsules rising from the flat Po Valley (Po is a river, in case you didn't know). Their unique cone-like shapes aren’t just for aesthetics—they’re remnants of ancient eruptions! Millions of years ago, this area was a deep sea where sediments slowly accumulated, forming limestone and clay deposits; some of the oldest rocks here date back over 150 million years, complete with fossilized sea creatures. Then, about 43 million years ago, things got fiery: magma pushed up through cracks in the Earth’s crust, leading to volcanic eruptions; the first wave of lava was chill (geologically speaking), forming dark basaltic rocks still visible near Teolo (that now hosts one of Veneto’s weather radars) and Monte Gemola.
Oh...the second wav,e you say? That’s when things got dramatic. Between 33 and 30 million years ago, thicker, more acidic lava shaped the peaks we see today, creating volcanic rocks like trachite—later used to pave the streets of Venice (a fun fact you can now use at parties..I guess)
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To know some more, the museum Cava Bomba offers a more in-depth geological history - we may cover it in our blog one day, so stay tuned!
-A.
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