Altissimo
Altissimo is a municipality in the Vicenza Prealps, located in the upper Chiampo Valley, at the foot of Monte Alba and not far fro...
Updated 12 July 2026
The story
The story of Altissimo
The Vicenza mountains and Monte Alba
Altissimo spreads across the flanks of the Vicenza Prealps, its municipal territory climbing quickly toward the buttresses of Monte Alba, the landscape landmark of the whole upper Chiampo Valley. Beech and chestnut woods cover much of the territory, alternating with mid-mountain meadows once used for grazing and now partly reclaimed by hiking routes. The local trail network, less frequented than other better-known Prealpine areas, offers medium-difficulty walks with views over the Vicenza plain on one side and the valleys of upper Vicenza province on the other. This is a genuine mountain landscape, not tamed for tourism, which requires visitors to be respectful and properly equipped, but which rewards them with the quiet and authenticity of little-visited places.
The stone-working tradition
The upper Chiampo Valley, of which Altissimo is part, is historically one of Italy's most important stone districts, made famous by Chiampo marble quarried and worked in the valley's municipalities. While not the industrial heart of the district, a role held mainly by Chiampo and neighbouring towns, Altissimo shares this vocation, visible in smaller quarries within its territory, in houses built of local stone, and in a craft-work culture tied to quarrying and stone processing. For visitors interested in these themes, a stay in Altissimo can be a good starting point for exploring, in the valley's nearby towns, the history of Vicenza marble, still exported worldwide today for construction and sculpture.
The historic centre and hamlets
The main village of Altissimo gathers around the parish church and main streets, with a simple urban layout typical of Vicenza's Prealpine villages, while the hamlets are spread across the surrounding slopes, often reachable only via winding mountain roads. This scattered, polycentric structure, common to many mountain municipalities in the area, reflects a history of dispersed settlement tied to the need to make the best use of the available farmland and woodland in a territory with little flat ground. There are no monuments of great tourist appeal, but the overall inhabited landscape, stone houses, small hamlet churches, dry-stone walls, honestly tells the story of a mountain community that adapted to a demanding territory.
Rural life and a small mountain economy
Altissimo's economy, like that of many municipalities in the upper Chiampo Valley, rests on a mix of mountain farming, small-scale crafts and commuting toward the productive centres of the valley and the Vicenza plain, where many residents find work. There are no large industries within the municipal territory, which has helped preserve a still-legible agricultural and forest landscape, with pastures, coppiced woods and small cultivated plots. It is a modest but resilient mountain economy, not aimed at mass tourism but at a niche offering tied to hiking, seasonal local produce and the quality of life that only a small municipality immersed in the green of the Prealps can still guarantee.
Getting there and when to visit
Altissimo is reached by car from the Chiampo Valley, following the provincial road that climbs the valley from Chiampo toward the higher municipalities, or from the passes linking the area with Verona's Val d'Alpone. With no railway station in the village, a car remains the most practical option, while keen walkers can also reach the area via the trails connecting the various municipalities of the Vicenza Prealps. The best time to visit is between late spring and early autumn, when trails are safely walkable and the woods offer different colours depending on the season, from summer's deep green to autumn's warm tones; winter, colder, is suited only to those prepared for snowy mountains.
Experiences not to miss
- A hike toward Monte Alba through beech and chestnut woods
- A visit to the small historic quarries tied to Vicenza's marble tradition
- A walk among the hamlets scattered on the slopes, with stone houses and dry-stone walls
- Tasting mountain farm produce at local festivals
- An extended itinerary to the upper Chiampo Valley towns and the marble district
To see
What to see in Altissimo
Routes · Trovido Route
Routes in Altissimo
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