Isola Vicentina
Isola Vicentina lies in the Vicenza foothills, where the plain begins to ripple into the first rises leading up to the Pre-Alps, i...
Updated 12 July 2026 · Sources: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g2400398-d7110745-Reviews-Convento_Di_Santa_Maria_Del_Cengio-Isola_Vicentina_Province_of_Vicenza_Veneto.html · https://www.altovicentinonline.it/rubriche/itinerari/isola-vicentina-tra-storia-antica-e-vita-di-comunita-cosa-vedere-e-perche-fermarsi/ · https://easyvi.it/town-post/isola-vicentina/
The story
The story of Isola Vicentina
In the Vicenza foothills
Isola Vicentina occupies a transitional position between the Vicenza plain and the first foothills of the Pre-Alps, a territory where wooded hills alternate with small watercourses and a patchwork of cultivated fields. This foothill location favoured, over the centuries, religious and residential settlements in elevated positions, offering wide views over the plain below, and has made the municipal territory a popular destination for short walks and hikes.
The sanctuary of Santa Maria del Cengio
Above the main village, on a rocky ledge of the hill overlooking the town, stands the complex of Santa Maria del Cengio, documented as early as the twelfth century and expanded between the fifteenth and seventeenth centuries. It comprises a church, a convent and a fifteenth century cloister of considerable value, decorated with floral motifs interwoven with Christological and Marian symbols. Inside the church, traces of fourteenth century frescoes and statues attributed to the sculptor Marinali survive. Higher up, separated from the rest of the complex, a small house was converted into a hermitage in 1976, adding a further layer to the site's long religious history.
Castelnovo and the church of San Lorenzo
The hamlet of Castelnovo climbs a hill overlooking the town of Isola Vicentina, and is home to the small church of San Lorenzo. The building was constructed during the period of Hungarian incursions and completely rebuilt in 1166, becoming one of the oldest religious landmarks in the municipal territory. The church's elevated position, perched on the hill, offers views stretching over the settlement below and the surrounding countryside.
Villa Cerchiari and the historic centre
In the centre of Isola Vicentina stands Villa Cerchiari, now home to the municipal library, a building displaying the typical features of Vicentine rococo: the facade is marked by two columns supporting the central balcony, while two converging flights of stairs lead to the grand main hall. It is a notable example of eighteenth century residential architecture repurposed for public use, and today serves as one of the reference points of the main village's urban fabric.
Experiences not to miss
- Climb to the sanctuary of Santa Maria del Cengio and admire its fifteenth century cloister
- Reach Castelnovo and the hilltop church of San Lorenzo
- Visit Villa Cerchiari, now home to the municipal library
- Follow the foothill trails through wooded hills and countryside
- Discover the hermitage created above the sanctuary in 1976
To see
What to see in Isola Vicentina
Routes · Trovido Route
