Malo
Malo is a town in the Vicenza foothills known not only for its industrial history but for a writer: Luigi Meneghello, born here in...
Updated 11 July 2026
The story
The story of Malo
History and origins
The territory of Malo retains traces of Roman settlement and was later home to a Lombard curtis known as Màladum. During the fifteenth century, agriculture and silkworm farming developed here, an activity that in the nineteenth century grew into a proper industry: silk mills multiplied, later joined by foundries and wool mills, giving Malo a manufacturing profile that would define the town for much of the twentieth century.
What to see
The historic center reflects the layout of a town that grew around its manufacturing vocation, with buildings tied to the era of large-scale textile industry and churches of local interest. A separate path is worth following to trace the memory of Luigi Meneghello, kept alive by the cultural association dedicated to him, which promotes itineraries and events in the places described in his books, offering a personal and distinctive way of reading the town.
Nature and surroundings
Malo sits in the Vicenza foothills, a transitional area between the plain and the first Prealpine slopes, with small streams and cultivated countryside. Its proximity to towns like Thiene and Schio, and to Monte Summano, offers several excursion options, from hillside routes to walks in the Agno-Chiampo valley.
Food, wine and local products
Malo's cuisine follows the tradition of the Vicenza foothills, simple and rooted in farm and hillside produce, with cheeses, cured meats and polenta-based dishes among the most common offerings in local trattorias, often paired with wines from the nearby Vicenza area.
Events and traditions
The cultural association dedicated to Luigi Meneghello periodically organizes meetings, readings and events tied to his work, keeping alive the bond between the town and the writer. Alongside these are the traditional village fairs, community gatherings typical of the Vicenza foothills.
How to get there and location
Malo lies about twenty kilometers north of Vicenza, between Thiene and Schio, in a central position within the Alto Vicentino area. It is well connected by provincial roads and makes a convenient stop for those exploring the foothills between Monte Summano and the Agno valley.
Local life and economy
After the decline of the large twentieth-century textile industry, Malo has retained a manufacturing fabric of small and medium-sized craft and industrial businesses, typical of the whole Alto Vicentino area, alongside a hillside farming economy and a local life still connected to its industrial memory.
Experiences not to miss
- Follow the places of Luigi Meneghello with the cultural association dedicated to him
- Stroll through the historic center among traces of the textile past
- Take a hike toward Monte Summano
- Taste typical dishes of the Vicenza foothills at a local trattoria
- Visit nearby Thiene and Schio in a single day
- Explore the Agno-Chiampo valley by bike or on foot
To see
What to see in Malo
Routes · Trovido Route
Routes in Malo
Jobs · JobFlow
