Arcugnano
Arcugnano stretches across the Colli Berici hills, south of Vicenza, in a landscape of vineyards, woodland and small villages gath...
Updated 12 July 2026
The story
The story of Arcugnano
History and origins
The earliest history of Arcugnano can be read in the peat beds of Lake Fimon, where archaeological research has documented human presence over an extremely long span, from roughly seven thousand to three thousand years ago. The waterlogged, oxygen-free conditions of the peat bog allowed for exceptional preservation of wooden artefacts, including dugout canoes about five thousand years old and the remains of the Neolithic settlement at Molino Casarotto. Because of this extraordinary continuity of evidence, the Fimon site falls under the patronage of the UNESCO serial site of Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps.
What to see and main sights
Lake Fimon is the heart of the municipality, both from a natural and a historical-archaeological point of view: the finds recovered from its peat beds, including the prehistoric canoes, have been the subject of exhibitions at the Museo Naturalistico Archeologico in Vicenza. The municipal territory also preserves churches and small rural settlements typical of the Colli Berici, scattered among the hills surrounding the Fimon valley.
Nature and surroundings
The Colli Berici give Arcugnano a hilly landscape of woods, vineyards and small valleys, with Lake Fimon as its main natural feature: a wetland home to rich birdlife and trails that allow visitors to circle it on foot or by bike. It is an ideal area for those seeking quiet walks a short distance from the city, with panoramic points over the Vicenza plain.
Food, wine and local produce
Arcugnano's hillsides fall within the production area of Colli Berici DOC wine, with vineyards alternating with woodland and olive groves on the best-exposed slopes. Local cuisine draws on Vicenza's culinary tradition, with dishes based on produce from the hilly hinterland, while olive growing, though limited, contributes to a hillside food and wine offering appreciated by visitors.
Events and traditions
The archaeological heritage of Lake Fimon is periodically the subject of exhibitions and educational initiatives, often in collaboration with Vicenza's museums, which tell the public about the life of the pile-dwelling communities. Alongside these, traditional village festivals and parish events mark the life of Arcugnano's small hamlets.
How to get there and location
Arcugnano lies a few kilometres south of Vicenza, on the first slopes of the Colli Berici, easily reached from the city via the hillside road network. Its closeness to the city, combined with the quality of the landscape, makes it a convenient destination for a short visit as well as a residential base for those working in Vicenza.
Local life and economy
Arcugnano's economy combines hillside agriculture, particularly viticulture, with a residential fabric that has grown in recent decades thanks to its closeness to Vicenza. The environmental quality of the Colli Berici and Lake Fimon has also encouraged nature- and archaeology-related local tourism.
Experiences not to miss
- Fare il giro del lago di Fimon a piedi o in bicicletta
- Walk or cycle around Lake Fimon
To see
What to see in Arcugnano
Routes · Trovido Route
Routes in Arcugnano
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