Romano d'Ezzelino
Romano d'Ezzelino sits at the foot of Monte Grappa, right next to Bassano del Grappa, and is one of the few towns on this list who...
Updated 11 July 2026
The story
The story of Romano d'Ezzelino
History and origins
The name Romano is thought to come from Arimanno, a Lombard word for a military settlement, while Ezzelino recalls the da Romano family, known as the Ezzelini, of probable Germanic origin, who arrived in Italy between the tenth and eleventh centuries and settled here from 1199 after leaving the castle of Onara. The municipality only took its current name in 1867, after Italian unification, to distinguish itself from namesakes in Lombardy and Piedmont. At the height of the family's power stood Ezzelino III da Romano, an ally of Emperor Frederick II, who between 1237 and 1259 ruled Verona, Vicenza and Padua, going down in history as one of the most feared lords of the Italian Middle Ages.
The Castle of the Ezzelini
The Castle of the Ezzelini was the main residence of the da Romano family after the destruction of the earlier stronghold at Onara, which had been granted by Emperor Conrad II to the family's founder Ecelo along with the fiefs of Romano, Onara and Godego. Today traces and structures from that ancient fortified complex remain, continuing to represent the symbolic heart of the town's historical identity.
Nature and surroundings
The municipal territory climbs toward Monte Grappa, one of the mountains most laden with history from Italy's twentieth century because of the First World War, with trails, mountain huts and viewpoints that draw hikers year-round. Its position at the foot of the mountain gives Romano d'Ezzelino a more varied climate and landscape than the plain below, with woods and streams running down toward Bassano.
Local life and economy
With around fourteen thousand residents, Romano d'Ezzelino is today a lively municipality, integrated into the economic area of Bassano del Grappa, with small and medium manufacturing businesses, retail activity and a strong residential component. Its closeness to the city makes the town convenient both for those who work in Bassano and for those seeking a quieter setting at the edge of the mountains.
Getting there
Romano d'Ezzelino borders directly on Bassano del Grappa and can therefore be reached in a few minutes from the city centre, well connected by the foothill road network and close to the main routes leading up to Monte Grappa and into the Valsugana.
Experiences not to miss
- Ripercorrere la storia degli Ezzelini presso il castello e i suoi resti
- Trace the history of the Ezzelini family at the castle and its remains
To see
What to see in Romano d'Ezzelino
Routes · Trovido Route
Routes in Romano d'Ezzelino
Jobs · JobFlow
