Colli Euganei: Trail, Views and Hot Springs

March 2026

                        15 km from Padova. A cluster of volcanic hills rising from the Veneto plain, chestnut woodland, panoramic views to Venice on a clear day — and some of Europe's oldest thermal springs waiting at the bottom. The perfect Sunday loop.
                    

Living in Padova means having the Colli Euganei literally on your doorstep. They're not high (Monte Venda tops out at 601 m), they're not technical, and they're not famous. But that's precisely what makes them perfect for a lazy Sunday loop when you want fresh air, green views and zero planning stress.

The plan

🥾 Torreglia – Monte Rua – Galzignano loop

12–15 kmDistance

400–500 mElevation gain

4–5 hWalking time

EasyDifficulty

Start from Torreglia or Galzignano Terme (30 min by car/bus from Padova). Follow the well-marked trails through chestnut and oak woodland toward Monte Rua, with occasional clearings that open up panoramic views across the plain. Packed earth, some rocky stretches on steeper parts — nothing that requires more than decent trainers.

The reward: Terme Euganee

The Colli Euganei sit on one of Europe's largest thermal basins. Abano Terme, Montegrotto Terme and Galzignano Terme have been spa destinations since Roman times — hot water rises from over 2 000 m depth, reaching the surface at 75–87 °C. After a morning of walking, dropping into a thermal pool is one of the best feelings I can imagine. Several spa centres offer day passes at reasonable prices, some with outdoor pools overlooking the hills you just walked over.

🌋 The geology angle (because I can't help myself)

The Colli Euganei are volcanic — a cluster of Eocene–Oligocene intrusive and extrusive bodies (trachytes, rhyolites, basalts) that punched through the surrounding sedimentary sequence 30–45 million years ago. The thermal water is heated by the residual geothermal gradient and deep circulation through fractured basement. Walking these hills, you're literally on old magma chambers and lava flows — even if the landscape looks nothing like a volcano.

601 mMonte Venda — highest point

87 °CThermal water temperature at surface

30 minFrom Padova to the trailhead

~35 MaAge of the volcanic intrusions

Trail + views + thermal springs + geology — all within half an hour of home. I really have no excuse not to do this.