Practical Information for visiting Marostica

Marostica has no railway station. The nearest is Bassano del Grappa, about 8 km east, from which buses run to Marostica in around 20 minutes. Vicenza is 30 km south-west, roughly 40 minutes by bus or car.

The historic centre is small, flat and closed to most traffic -- park outside the walls and walk. Everything in the lower town is within five minutes.

The upper castle is reached on foot by the path beside the wall, about 25 minutes uphill and steep in places, or by a narrow road for those who cannot walk it. The path is the better route.

A car is useful for the cherry slopes and the Asiago plateau above, neither of which is served usefully by bus.

Italian mobile networks cover the town well. Coverage thins on the hillside behind the upper castle and up toward the plateau, though not problematically for a short walk.

EU visitors roam on their own plans; others should buy a prepaid SIM in Bassano or Vicenza, since a town this size has no operator shops. Cafés on the square offer Wi-Fi.

Marostica is a quiet, safe small town with very little to warn about.

• The wall path to the upper castle is steep, uneven and unlit, with drops on one side. Fine in daylight and dry weather; not a route for after dark or after rain.
• The Partita a Scacchi weekend brings large crowds into a small walled centre. Follow the stewarding, and expect road closures and full car parks across the area.
• Summer thunderstorms come off the plateau quickly and can be violent.
• Petty theft is rare. Ordinary care is more than enough.

Marostica has a local health centre; the nearest emergency department is the Ospedale San Bassiano at Bassano del Grappa, about 15 minutes away by road.

EU visitors with a valid EHIC are treated on the same terms as residents; non-EU visitors should carry travel health insurance. Pharmacies in the town run a rota for nights and holidays, posted in the window.

Tap water is safe and good. Seasonal considerations are summer heat, and ticks in the rough grass and woodland on the hillside and up toward the plateau from spring to autumn.

Single emergency number: 112, free from any phone, covering police, fire and ambulance.

Nearest emergency department: Ospedale San Bassiano, Bassano del Grappa, about 15 minutes by road.

Police: the local Carabinieri station handles most matters; a formal denuncia is required for almost any insurance claim.

Lost passport: contact your own country's embassy or consulate, most of which are in Rome or Milan.