Arco delle Scalette
At the south-eastern edge of Vicenza's historic center, a single triumphal arch stands at the foot of a 192-step staircase — not the beginning of a grand boulevard, but the start of a climb to Monte Berico's sanctuary. The Arco delle Scalette is proportioned with the cool authority you'd expect from a Palladian design: Corinthian pilasters, a crisp entablature carved with the patron's name, and two statues flanking the Lion of St. Mark looking out over the piazzale.
For centuries this arch was the gateway — the only one — to the hilltop basilica above. Pilgrims still pass under it. The inside niches hold Annunciation figures by Orazio Marinali, easy to miss if you walk through without pausing.
💛 What travellers fall for
People who come back tend to time the climb for early morning, when the steps are quiet and the light is still low. The arch itself takes only a few minutes to read closely — the Marinali sculpture inside rewards a second look — but factor in whether you're continuing up Le Scalette to Monte Berico, which changes the whole calculus of the visit.
The story behind Arco delle Scalette
Andrea Palladio drew up the design around 1576, the same year he died, so he never saw it built. Venetian captain Giacomo Bragadino commissioned the work, and construction finally began under Francesco Albanese, completing in 1595 — fifteen years after Palladio's death. The upper statues were carved by Giovan Battista Albanese; Orazio Marinali handled the Annunciation figures in the interior niches.
The arch was badly damaged in the aerial bombardments of 1944 and subsequently reconstructed using as much original material as could be salvaged. In 1994 it was folded into the UNESCO World Heritage designation covering the city of Vicenza and the Palladian villas of the Veneto — a recognition that extends to the whole urban fabric Palladio shaped, not just his most celebrated buildings.
Good to know
The arch is free to visit and sits on Piazzale Fraccon. No confirmed ticketing or fixed hours — it's an outdoor monument. Mid-April through mid-June and September offer the most comfortable conditions for the staircase climb. The 192 steps to the sanctuary above are optional but worth knowing about before you arrive.
Spring visits (mid-April to early June) give you mild temperatures in the low-to-mid teens Celsius and manageable rainfall before May turns wetter. Summer can push past 35°C with afternoon thunderstorms rolling in fast, so mornings work best for the staircase. September is reliably warm and quieter; November is the wettest month, with the steps slick and the hilltop often mist-wrapped.
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What travellers say about Arco delle Scalette
191 steps to the midway point and then you have a slight incline the rest of the way up. Great "hike" for my 5 & 7 years old. Great views at the top.
Beautiful monument. Up the stairs is a beautiful view and pathway to Mount Berico. I watch the August Super Blue Moon set from the top of the stairs. No tickets needed. Free to look at and walk around. Lots of walking pathways nearby.
"Small" arch fronting stairs that ultimately lead to Mount Berico. The stairs can be quite a climb of almost 200 stairs. Great exercise at this historical landmark. There is also a trailhead here for more leisurely walking and biking.
Beautiful arch dated 1595, by Palladio, leading to the 190-plus stairs up to the Sanctuary of Monte Berico. Make the climb on a clear date, and beautiful views await you of historic Vicenza.
I thought the view would be better than what I saw but there were some good photo op spots and it was def a good workout. There are a lot of stairs beware bc I wasn’t lol
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