Nove: Ceramics, Museums and Waterways

Ceramics shape the town

Nove can be understood through a ceramic tradition that began in the mid-17th century with the Manardi family. Its materials also point to the landscape: sand, gravel and quartz from the Brenta River, as well as red earth from the nearby hills, are connected with this tradition. Those who wish to discover the town consciously will find a clear thematic approach here, linking craftsmanship, history and the waterways within the urban fabric.

Museums and historic traces

The Museo Civico della Ceramica was opened in 1995 in the former building of the Regia Scuola d’Arte. The section on 20th-century ceramics contains pieces that received awards at the competitions of the Salone Internazionale della Ceramica in Vicenza between 1949 and 1975. It also contains a large vase by Pablo Picasso from 1950.

Nove’s architectural and industrial history also remains tangible. The building erected in the 18th century served as the residence of Giovanni Maria Baccin and was Nove’s first school; today, it is a library museum. The Antonibon complex includes a 19th-century kiln. Both places create distinctive points of focus between personal educational history and the development of ceramic craftsmanship.

Discover the waterways on foot

The oldest channel in Nove’s urban fabric dates back to a waterway system documented as early as the 14th century. It provided water power for mills and their machines used to mix and process ceramic clay and glazes. In addition, the Museo Diffuso offers a free audio tour: using a smartphone, you can walk through the streets and along Nove’s waterways.

Create your own ceramics

If you would like to do more than just look at ceramics, Nove+ offers courses for beginners as well as special options for more experienced participants. In the group pottery-wheel course, you can make a cylinder from red clay, which is finished with white glaze. The workshops cover specific topics in ceramic modelling or decoration, last two hours and are limited to a maximum of six participants.

As part of the Nove Terra di Ceramica programme, visitors can take part in ceramic workshops and experience experimental wood firings in ceramics. Another specific date is the Festa della Ceramica di Nove e Portoni Aperti: its 29th edition will take place in Nove from September 11 to September 13, 2026.

Accommodation suited to your travel interests

When choosing a hotel in Nove, you can first decide which focus will define your stay: museums and historic buildings, the waterways within the urban fabric, practical ceramic courses or the date of the Festa della Ceramica. This allows you to align your travel planning with the town’s specific themes without reducing Nove to a single experience.

More destinations for your planning

For further travel planning, you can also explore Poiana Maggiore, Arsiero, San Giorgio Di Perlena, Montebello Vicentino, Trissino, Malo, Foza and Mussolente.

To the main travel overview: Vicenza.