Nature, Art, Flavors Territory of the Valpolicella
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VEN alpolicella. Nature, Art, Flavors Territory of the Valpolicella www.infovalpolicella.it www.valpolicellaweb.it IAT VALPOLICELLA Tourist office - Via Ingelheim, 7 - 37029 San Pietro in Cariano (VR) Tel/Fax: +39 045 7701920 - [email protected] www.stradadelvinovalpolicella.it STRADA DEL VINO VALPOLICELLA - VALPOLICELLA WINE ROUTE Via Ingelheim, 7 - 37029 San Pietro in Cariano (VR) Tel/Fax: +39 346 3202167 - [email protected] Getting around The eight municipalities of the Valpolicella area are served by ATV buses. The bus route 103 goes from Verona to Santa Maria di Negrar, San Pietro in Cariano, Sant’Ambrogio and Dolcè. The bus route 104 goes to Negrar and then up to Sant’Anna d’Alfaedo. The bus route 107 goes to the Marano valley. The bus route 105 goes to the Fumane valley. The bus route 101 goes to Pescantina. For all bus routes and timetable go to www.atv.verona.it The regional and fast regional trains that connect Verona with the Brenner Pass stop in Domegliara (Sant’ambrogio di Valpolicella). The closest airport is Valerio Catullo in Verona Villafranca (www.aereoportoverona.it) Tasting in the cellar 2 3 Valpolicella A unique Wine and local products The Valpolicella area lies just north of Verona and The hills of Valpolicella are the cradle of some of the most prestigious to the east of Lake Garda; it is a unique area with wine region Italian wines. The wine produced in this area is red wine and the king vineyards sweeping over the hills, historic villas, old is without a doubt the Amarone della Valpolicella, one of the most villages and rural courtyard houses in local stone. long-lived Italian wines. Valpolicella, unique in its kind, features a series of small valleys crossed by “progni”, small torrential The vineyards water courses, with hills that slope southwards of Valpolicella Amarone, meaning “great bitter” was behind Verona. born from an evolution of Recioto della Valpolicella: legend has it that the story of this wine began thanks to a forgotten barrel of Recioto wine, which continued to ferment transfor- ming all the sugar into alcohol. Grape used for Amarone Recioto, one of the most famous wines of the Veneto region, is in fact a sweet dessert wine, perfect with dry cakes and biscuits. Recioto wine embodies the history of Valpolicella. The other local wines are: Valpolicella Classico, a young wine with a very intense red colour and a strong aroma, and Valpolicella Ripas- so, characterised by greater structure, alcoholic content and longevity. Recioto Grapes of glass the territory The Valpolicella from above The hills of Valpolicella are famous for much more than just wine: this area is rich in local products. On the border with the Lessinia Mountains the traditional dairy farms produce delicious cheeses such as Monte Veronese. The Valpolicella area also has a long tradition in producing cured pork products such as soppressa and salami. Local products include extra virgin olive oil with an intense green-gold colour and rich flavour. A wide variety of fruit is grown in this area, such as cherries, peaches (yellow or white fleshed, nectarines) and the “misso” pear (misso in the local dialect means a pear that is over ripe, dark coloured and soft). Variety of peaches in the territory 4 5 Dolcè Villa del Bene The municipality of Dolcè has much to offer to visi- tors: from the Cicladige cycle route to the historical Villa del Bene, from nature to sport, all along the river Adige. The new cycle route from Volargne to Ossenigo is 25 km long and it is connected to Verona, the cycle routes of the Trentino Alto Adige region and hence with Northern Europe. Trekking and hiking lovers The Dolcè area is dotted with villages rich in history, can enjoy trails and round trip paths to suit all tastes; traditions and monuments. Volargne, Ceraino, Peri outdoor sports enthusiasts are spoilt for choice with and Ossenigo with their historic villas, old courtyard the activities available on the river Adige: rafting and houses and fortresses are ideal destinations for en- canoeing as well as rock climbing. vironmentally friendly tourism. The hamlet of Os- senigo, surrounded by vineyards, offers a stunning landscape; a place where you feel like time has stop- The locks ped. From Peri to Dolcè, along the road to the Bren- of Cerano ner Pass, you cross an uncontaminated land, rich in vineyards surrounded by woods, the Cicladige cycle route and the river. Travelling down towards Ce- raino you come across the Chiusa, one of the most beautiful natural areas of the Adige valley: a can- yon shaped in the rocks by the river Adige. In Volar- gne it is worth visiting Villa Bene, a large complex comprising several buildings, completed in 1560. It was built in Volargne in the fifteenth century and is connected by a row of cypresses to the river Adige. A majestic portal, attributed to Michele Sammicheli, is decorated with a head that symbolises Christ and a solar disk. A wide range of services are available: B&Bs, farmhouse holidays, hotels, wine cellars and restaurants where you can relax, enjoy the local di- shes and taste excellent DOC wines of the Valdadige Terra dei Forti valley, such as the local Enantio and Casetta wines. Towns rich in history, traditions and monuments 6 7 Fumane Fumane is in the heart of the Valpolicella area and is characterised by a wide variety of landscapes and A wide variety of environments: sweeping vineyards, cherry trees and orchards in the hills, woods and meadows in the landscapes and mountains. Near Molina, the deepest valley of the environments Lessinia Park opens in a fan shape revealing a dozen remarkable waterfalls created by the mountain streams. This natural treasure is protected and enhanced by the Cave of Parco delle Cascate, a park with a series of streams, Fumane waterfalls, small lakes, rock terraces and caves called “coaloni”. The hamlet of Molina is very picturesque with narrow streets, houses built with local Lessinia stone and small courtyards houses. Territory of Fumane In Fumane it is worth visiting the Villa della Torre, a 16th century complex reminiscent of the Roman domus; the four rooms, one in each corner, feature monumental fireplaces with the opening in the shape of the face of a monster. Traces of the presence of Neanderthals and Homo Sapiens dating back to a period between eighty thousand and twenty-five thousand years ago have been found in Fumane. The most important find is a series of red ochre images painted on stone and these, together with other finds can be seen in the Cave of Fumane. Villa della Torre Waterfalls of Molina 8 9 Church of Santa Maria Valverde Gentle, unspoiled agricultural scenery Church in Marano di Valpolicella Marano di Valpolicella The Marano valley is wedged in the heart of the Valpolicella area, and it has retained the traditional local landscape. Here, in fact, the gentle agricultural landscape has not been altered and even if vineyards and cherry trees now dominate the low and mid- hills, many parts are still covered with olive groves and conifers. The higher part is mainly woodland with well-marked paths and trails that start from Malga Biancari towards the Tibetan bridge and the splendid Valsorda valley. From the church of Santa Maria Valverde you can enjoy a wonderful view of the area: from Verona to Lake Garda, and on clear days you can even see the Apennines. The Marano valley 10 11 Romanesque bell tower in S. Peretto Negrar di Valpolicella Negrar di Valpolicella in spring The Negrar area, nestled between the green hills with sweeping vineyards and cherry trees, bordered by a large stream, so-called “progno”, extends to the ea- sternmost part of Valpolicella, joining the Lessini Mountains to the north. This area is rich in precious historic villas, many of which can be visited, such as Villa Rizzardi and its Pojega garden and Villa Mosconi Bertani, where you can admire the beau- tifully frescoed Chamber of the Muses. You can also visit the sixteenth-century cellar, with barrels over one hundred and forty years old, and the large park with a spring-fed pond. In the area of Negrar there are also many historic religious buildings, such as the church of San Peretto, with a characteristic 12th century Romanesque bell tower. Giardino Pojega of Villa Rizzardi Precious historic villas 12 13 Pescantina Pescantina Pescantina is strongly connected to the river Adige and has always lived in symbiosis with its river, as confirmed by the name “Piscantina”, formerly attributed to the town, which derives from the Latin A life in symbiosis verb “piscare”, to fish: a territory that has benefited with its river greatly from the river as way of communication, water reserve and source of hydraulic energy. The old town centre of Pescantina offers other interesting sites that tell us its history: the marble column of Sant’Antonio, Palazzon, Palazzo Giacopini- Rowing on the Quadrella, the Sanctuary of the Madonnina, Palazzo river Adige Betteloni and Palazzo Danese. Festival of San Lorenzo In the hamlets you can find spots of considerable artistic and landscape interest: in the historic village of Arcè, it is worth visiting Villa Da Sacco and the Church of San Michele Arcangelo, a fine example of local Romanesque architecture; in Santa Lucia you can see the Church of Santa Lucia and relax in Aquardens a beautiful spa with thermal baths; in Ospedaletto there is Villa Quaranta, with its spa and thermal baths; in Balconi you can admire the Monument to former military internees; in Settimo take your time to visit Villa Bertoldi, Villa Mirandola and Villa Sparvieri.