Valpolicella is a hilly area a few kilometers from the city of Verona, famous worldwide for producing excellent wines like the prestigious Amarone. For those who have the opportunity to stay in Verona, this area of important wine offers villas, gardens and small wonders to discover.
One of the most beautiful and evocative spots is the large garden of Villa Pojega Rizzardi in Negrar, made by Luigi Trezza commissioned by Count Antonio Rizzardi. On three levels, the avenues at different altitudes open to panoramic views on the estate. Inside the villa, there is the winery, Guerrieri Rizzardi, where you can taste their wines and olive oil.
Another winery villa is Villa Mosconi Bertani in Arbizzano Negrar. Legend says that here the famous Amarone was born in 1936 by mistake! A winemaker left a Recioto to ferment too long in a barrel and was forgotten, giving life to the noble wine! A part of the Recioto, continuing to ferment, became so dry and almost bitter, hence the name.
The villa is located in the heart of the production of fine wines from Verona, the “Valpolicella", located northwest of the city of Verona, enclosed by the Adige to the west and Lessinia to the north, and formed by the towns of Marano, Fumane, Negrar, Sant'Ambrogio and San Pietro in Cariano. The Villa Mosconi Bertani arose in the eighteenth century on an existing sixteenth-century house, surrounds itself with a wonderful enchanted park, listed as one of the country’s Great Italian Gardens.
A unique villa designed by Andrea Palladio is Villa Serego today better known as Villa Santa Sofia. The grandiose project commissioned by the gentleman from Verona, Serego Marcantonio, was never completed, probably with the death of the client the work was suspended by the descendants. Today the private property villa can not be visited but you can access the property at events organized by the wine producers Cantina Santa Sofia which has its headquarters there.
You can book wine tastings at these charming ancient wineries.
There are many other beautiful villas of Valpolicella: the sixteenth century Villa Della Torre in the municipality of Fumane is one of them. The Villa Amistà Corrubbio di Negarine, now the Byblos Art Hotel, designed by Sanmicheli, a student of Palladio, and remodelled by the designer Alessandro Mendini, harbors a large collection of works by artists and designers such as Philippe Starck, Vanessa Beecroft, Jean Michel Basquiat and Damien Hirst.
