Just outside Verona, where the plain ends and the moraine hills begin to climb towards the Pre-Alps, lies one of the most celebrated wine regions in Italy. Valpolicella is not only the land that produces Amarone — one of the most complex and long-lived red wines in the world — it is also a landscape of medieval villages, Romanesque parish churches, Venetian villas and vineyards covering every available hill. And it is only twenty minutes from Verona.

This article is for anyone who wants to understand how to plan their visit: what to see, which villages not to miss, how the DOCG wines work and how to fit half a day or a full day in Valpolicella into an itinerary that also includes Verona.

Where Valpolicella is and how to get there

• Where it is: Hills north-west of Verona, province of Verona (Veneto)
• From Verona by car: 20–30 minutes heading north-west (SS12 or SP4)
• Main towns: San Pietro in Cariano, Negrar, Fumane, Sant’Ambrogio, Marano, Dolcè
• By bike from Verona: Possible along cycle routes; an e-bike is recommended for the climbs
• Parking: Every village has free or low-cost public car parks
• Without a car: Complicated: bus services are limited. A guided tour or a taxi is recommended

The wines of Valpolicella: what they are and how to tell them apart

Before talking about villages and wineries, it is worth understanding the wines. Because in Valpolicella wine is not a souvenir: it is the reason the land exists and has been shaped the way it is. There are four DOCG wines produced in this area, all made from Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara grapes.

• Valpolicella DOC — the everyday wine of the area: a light, fruity red that goes with everything. It is the base from which the others start
• Valpolicella Ripasso DOC — Valpolicella refermented on the Amarone pomace: more structured and complex than the base wine, much appreciated for its value for money
• Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG — the great wine of the area. It is made from grapes dried for 90–120 days on racks: the result is a full-bodied, very alcoholic red (15–17%), with notes of dried fruit, chocolate and tobacco. It ages for decades. The first Amarone recognised as such dates back to 1936, from the Bertani winery in Negrar
• Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG — the traditional sweet wine, also made from dried grapes but with interrupted fermentation: sweet, dense, perfect with aged cheeses and dark chocolate

If you walk into a winery without knowing where to start, ask to taste the basic Valpolicella, then the Ripasso and then the Amarone, in that order: from the lightest to the most complex. You will immediately understand the progression and what sets the three apart. The Recioto, with its sweet taste, always comes last.

The villages: what to see in Valpolicella

San Giorgio di Valpolicella: the most beautiful medieval village

On top of a hill, surrounded by olive trees and vineyards, San Giorgio di Valpolicella is considered one of the most beautiful villages in the area. At its centre stands the Pieve di San Giorgio Martire, a Romanesque parish church of Lombard origin dating from the 8th century, with a bell tower, cloister and well: one of the best-preserved early Christian complexes in Veneto. The medieval stone village has remained almost intact. The view over the hills and the plain stretching down towards Lake Garda is extraordinary. The kind of place you are looking for when you say you want to get out of the city.

Fumane: the prehistoric cave and the wines

Fumane holds an unusual record: in the cave that opens beneath the hills of the municipality, Neanderthal remains have been found. At the same time, this is home to some of the most highly regarded wineries of Valpolicella Classica. The historic centre is compact and quiet. It is a good base for anyone who wants to combine archaeology and wine tasting.

Negrar: the capital of Amarone

Negrar is the municipality most closely associated with Amarone. This is where Cantina Valpolicella Negrar, one of the largest cooperatives in the area, is based, as well as Villa Mosconi Bertani — an 18th-century neoclassical villa and historic winery that preserves the memory of the production of the first Amarone. Villa Rizzardi and its formal garden of Pojega are another reason to stop.

Sant’Ambrogio di Valpolicella: the stone of Verona

Sant’Ambrogio is less visited than the other villages, but it has a clear identity: it is the capital of Valpolicella stone, the red Verona marble used to build Verona. The quarries have been active for centuries and the town is closely tied to the stone-working tradition. A local museum documents this ancient craft. There is a certain satisfaction in realising that the city and its countryside are literally made of the same material.

How to plan the visit: half day or full day

Valpolicella can be visited with your own car or on a guided tour. Public transport, efficient in the city, is sparse here and waiting times are long. So it is better to take a car, or a vehicle with a driver if you enjoy wine tastings.

And if heading out into the countryside is not part of your plans, you can taste Veronese wine without leaving the city: the Wine in Love guided tour brings Amarone and Valpolicella tastings to the historic centre of Verona, combining the history of the city and wine culture in a single route.

Half day (3–4 hours)

• A winery with tasting (about 90 minutes) — choose one of the area’s classic wineries that offers guided visits by reservation
• San Giorgio di Valpolicella: village and Romanesque parish church (45–60 minutes)
• Lunch at a local trattoria with Amarone risotto

Full day

• Morning: winery visit and tasting in the Negrar or Fumane area
• Lunch: traditional trattoria with local produce
• Afternoon: San Giorgio di Valpolicella + Sant’Ambrogio or a second winery
• Possible return to Verona for sunset

The very best time: the grape harvest (September–October) is the most spectacular period. The vines change colour, the wineries are in full swing and the air smells of grape must. Spring (April–May) is the second choice: the green is bright, temperatures are mild and the wineries are already open. Winter has its own quiet charm, but some wineries reduce their visiting hours.