In July, we took 5 days to visit Italy. We selected the Valpolicella region because it is in Northern Italy, an easy 4-hour drive from our home in Southern Germany. I had heard great things about Verona, wanted to take in some of the natural beauty accessible in the region, and was dying to eat all the Italian specialties. š
I planned this vacation back when I was stuck on the couch recovering from ACL surgery. It served as motivation during those months of rehab and felt like a real reward for being mobile again. Despite living so close to the Italian boarder for over a year, I had never before had a chance to visit Italy. Austin has visited Italy before, but that was close to 16 years ago (wow heās old!) Being in driving distance means we were able to take Daisy along as well for a complete family-road-trip experience.
Valpolicella is a wine growing zone of the province of Verona, Italy, situated in the foothills of the Alps. The wine region is located just east of Lake Garda. On our trip, we took the opportunity to visit all the major highlights: Verona, a winery on the outskirts of town, and the lake town of Lazise. We began in Verona, where I had booked a hotel in the city center. We were a little hesitant to drive in the city due to narrow Italian streets and many pedestrians, but everything worked out smoothly. The hotel was in the perfect location, just a block from the Colosseum and main shopping street, Via Mazzini.
After getting situated, we took a walk around town. One of our first stops was to see the famous Juliet balcony and courtyard. If you havenāt heard of it before, the Casa di Giulietta is a famous destination in Verona, rumored to be an inspiration for the site where Juliet revealed her love for Romeo. The fictional Romeo and Juliet play is set in Verona in the 14th century. The balcony wasnāt built until years later and doesnāt have any true relation to the story, but it was fun to be surrounded by others partaking in the romantic fantasy. For many years, the walls beneath the balcony were covered with writing from visitors seeking guidance in love. More recently, the city of Verona set regulations to limit notes being wedged into the bricks or adhered with gum, aiming to avoid destruction of the old building. Instead there are now removable panels for those who wish to partake in the custom of note writing. In the courtyard, there is also a statue of Juliet where visitors flock to rub her right breast for luck in love. I got everything I needed out of a quick 15-minute visit to the courtyard, but I admittedly felt like I was in a movie (probably because Iāve watched Letters to Juliet a time or two š).
After the Juliet balcony, we walked around Via Mazzini where unlimited shopping awaited. Via Mazzini is a huge pedestrian zone lined with an array of trendy and high-end shops. We took a pause to grab an afternoon espresso and gelato. And let me tell you, this gelato was life-changing. I mean, we have good ice cream in the US and Germany, but this is next level. The texture of Italian gelato is both dense and smooth. My favorite is actually a fruity sorbet which hits the perfect tangy, rich, and refreshing mark without the dairy products – ideal for a summer afternoon.
As we paused to enjoy our afternoon pick-me-up, we noticed signs for a performance being held later that evening at the colosseum. I didnāt realize that the Verona Arena, built in 30 AD, was still used as a performance venue. So instead of paying for a daytime tour of the Roman amphitheater, we bought tickets to the evening ballet. Thousands of people made their way to the arena at 8pm for the performance, many of whom were dressed in formal attire. There is a basic dress code to enter the arena, but we were okay with what we had on. Those with center floor seats appeared to be in true formal wear with suits and long dresses. It was incredible to be inside and see the scale of the colosseum which had an original capacity of 30,000 people. The city limits the capacity to 22,000 people for modern day performances. It is truly an impressive venue that has been impeccably preserved. Of course, the stone seating was not very comfortable, but you canāt expect much in that regard for a structure built nearly 2000 years ago.
Our second day in Italy was reserved for a tour of the Salvaterra winery. I had booked a wine tasting online in advance of our visit and selected this winery because it was in the heart of the classic Valpolicella region. We set out, taking a city bus about 20 minutes, followed by a 20-minute walk to the winery. It was HOT walking through unshaded backroads, but each estate we passed was lined with rows of grapevines and olive trees. The vegetation coupled with distinctive Italian stone architecture again seemed to be out of a movie.
During the Salvaterra tour, we walked around the grounds to hear about the history of the winery itself and the unique wine making tradition of the area. The āClassicoā wine designation can only be used when produced within the original and most ancient wine making zone under the Valpolicella DOC. āClassicoā is a special designation held in high esteem. During the tasting portion of the tour, we tried Valpolicella Classico, Amarone Classico, and Ripasso Classico wines. All are produced with a blend of native Corvina grapes. Amarone is a unique wine made from semi-dried grapes. It smells of ripe dark fruit and raisins, but is actually a dry wine. I think it would be nice as an after-dinner wine due to its bold flavor. Ripasso is a marriage between Valpolicella and Amarone wines because it is made by re-fermenting Valpolicella wine with the crushed grape skins used in the production of Amarone. Each wine selection was paired with local meats and cheeses. Iām no expert wine taster, but it was definitely a beautiful tour and a worthwhile tasting experience.
On day 3, we departed for Lazise, which is a town about 35 minutes from Verona, on the southeast side of Lake Garda. It was nice to get outside of busy Verona and soak up lakeside relaxation. Donāt get me wrong, there are still plenty of people in Lazise, but itās not as large as Verona. Throughout our trip, we discovered that the majority of Italians in this region speak German. This location is so close in proximity and is a popular site for Germans to take vacation. Very similar in my mind to people from Ohio vacationing in Florida. So we tried to use āGrazieā and āCiaoā when the opportunity presented, but German and English also worked just as well LOL
Our two days in Lazise were spent laying poolside and lakeside for hours on end. Lunchtime pizzas and gelato were also a staple. We didnāt really have an agenda for our time here, but there was plenty to explore. The majority of shops close in the afternoon for a few hours and reopen again for the evening. It really was too hot during the day to be doing much, so it makes sense that everything came alive at night. We leaned into it and had fun shopping late into the evenings.
I was sad to see our Italian vacation come to an end. We were only there for 5 days, but our itinerary was the perfect mix of city adventure and nature-based relaxation. I felt fully rejuvenated after the trip. Some of my favorite things were taking in the history of centuries-old buildings, being surrounded by olive trees, and the amazing food. Our drive home was even stunning, driving through the northern Italy hills, dotted with countless vineyard estates and mountain peaks in the background. It was the perfect first taste of Italy and lived up to everything I hoped it would be. I would definitely repeat this trip again, but we are also very much looking forward to going further south into the country to experience more culture, food, and history.
P.S. go watch Letters to Juliet for a good “rom-com” moment that will undoubtedly make you want to visit Italy hint hint Lauren and Jared!