After the Verona Marathon: Valpolicella

The Route: Verona → Valpolicella villages → Verona Logistics: A taxi or regional bus. Visits to cellars are usually by appointment, so book ahead. Marathon Month: November Duration: Day trip

Verona ──(taxi or bus ~30-45 mins)──> Fumane / Negrar / San Pietro in Cariano
        <──────────(same route back)────────────────────────────────────────┘

Verona gave you a flat 42 km. The hills to the north-west offer the opposite: low ridges of vines and stone villages, within half an hour of Piazza Bra, where the red wine called Amarone is made. A day here is a sitting-down way to recover, though you should avoid hill walks on marathon legs.

November in Valpolicella. Late autumn is the quiet season. The vines are bare, the leaves have turned and fog can fill the valleys. It is also the time when the harvested grapes for Amarone are drying in lofts, a process that lasts for months, so many cellars are busy. In most years the days are cool and damp, though conditions vary.

Regional buses from Verona serve the main villages, but the timetable is thin and Monday services vary, so check at the station or the operator's site. A taxi is the easy option, and many cellars will arrange a driver if you book a tasting. Ask about the return before you leave.

The Villages and Cellars

The district is a loose group of villages, including Fumane, Negrar and San Pietro in Cariano, strung along ridges and valleys. Many producers offer tastings by appointment, and some close on Mondays. Book in advance, ask what a tasting costs and whether lunch is available, and avoid more than two stops in a day.

Renaissance villas also stand in the area. Villa della Torre at Fumane has a design associated with Giulio Romano, and opens on limited days, so check before you plan around it.

Eating

Local restaurants serve risotto made with Amarone, slow-cooked meat and polenta. Many close on a weekday and some close in the evening, so check before you commit and book lunch if you have a tasting booked.

Getting Back

Fix the return taxi or the last bus before you start tasting. Late-afternoon buses are few, and a taxi from a small village needs booking ahead.