THE RED AND THE GOLD

Discover how Veneto’s precious liquid gold and delicious elixirs are created on visits to two highly esteemed estates.

Meet your private driver at your accommodation in Verona and relax on the ride to Valpolicella. The Latin etymology Val polis cellae, meaning “the valley with many cellars”, attests to Valpolicella’s ancient viticultural tradition. Extending for 240 square kilometres across the foothills of the Lessini mountains, between Verona and Lake Garda, this is one of Italy’s most prestigious wine-producing regions. Wine enthusiasts will have the opportunity to visit a renowned estate, located in an enchanting setting on the grounds of a Renaissance villa. Built at the request of humanist and landowner Giulio Della Torre in 1560, the mansion perfectly fulfilled its functions as a working farm, from which to supervise the estate’s agricultural activities, and a peaceful luxury retreat, where the owner and his privileged guests could come to meditate, relax and idle the summers away. Accompanied by a member of staff, you will explore this truly marvellous country house and learn all about the history and refined symbolism behind its construction. Highlights include the central courtyard, blending references to the design of an ancient Roman domus with a typically Mannerist taste, the hall of mirrors, decorated with original medallion portraits of poets of antiquity, and the awe-inspiring zoomorphic fireplaces featuring a lion, a sea monster and a devil. After the tour, sit down inside the mansion’s dining room to be served a full-course meal accompanied with Valpolicella wines, including the local source of pride: Amarone.

In the afternoon you will savour the flavour of some of Italy’s finest extra virgin olive oils at a boutique olive farm located on the eastern shore of Lake Garda. The property is managed by a forward-thinking family that has been creating top quality oil since 1990. A favourable combination of particular geological and microclimatic factors provides the ideal conditions for the growth of the native cultivars Drizzàr, Trep and Fort and for their transformation in much sought-after liquid gold. On a guided visit and tasting you will find out about the meticulous production process of olive oil – from harvest, through grinding, to bottling – and learn how to distinguish the characteristic aromas of the estate’s award-winning olive oils.

Stop for a leisurely stroll through the lakeside town of Lazise, pausing to admire its imposing medieval castle and picture-postcard harbour, then rejoin your driver and return to Verona.