The Soave Wine Road

Thanks to its geographical position, the amazing historical, artistic and architectural wealth that it contains, and the transport links which, to a great extent, form its southern border (the no. 11 State Road, the Milan-Venice Autostrada and the Milan-Venice railway line), the Soave district may be considered the third major centre of interest for tourism - after the city of Verona itself and Lake Garda - in the Verona area.

Easy access to the Lessini Mountains (including Bolca with its fossils) and the synergies that exist with the Communes in the Veronese plain make Soave an ideal reference point for the whole of the area to the east of Verona.
Notable progress has been made in this regard over the last few years: - by the zone’s 120 restaurants, with their renewed concern for offering typical local foods and a high standard of service; - by the wine producing companies, which have committed themselves to quality, and also made substantial investments in order to render their premises more attractive to visitors.

This also applies to the Cooperative Wineries; - by the Local Authorities, which are proving very attentive to these new ideas, too. No less than five Communes have become members of the “Città del Vino” Association in the last two years; - by cultural groups, which are organizing increasingly sophisticated initiatives with strong ties to the local area.

Given this context, it has proved a relatively easy task to create an ideal route – roughly 50 kilometres (30 miles) long – which passes through vineyards, parish churches and castles, covering the thirteen Communes included in the Soave Denomination and embracing the top-quality crus for the production of Soave.

An important factor in carrying out this project successfully has been to forge a whole series of ongoing links, not only with all of the area’s professional bodies in the historical and cultural spheres, but also with the organizations that represent the other traditional products which come either from the zone itself or from areas very close to it.

Lessini Durello wine, Monte Veronese cheese, Vialone Nano rice, the olive oil and cherries from the Verona hills, Veronese Radicchio and the chestnuts from San Mauro: all of these I.G.P. or D.O.P. products (which have already been recognized as such or are in the process of being recognized) can, if adequately promoted, give an added input and value to the companies that operate along the Wine Road.

Indeed, the Soave Wine Road has been created in order to offer an allembracing package of activities and services: lovers of culture and art, for example, will not only be able to enjoy the unquestionable natural beauty of the zone – Europe’s largest vineyard area with its 6,600 hectares (16,300 acres) – but also its Romanesque churches, villas, castles and museums.
Underpinning the whole project, though, there is a new sensibility on the part of all those involved in the Wine Road, thanks to which the Soave area is destined to take its rightful place among those districts specializing in wine tourism.