Veneto Region is worldwide famous for its capital, Venice. Every year, the city attracts millions of visitors that rush in the city, contributing to the increase of mass tourism. However, Veneto Region has many other beautiful cities and territories that are worth a visit and a longer stay.
If you are a wine lover, why not combining the visit with a wine-tasting experience? There are plenty of advantages of wine tourism for the territory: it is sustainable, it boosts longer stays, and it promotes Made in Italy products.
1. The territory and the wine industry
The territory of Veneto Region is characterized by mountain landscapes, hilly areas, and a large flat zone that covers around 60% of the entire territory. The coexistence of mountain areas and flat areas causes considerable temperature changes between the summer and the winter season.
Veneto is the top Italian region in terms of wine production. The area dedicated to wine production has an extension of more than 75,000 hectares. There, wine makers combine both traditional and modern techniques of grape cultivation. The most well-known wines are Prosecco, Amarone, Soave, Valpolicella and Bardolino, just to cite a few. The success of the wine industry in Veneto Region lies behind its territorial diversity, which allows the production of different kinds of wines.
Veneto produces a great quantity of wine; but it’s the quality that makes the difference. Indeed, the region counts 27 DOC (denomination of controlled origin) wines, and 14 DOCG (denomination of controlled and guaranteed origin) wines. All in all, Veneto Region is the perfect place to organize a different kind of vacation, combining long walks, cultural visits, and wine tasting. Whatever wine you like, Veneto Region has them all: white, rosé, red or sparkling.
2. Strada del Prosecco: a wine tourism experience
The so-called “Strada del Prosecco” (Prosecco Road) is a wine trail dotted with churches, castles, vineyards, and valleys that goes from Conegliano to Valdobbiadene (Treviso area). The original path of the Prosecco Road was inaugurated in 1966. Still today, the path partially follows the one from the past. In 2019, thanks to its unique landscapes resulted from the interaction of men and nature, the Prosecco Hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene were inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The journey starts from the city of Conegliano, which hosts amazing landscapes, palaces, the cathedral with its frescoed façade, and the castle. The wine route begins precisely beneath the castle. Here, you should stop to the Cerletti Enological Institute for a visit.
Then, the trip continues towards Collabrigo. This beautiful place is located on a hill, and it offers lovely views of the surrounding vineyards. There, stop at the Villa Montalban Ghetti for a visit.
Leaving Collabrigo, continue on Rua di San Pietro di Feletto with its 16th-century Camaldolese hermitage that now houses the city hall.
The next stop is Refrontolo, where you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Trevisian hills and spot the so-called Molinetto della Croda, an ancient water mill embedded in the rock.
Moving on, you arrive to Solighetto, where you should visit the 18th-Century Villa Brandolini d’Adda, home of the Consorzio del Prosecco (Prosecco’s Consortium).
The route continues towards Soligo. Here, some points of interests are the little Church of Santa Maria Nova, and the Tempietto di San Gallo, a small temple built on a hill from which you can enjoy a spectacular panoramic view.
The final destination of the journey is Valdobbiadene, where you should stop at Villa Cedri that displays the National Spumante Exhibit.
All along the itinerary, there are plenty of vineyards and wineries offering wine tasting experiences. First of all, you have to taste the Prosecco DOC, and then some other local wines, such as the Colli di Conegliano, Refrontolo or Passito. Among the various types of wine, the most prized is the Prosecco Superiore di Cartizze, which owes its lovely taste and aromas to the particular climate and soil conditions of the territory.
