The autumn season is ideal not only to visit Verona’s monuments, squares and main attractions, but also to enjoy experiences that stand out for their peculiarity.

In this article we suggest three top activities you should plan for your next trip to Verona and its surroundings.

Cooking Class: the “Tortellino di Valeggio”

The masterpiece of the culinary tradition of Valeggio sul Mincio is called, in dialect, “agnolin”. The famous “Tortellini di Valeggio” consist of a thin layer of handmade pasta filled with braised meat. They have been present on the Valeggiani tables for centuries and are traditionally served in broth or seasoned with butter and sage.

It seems that the origin of the tortellino di Valeggio dates back to the 14th century and that it owes its birth to a legend: the nymph Silvia and captain Malco, two young lovers, leave a knotted yellow silk cloth on the banks of the Mincio river as a pledge of their troubled love. Hence the nickname Nodo d’Amore (lit. Love Knot), another way to call this specialty of the local cuisine.

The main events dedicated to the tortellino di Valeggio are the “La Festa del Nodo d’Amore”, on the third Tuesday of June, and the itinerant food and wine festival “Tortellini e Dintorni”, which takes place over three days in September.

Would you like to learn how to make Love Knots yourself? Then join a cooking class and discover from locals their best secrets behind this Italian delight.

Urban pilgrimages

If you want to discover Verona through unconventional itineraries, we suggest you keep an eye on the agenda of Verona Minor Hierusalem which was born in 2016 as a project and became a Foundation on 12 December 2018.

At the basis of its work is the concept of Verona as a small Jerusalem. This idea is not a simple figment of the imagination: the conception of Verona as “little Jerusalem” was made official in 1450 by the Veronese Statuses, but has its roots in the age of the archdeacon Pacifico (between the end of the VIII and the first half of IX centuries), who has been prefect of the Capitulare Scriptorium for 43 years. An ancient document states that he had created a dictionary and that in the entry dedicated to Verona he decreed that the city was founded by Sem, son of Noah, with the name of “Jerusalem Minor”.

Nowadays the foundation promotes urban pilgrimages thanks to the cultural voluntary work of its members. There are three itineraries that develop around the common theme of Rebirth: from the Earth, Water and Heaven. You will thus discover churches, crypts and city streets accompanied by expert and authorized guides.

Wine tastings in Valpolicella

As pointed out in the article Discovering Valpolicella, among vineyards and wineries, when our guests want to get away from Verona and discover its surrounding area, we usually suggest an itinerary in Valpolicella, among vineyards and wineries.

The best way to discover the area is to reserve our special Discover Verona Package which, in addition to a bottle of wine as a welcome gift in your room, includes a visit to the wineshop of the prestigious Valpolicella Tommasi Family Estates, with the tasting of 4 wines. An experience fully in line with the Veronese winemaking tradition.