Wine among art, music, literature, food and beauty “invades” Verona with “Vinitaly and the city”

At a major trade fair such as Vinitaly, business and professional networking are the main focus. But without consumption and consumers, there is no business, not even in the world of wine. That is why, for all enthusiasts, wine lovers, or simply for those who wish to enjoy a glass in the magnificent setting of Verona and Valpolicella, “Vinitaly and the City” returns: the popular “off-site” event taking place from April 10th to 12th, which brings back to the center stage a rich program of initiatives and events dedicated to promoting products, territories and, above all, wine culture, in some of the most beautiful corners of the Unesco World Heritage city and beyond. With a mosaic of experiences ranging from tastings to masterclasses, from guided tours to literary meetings, and from talks to dance evenings, the event invites visitors to discover the wonders of the city through the lens of a glass of wine. A successful format that has already been replicated outside Verona: “alongside what will take place at the fair, this year “Vinitaly and the City” is also accelerating its focus on wine tourism  - declared Veronafiere president Federico Bricolo -  we have strengthened the urban offering starting with the proposed experiences and expanding the scope with initiatives and activities that extend beyond the event itself, involving numerous wineries from the area. This pilot initiative therefore confirms a constantly evolving format, already successfully exported to Sibari and ready to double up with Reggio Calabria, while new regions are currently under consideration”.
While the much-anticipated marathon of 70 events, including wine talks, tastings, guided tours and literary meetings has been confirmed, a real shift comes with the tasting and experience tokens, which this year, among other initiatives, also open the gates of the Arena di Verona, a temple of music and culture, and launch a journey to discover the Valpolicella Wine Route (with a program of tastings in 16 wineries, from Boscaini to Ca’ Rugate, from Coali-Tenuta Savoia to Corte Archi, from Corte Martini to Corte Odorico, from La Dama to Mizzon, from Masi to Nicolis Winery, from Siridia to Tedeschi, from Villa San Pietro Winery to Santa Sofia and Vogadori Vini, among others, running from April 13th to May 3rd).
The ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for Friday April 10th with a toast of Pinot Grigio DOC delle Venezie, the Official Wine of the 2026 edition (6 p.m.). Once again, the focal point is the triangle formed by Piazza dei Signori, the Cortile del Tribunale, and the Cortile Mercato Vecchio. In Piazza dei Signori, under the gaze of Dante, the Loggia of Fra’ Giocondo will host the Grand Wine Bar of the Consorzio dei Vini DOC delle Venezie, while the Loggia Antica will be dedicated to the art of mixology, featuring some of the most acclaimed bartenders of the moment in collaboration with Bartenders Group Italia and brands such as Molinari, Italian Wine Brand, Martini, Campari, Galvanina, Ricard Pernod (Malfy), 9diDante, Serena Wines and Spirito delle Dolomiti. This year, the Fra’ Giocondo Loggia Stage is dedicated to “L’Aquila 2026 - Italian Capital of Culture”. At the center of the square, visitors will also find the Isola della Scala Rice Fair and the Banca Passadore Lounge, offering an experience that blends art and wine among the evocative architecture of what was once the Scaligeri Signoria Court. The Cortile Mercato Vecchio, which also hosts the Santa Barbara Mining Route Foundation, will instead become the embassy for wines from the regions of Calabria and Sardinia. The wine and food journey continues in the Cortile del Tribunale with the Abruzzi, Campania (Campania.Wine project), Molise (Palazzo del Capitano), and the Sicilian associations Providi and Vitesi (Palazzo del Capitano), alongside spaces curated by Esselunga and a selection by Gambero Rosso. The partnership with the music of Calabria and Rai Radio2 “in the City” is also confirmed, once again bringing Ema Stokholma DJ set to Verona (April 11th, Banca Passadore Lounge). Postcard-perfect toasts also return to the terrace of Torre dei Lamberti, 84 meters above ground, this year curated by Consorzio Vini d’Abruzzo.
Among the highlights of the 2026 edition, there is “Salotto dei vini rari” - “Salon of Rare Wines”, curated by “ilGolosario” in the Affreschi Lounge of the Cortile del Tribunale. Here, wine lovers will be introduced to 32 selected labels made from rare native Italian grape varieties, through tastings headed by journalists Paolo Massobrio, Marco Gatti and Fabio Molinari. Sissi Baratella also returns to the Flover Lounge in Cortile Mercato Vecchio with her now-traditional Wine Talk, which once again will take the audience on a journey across Italy. Still at the Flover Lounge, on Sunday April 12th, Fisar will present Tintilia del Molise: identity, territory and interpretations, while on the Fra’ Giocondo Stage Sardegna Ricerche will stage “Cannonow: feel it. Nuove grammatiche per un vino giovane” - “Cannonow: feel It. New grammars for a young wine”, a multimedia tasting designed to speak to Generation Z.
Finally, there are the events spread throughout the city venues, such as “Tasting Hellas in Wine” at the Hellas Verona Store, “Pigna in the City” at Trattoria La Pigna, and “Caffè Dante: un viaggio di gusto tra vino e cucina” - “Caffè Dante: a Journey of Taste between Wine and Cuisine” at Caffè Dante Bistrot. And of course, good wine calls for good food: offerings for “foodies” include a pizza tasting with master pizzaioli from Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (Saturday April 11th, Casa Campania) and a series of events curated by the Abruzzi Region at the Cortile del Tribunale with “Biodiversità d’Abruzzo: prodotti antichi, cucina contemporanea” - “The Abruzzi biodiversity: ancient products, contemporary cuisine” (Friday April 10th), “Il sapore delle radici: la cucina abruzzese tra pane, legumi e tradizione” - “The taste of roots: Abruzzese cuisine between bread, legumes and tradition” (Saturday April 11th), and “L’Aquila e la cucina dello zafferano” - “L’Aquila and saffron cuisine” (Sunday April 12th). Two events are organized in collaboration with Sol Expo, Veronafiere exhibition dedicated to the olive oil supply chain. At the Banca Passadore Lounge, Sol Expo Mixology Lab - Evo & Igo Experience will feature cocktails made with extra virgin olive oil and products from La Grande Bellezza Italiana, while Sol Expo Tasting - Veneto Green Gold will offer a guided tasting of Valpolicella DOP and Garda DOP olive oils.
But to nourish the spirit as well as the palate, “Vinitaly and the City” also shines a spotlight on the relationship between wine and culture, and between cuisine and culture, with an ever-richer program of literary events. It begins on Friday April 10th with the first “Parole Di-Vino”, the series organized by Feltrinelli Bookstores, which will bring Matteo Canzi, winner of MasterChef Italia season 15, to the Fra’ Giocondo Stage (8 p.m.) to present his book “Il gusto del perché. Nulla si crea. Nulla si distrugge. Tutto si cucina” (Baldini+Castoldi) - “The taste of why. Nothing is created. Nothing is destroyed. Everything is cooked (Baldini+Castoldi)”. On Saturday April 11th, Marco Pozzali, in conversation with Roberto Cipresso, will discuss “199 vini straordinari. Un viaggio alla ricerca della bellezza” (Gribaudo) - “199 Extraordinary Wines. A Journey in Search of Beauty” (Gribaudo). I “BookTasting + 11 minuti d’arte” di Pasqua Vini - “The “BookTasting + 11 Minutes of Art” by Pasqua Vini and Anna Martellato, in collaboration with the Verona City Council Department of Culture, will take place at the Achille Forti Modern Art Gallery in Cortile Mercato Vecchio, featuring Elena Pigozzi (“Le sarte della Villarey” - The seamstresses of Villarey”, Mondadori) on Saturday April 11th at 3:45 p.m., and Wanda Marasco with “Di spalle a questo mondo” - “With my back to this world”, winner of the 2025 Campiello Prize (Neri Pozza), on Sunday April 12th at 3:45 p.m. “Nel nome del pane. Nel nome del vino: le sfide per la nutrizione e rischi di rottamazione al tempo del populismo alimentare - “In the name of bread. In the name of wine: nutritional challenges and the risk of scrapping in the age of food populism” is the title of the presentation of Luigi A. Chiarello thriller “Nel nome del pane” - “In the name of bread” (Guerini e Associati). On Sunday April 12th (3 p.m., Fra’ Giocondo Stage), the author will be joined by nutritionist Ilenia Grieco and economic and geopolitical analyst Pietro Paganini, professor at Temple University of Philadelphia.
Through wine, “Vinitaly and the City” also offers opportunities for cultural encounters, in-depth discussions and the discovery of historic monuments and hidden corners of Verona. This year, guided tours include the Arena Amphitheatre for the first time, alongside confirmed visits to the Corte Sgarzerie archaeological area also in a “by night” version, the Balladoro Palace Ballroom, and a sip of archaeology at the National Archaeological Museum, concluding with a wine tasting curated by Villa Della Torre (Saturday April 11th, 3:30 p.m.). The exhibition “Winter games! Gli sport invernali. Fotografie dagli archivi Life 1936-1972” - “Winter Games! Winter Sports. Photographs from the Life Archives 1936-1972” (Saturday April 11th and Sunday April 12th, 4 p.m., International Centre of Photography at Scavi Scaligeri, Cortile Mercato Vecchio), in collaboration with the Verona City Council Department of Culture, will trace the history of the Winter Olympics, followed by a tasting of Pasqua wines. Forbes Italia will host a talk on “Unconventional Wines” (Saturday April 11th, Fra’ Giocondo Stage), while the Santa Barbara Mining Route Foundation will guide wine lovers along the Carignano Trails of the Santa Barbara Mining Route. Lastly, the Rivela Association will present  (Sunday April 12th, 5 p.m., Fra’ Giocondo Stage), exploring the connection between creative genius, symbolism and wine culture, from The Last Supper to the Vineyard of Milan.