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Dining in Europe > Verona Depending on your tastes and where you like to go, Verona and its surrounding areas have a lot to offer: there are large establishments who go all out to be worthy of their stars, forks or chefs hats; there are traditional eateries, sometimes located in the heart of the countryside, and finally there are restaurants located in Garda where first-class produce is at hand to make sublime dishes. If you are looking for major names and don't mind splashing out then head for Arche in Verona, where the fish dishes on offer are worth dying for! Or you could visit Desco (to try the veal and ginger with leeks and fried sage) or you could opt for the Tre Marchetti, and taste their celebrated tagliatelle with porcini mushrooms and black truffles. Outside the city on Isola Rizza is the wonderful Perbellini, which does everything well, but is legendary when it comes to desserts, especially when they bring in the offelle (traditional sweet biscuits). Coming here is definitely money well-spent, in fact, its a real investment, given that: the guest (they are not called customers) is treated like a king, the cuisine and the wine cellar bring tears of emotion to the eye, and service is absolutely first-rate. Even traditional Veronese cuisine can offer up some interesting surprises, for instance, it is not unusual to see horse meat. If seeing horse on the menu, (maybe in pastissada) is a bit of a "rediscovery" a dish containing donkey will definitely be a "new experience" both as an ingredient in a first course or as the main ingredient in a stracotto (normally a stewed beef dish). Which restaurants can you go to to try traditional fayre? Well.... the Gabbia d'Oro on Isola della Scala is famous for its risotti, which are also acclaimed dishes at Capucci in Buttapietra; here you can try a traditional dish known as tastasal (a spiced pork mix). Tastasal is used to get the correct level of piquancy in salamis before they are ready to go on sale. Want to try a recipe using asino? Il Ponte in Brentino Belluno is the place to go for stracotto d'asino, the Bacco d'Oro in Mezzane di Sotto for il brasato all'Amarone (donkey braised in the local Amarone wine), people who want to be a little more adventurous(!) should try the filetto di struzzo (ostrich fillet) at Tamburino Sardo in Sommacampagna. If you like to indulge in cheese after your meal then il Vèzzena (stored in an ancient cave in barriques in Sasso di Bovolone. If you like to round off your meal with a great dessert (who doesn't?)at the Pergola di Trevenzuolo they serve i fogassin (dried focaccia), at the Bottega del Vino di Verona they prepare the Scaligera version of the budino diplomatico, at Pino Due in Garda (also well known for their fish recipes) they serve the traditional recipe for Sanvigilini with shortcrust pastry and raisins. Alpone, in Montecchia di Crosara, makes dolce di tagliatelle (a sweet pasta dish), while Castello in Valeggio makes torta di grano saraceno buckwheat cake and at Dalla Rosa Alda they have discovered a traditional recipe pissota con l'oio, focaccia cooked in the oven traditional copper receptacles. We mentioned Garda before and its riches: which include fish (naturally) and also olive oil, the best restaurants actually have a list of different oils for you to choose from. There are also Malga cheeses and truffles from Monte Baldo. The Porticciolo in Lazise does a fritto misto di lago (the choice of fish used in this dish depends upon what the fishermen have caught that morning). In Peschiera del Garda, the Cantinone specialises in trout. If you have never tried couscous, then the Caval in Torri del Benaco offers an intriguing fish and couscous recipe. The Stella d'Italia is famous for its pike in a sweet-and-sour sauce with polenta and peperoni. The Milio which is in Verona and looks towards the Adriatic, does wonderful fish dishes and after dinner relax under the beautiful pergola, diners will often come here to smoke after their meal. With this in mind, the restaurant has a Cuban cigar list as well as a list of spirits. T. McFarlane Entertainment in VeronaVerona is a city which offers both its residents and visitors many forms of entertainment: from activities of a cultural nature, to more simple pleasures from evocative operatic performances at the Arena, to drinking sessions in elegant bars in the historic city centre. As well as frequently attending the citys two cinemas (whose repertoires follow national ones, with no regional variations), the Veronese are also fervent theatre-goers both in winter and summer. The Arena - an ancient Roman amphitheatre is the the scene of international performances during the opera, ballet and musical season which takes place every year (summer 2000 will see performances of Nabucco, La Forza del Destino and La Traviata). During the same period, there are also performances in the Teatro Romano, and in winter, performances are put on at the Teatro Nuovo, which hosts well-known theatre companies putting on two different types of performance: light theatre (e.g. by Daniele Luttazzi, Enzo Iacchetti, Cochi and Renato), and performances with a slightly heavier subject matter. Some of the latest performances in this category have included those by Gianrico Tedeschi, Turi Ferro, Anna Proclemer and Glauco Mauri. During the winter, the Philharmonic Theatre puts on magnificent symphonic concerts, operas and operettas as well as other performances with artists who are more used to performing in other fields e.g. the recent performance of Antonio Albanese in 'Giù al Nord'. The Teatro Estravagario specialises in cabaret (most recently hosting Paolo Rossi), dance performances (e.g. a tango company from Buenos Aires) and pop concerts. The Teatro Camploy is also host to cabaret and musical performances. Cafés and bars offer an alternative form of entertainment. There are many of these all over the city, but the most frequented ones tend to be in the historic city centre: the Caffè delle Erbe, (commonly known as the 'Mazzanti') is definitely one of the most popular spots both due to its location (on the Piazza delle Erbe, by the ancient Roman forum) and due to the trendiness of its clientele who like nothing better than to sit outside in the summer sipping apperitifs with big groups of friends, listening to (occasionally live) music. Nearby, there is also the Campidoglio (situated on the sight of the ancient Roman Campodoglio, or Capitol). This pretty café is situated in a small piazza which, weather permitting, has lots of visitors. The Rivamancina, is also very popular - people come here for 'bassotti', beer and a variety of cocktails. Other good drinking holes are the Vecia Veronetta - a tavern which is open until 4am and the Mascheron, which is situated on the beautiful Piazza San Zeno. This place is packed to the rafters both in summer and in winter but if you can't squeeze in, theres always the piazza! The bar with the most beautiful view has got to be the Bar al Ponte, beside the Pietra bridge (the oldest in Verona) which has a delightful little terrace overlooking the Adige river and the Teatro Romano. As you leave the city centre area, which is usually very lively and packed, especially at the weekends, you will find the Cà Lupa bar, where you can have a drink and a snack (and be as loud as you want no one will mind!) and listen to music: Latin on Friday nights, Seventies, Eighties and Nineties with a DJ on Saturday nights and live music during the summer. A rundown of Veronas bars and cafés could go on forever, so we will now move on to nightclubs. Indisputedly the most famous of these, is the Alter Ego, which is well-known for its music, the ones that have been around the longest are Berfis and l'Excalibur - these are slightly more commercial, but still really good venues. Queen, in the city centre, is always packed at the weekend. It should be noted that Lake Garda is only a half hours drive away the lake and its environs are a great place to while away the hours. Two sushi bars have opened in Verona ( not far from the existing ethnic restaurants: Japanese, Chinese, Indian, Eritrean, Greek, Argentinian and Brazilian) there are worse way to spend your evening than sitting in a sushi bar, discovering Oriental cuisine with a group of friends. A. E. Moro Recommended ToursLessinia could be on another planet. It is so close to Verona, yet so diverse and varied. It has a bit of everything: interesting natural phenomena, museums and a population of German origin the 'Cimbri'. There is so much to do in this relatively small region: it is ideal for the tourist who is not in a hurry and would like a detailed knowledge of their surroundings, but it also makes an ideal destination for a day (or even half-day) out. There are three recommended itineraries: the first visits the Alpone Valley, the second goes up to Valpantena and the third explores western Lessinia. However, for those who have the opportunity to visit Lessinia, the first step should be to visit the Bosco Chiesanuova Tourist Office to pick up some of the abundant literature on Lessinia and its Natural Park. Armed with this material, each visitor can select particular areas of interest and plan their visit accordingly. For example, if you were interested in natural phenomena, you could visit the Covolo di Camposilvano, the Ponte di Veja and the village of Bolca. These are just a few places linked with the geomorphological history of the region. Alternatively, you could start by visiting some of Lessinias museums: the Museum of Cimbra Culture in Giazza, the paleological museum in Sant'Anna d'Alfaedo, the ethnographical museum in Bosco Chiesanuova, the geo-paleontological museum in Camposilvano, the fossil museum in Bolca and the 'trombini' museum (of antique rifles) in Selva di Progno. You could also find out more about the Cimbri population. As well as visiting the museums, you could attend a village festival, such as the one at Camposilvano, where you will be able to look at typical costumes, listen to local dialect and hear the thunderous shots of the trombini. Talking of festivals, it should be mentioned at this point that many activities are undertaken in Lessinia to promote the conservation of local traditions. Fairs and exhibitions are held throughout the year, such as the Festival of Mushrooms in Roverè, the Potato Festival in Cologna Veneta, the Monte Veronese doc Cheese Festival in Erbezzo, the Cherry Festival in Monteforte d'Alpone (where the Festival of Grapes is always held) and the Montecchia di Crosara Chestnut Festival at San Giovanni Ilarione. Although they are not exactly festivals, the annual Night Carnival in Monteforte d'Alpone, with its allegorical floats and masks which parade past under the stars, and the Midnight Mass which is celebrated at the gigantic natural cathedral that is the Covolo di Camposilvano are both worth a mention. If you are interested in local culture, there is one aspect which is indispensible the cuisine. Lessinia is famous for truffles - which you can try at Alla Ruota in Negrar as well as for mushrooms which you can have at Alpone in Montecchia di Crosara. There are also many regional specialities such as mocetta di capra - a type of sausage which you can try at the Torre in Cologna Veneta. If you fall for the various culinary delights, you should be prepared to do something about the accumulated calories. In the summer, there are a variety of excursions which can be undertaken through Lessinia, either on foot (contact the Club Alpino Italiano in Verona for details), or by bicycle (the 'Amici degli Bicicletta' organisation in Verona can advise you on the best routes). Spelaeology is not for everyone, but anyone who is interested can visit the spelaeological section of Cai di Verona. In winter, you will be spoilt for choice: there is alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, snowboarding and ice skating on the rink at Bosco Chiesanuova. Lessinia is truly a hotbed of cultural activity and beautiful natural phenomena. Dining in Europe > Verona |