Between culture, beauty and food
No. 3
A dream destination for an event? Why, Italy of course! While we all have a very different idea of our perfect location this country offers countless gorgeous hotels in villas, castles and mansions with all the services to make not just a special event but an almost impossibly memorable one. Today Italy offers styles to appeal to all, and specialises in fine quality, exceptional taste and the class of ages, centuries of art and culture at the service of both corporate and personal needs to mark a special occasion, an award, achievement or accolade, the abiding importance of a wedding, the joy of a new birth, or simply the celebration of an anniversary. The opportunities are endless and some of the locations this land of historic and artistic splendour offer remain well kept secrets that Italy My Way is more than willing to reveal and present to you.
In the heart of the vineyards of Valpolicella, 10 minutes from Bardolino on the picturesquely majestic and Mediterranean Lake Garda is Villa Cordevigo Wine Relais. It is also less than half an hour from Verona airport and Verona, the city of love, where Romeo serenaded Juliet on what the world likes to believe is really her balcony. A place to declare undying love, to propose marriage, to seal a knot or close the perfect deal! Verona is a perfect city for business, an area where the finest marbles in the world are produced, some of the country’s finest architecture to be found and some of the greatest cuisine and wines are to be tasted. An epicure’s paradise! And if the desire to design your own personal Grand Tour is foremost, Venice is no more than 90 minutes away.
Villa Cordevigo Wine Relais is a country mansion and villa that goes back to the 16th century with the first traces of occupation going back even further to Roman times. Initially Villa Cordevigo was a summer residence with country outbuildings used for farming purposes, this being an area with an abundance of water and land that was easy to cultivate. The “brolo”, or vegetable garden and orchard typically provided fresh produce for the main house but between 1700 and 1800 this became a large garden and park, a material demonstration of the wealth and power of the owning families. Today the villa and its park are surrounded by the vineyards owned by the Cristoforetti and Delibori Families who in their Villabella winery produce the full range of quality Veneto wines, some of which are organic. A unique feature of Villa Cordevigo, once an episcopal residence, is its little church where on 11 November, St Martin’s Day, an annual thanksgiving mass is held to mark the end of the agricultural year. It also contains a fine collection of over 3000 “reliques”, holy relics, belonging to Marcantonio Lombardo, the bishop of Crema who owned the villa in the 18th century.
Spacious beautifully kept grounds and outdoor areas make Villa Cordevigo an ideal location for destination weddings, corporate and incentive events which can be magnificently choreographed with special themes. The mansion’s 34 rooms and suites and meeting rooms are available for exclusive use and the Michelin star restaurant is open from Tuesday to Sunday for dinner just as Chef Giuseppe D’Aquino also ensures the finest of banqueting facilities from his gourmet breakfast through lunch to culminate in a sumptuous Gala dinner or special reception for up to 100 persons.
Guests in Villa Cordevigo can enjoy exclusive activities arranged for them, such as the well-known From Grape to Glass experience conducted by Paolo, Villa Cordevigo’s local expert and a sommelier whose passion for the Villa and the Villabella Winery is legendary, or Giuseppe D’Aquino’s cooking classes. Paolo will also take our guests for boat trips on Lake Garda, organise guided tours of Verona, visits to the workshop where tortellini are made for the Pope and other experiences that cannot fail to intrigue and enchant the curious and particularly lovers of excellence in food and wine.
