Opera in Verona
Busy Market in Verona
Verona Arena
Verona Opera & Wine
11 - 15 July 2012
Journey through the wine villages of Valpolicella and on the shores of Lake Garda by day, and experience the glamour of world-class Opera performed in a magical setting by night. You will be tasting the smooth, cherry like Valpolicella, powerful Amarone and be introduced to the “ultimate meditation wine”, Recioto! In Soave, we will be tasting how the Garganega grape can produce world class whites, rather than the flabby wine previously found on supermarket shelves.
We stay in the centre of Verona with it’s magnificent Roman Arena, 14th century Castelvecchio, renaissance buildings and an excellent archaelogical museum. You will have time to enjoy Verona’s Roman and Medieval sites, elegant shops, wine bars and restaurants.
The atmosphere in the arena makes for an unforgettable experience. The performances on the evenings when we are here are Aïda, Don Giovanni, Carmen and Romeo & Juliette. We include a ticket to the Opera of your choice and you can buy other tickets as required at the time of booking (all subject to availability).
There are some world-class performers taking the stage during our visit, including Hui He as Aida on 11th July; Anita Rachvelishvili as Carmen, Fiorenza Cedolins as Micaela, Marcelo Álvarez as Don Jose and Caudio Sgura as Escamillo in Carmen on 13th July; and Erwin Schrott as Don Giovanni on 12th July. Both Carmen and Don Giovanni also have sets and staging by the esteemed Franco Zeffirelli.
The Veneto wine region has struggled historically against the impression of cheap Valpolicella and Soave in basic Italian trattorias. The reality these days is a very different story. Our wine visits are planned to depart mid to late morning, so, after your late night at the opera, there is no rushing for early starts.
On arrival we visit the dynamic Zenato, where we taste great Valpolicellas as well as their complex Lugana Riserva from the shores of Lake Garda. We then head to the pretty lake-side town of Lazise, perhaps to enjoy a gelato or stroll along the lakeside. Next day we lunch at the Valpolicella estate of Count Serego Alighieri, descendant of the great Italian poet Dante Alighieri; these are stunning wines – the power of the Amarones will bowl you over and to finish there is the exquisite Recioto! Also in Valpolicella we are greeted by the welcoming family at the superb Ca La Bionda. We head west to the region of Soave to taste some superb examples of these sadly all too often maligned wines, including the long established top wine estate of Pieropan for incredibly complex wines. There are other interesting local wines too such as Lugana and Prosecco.
For your choice of Opera we include ‘numbered steps’ as these are the best value and in some ways actually the best tickets. These are the central part of the steps (or arena side) and have a fairly direct view of the stage, with a view of the whole arena, good acoustics and a seat which is reserved. The theatre also has un-numbered, unreserved steps (where you have to queue and sit on a cushion); the Poltrone seats on the floor of the Arena (which are comfortable seats but on the flat area) and Poltronissima seats, which are first sector stalls.
After the excitement of the performance your hotel is within a short walking distance of the Arena. Many of the cheaper Verona packages that are sometimes advertised use hotels outside the city, sometimes a considerable, very late night journey by coach. It is a huge advantage to be in the city. You can be back at the hotel quickly after late finishes or you can choose to enjoy a grappa or a gelato on the piazza!
Why not extend your holiday?
Why not stay on in Venice after the trip for two nights (this is easily reached by train from Verona). You could then fly back from Venice (so outbound Verona, Inbound Venice airport if travelling from the UK) for ease. We will put you in touch with our luxury hotel specialists if you wish to stay in Venice, they can book your flight for you at the same time if you wish. Please call for details.
Client comments on this tour:
“On the last day of our Verona Opera and Wine Tasting tour, we filled out your standard evaluation form, rating your tour very highly. But we wanted to send this e-mail also, to give us a chance to rate your tour again in our own words. Your August Verona tour was great!
Admittedly, we had booked the tour more for the opera than for the wine tasting. We appreciate good wines, but we are certainly not wine connoisseurs. But as the tour turned out (and Gordon Ritchie is largely to credit for this), we enjoyed the wine tasting and the visits to the vineyards, just as much as the opera.
All in all, we are quite happy that we skipped the available American-based Italian tours, and took your tour instead.
We hope we will be able to join you on one of your tours next year.” RP, 2008
11 - 15 July 2012
£1,450.00 
per person
Places available.Price Includes:
Four nights 4* hotel, breakfasts.
Three lunches and one Pre Opera Supper so four meals in total. At wine estates wines are included at the wineries discretion and at restaurants half a bottle of wine per person is included.
A bi-lingual Arblaster & Clarke Wine Guide/Tour Manager will escort the party.
One numbered step ticket to your choice of opera is included – subject to availability – so early booking is essential.
An air-conditioned coach for the wine visits during the day.
The maximum party size is 18.
Please state at the time of booking which Opera you require and any further tickets for other Opera’s that you wish to attend (full payment is due for all extra tickets required at the time of booking and these are non-refundable in the event of your cancellation).
Travel: Meet at VeronaSole Occupancy: £325.00
Deposit: £500.00
Room Upgrade: £200.00
Verona Opera & Wine
Outline Itinerary
Day 1. Wednesday 11 July: Meet in Verona (at 17.30). Pre Opera Supper. Tonight’s Opera is Aida by G. Verdi. Overnight 4* hotel, Verona.
Day 2. Thursday 12 July: Visit and lunch at Zenato wine estate. Free time in Lazise. Tonight’s Opera is Don Giovanni by W.A. Mozart. Overnight 4* hotel, Verona.
Day 3. Friday 13 July: Visit at Pieropan wine estate. Lunch in Soave at Anselmi enoteca (to be confirmed). Free time in Verona. Tonight’s Opera is Carmen by G. Bizet. Overnight 4* hotel, Verona.
Day 4. Saturday 14 July: Visit at Ca la Bionda wine estate. Visit and Lunch at Serego Alighieri wine estate. Free time in Verona. Tonight’s Opera is Romeo & Juliette by C. Gounod. Overnight 4* hotel, Verona.
Day 5. Sunday 15 July: Check out of hotel. Tour ends.
Opera Tickets – Prices for Extra Tickets
One Numbered Step for the Opera of your choice during the tour is included in the tour price. Please advise on your booking form which Opera you would prefer. If you would like to book tickets for other Operas, please indicate in writing at time of booking which opera and which seat category you would prefer and enclose your payment for the additional tickets.
Ticket Prices for additional performances are:
Unnumbered Step £40 Numbered Step £120
Poltrona £145 Poltronissima £180
Please call if you would like to discuss in detail which category of ticket you would prefer.
Hotel Details
4* Hotel, central Verona
Situated a short level walk (maximum 10 minutes) from the arena in the town centre, this 4* has traditionally decorated rooms (in our view, on the small side for a 4*) Upgrades to suite, subject to availability.
After the 2nd of May 2012, our room allocation will be reduced for the hotel for this tour. Although there may be space on the tour after this date, you may be offered alternative accommodation. Therefore early booking is strongly recommended for the best price and to ensure availability on the included travel adn at the main tour hotels.
Travel Details
The flights are NOT included on this tour in order to give you total flexibility of when you arrive, which airline you would prefer and where you would like to fly from. We are very happy to quote on the main scheduled airlines, and to book these for you (the full price of the flight will be payable along with an administration charge in order to book these and these are non-refundable and non changeable). We are, however, unable to book the low cost airlines.
If you are only interested in Opera, but would like to attend the Verona Festival in 2011, please see our Independent Opera break in Verona – prices starting from £475 per person for 2 nights including a ticket to the Opera of your choice.
Wine Notes...
Click here to read wine notes by Tim Clarke and Andrew Williams on wine regions visited.
