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Perfect polenta, prosciutto and salame at Agriturismo San Mattia. |
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A palate-pleasing and perfectly-portioned dessert plate at San Mattia. |
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One of my favorite cities in Italy is Verona. While many associate it with that morbidly-romantic Shakespearean fairytale Romeo and Juliet, Verona is truly a fairytale, as close to perfect as a city can be. That is, excepting the weather, they tell me, but happenstance would have it that I caught the city on a gloriously sunny November Sunday, when it was uncharacteristically warm for the Veneto region.
I had been to Verona once exactly seven years ago, and after the initial excitement of visiting such a fabled city settled in, I began to sense that here an overarching harmony reigned: not only esthetically, from its perfectly-coordinated architecture to its rolling green hills, and not only in the fact that it hosts a range of epicurean delights, especially for chocolate lovers. There is a general well-being that pervades the air: it streets are clean, the quality of life is high, and the people are happy and alive. All this lifts one's spirits immediately, no kidding.
As first-time visitors to Verona so many years ago, I made stops at all the requisite touristic destinations, which are definitely worth go-sees - the ancient Roman arena that resembles a mini Coliseum and often plays hosts to concerts for the likes of Alicia Keys and Coldplay, and the ancient Roman theatre ruins atop Verona's heights are examples.
This time though, the destinations were other and unplanned: a stroll through Piazza delle Erbe, decorated for Christmas and lined with enormous outdoor cafes packed with families, couples and friends. Ducking into a side street just off the piazza, I found a relatively pint-sized Caffetteria Borsari, just as busy and buzzing with friendly baristas and gregarious clientele. The dark wood panelling, the hiss of the espresso machine and the shelves lined with chocolates I never see in Rome definitely left this lover of creature comforts with a warm fuzzy feeling inside. At first I resisted buying two fresh truffles and a Leone violet chocolate bar, but within fifteen minutes I was a repeat customer, having decided I needed them for the road.
Actually, the Veronese do it right, and I can't say it enough: the day was perfect. I capped it off with a dash through the newly-opened Tiepolo exhibit at Palazzo della Gran Guardia back down in the heart of Verona.
There is such an ease and beauty, but at the same time, there is a lot of industriousness to the city. So I wasn't surprised to hear Madonna was house-hunting here as recently as September. If Ms. Ciccone should make the move, I do futilely hope that property values and tourist numbers don't skyrocket. However, Madonna or no Madonna, I have several times contemplated becoming Veronese myself. Which leaves me with the question: could I ever leave Rome?
As I awaited my Alitalia flight at the Verona airport, I was excited to get back to La Capitale. Maybe not just yet, I decided, but I was returning home smiling with the fully-alive memory of the day and its images in my mind's eye. That was enough for now.
More Info:
Agriturismo San Mattia: www.sanmattia.it
Verona in the 1700s. The Nobility in Paintings: Tiepolo, Rotari and Cignaroli runs at Verona's Palazzo della Gran Guardia through April 2012: http://www.mostralouvreverona.com
I had been to Verona once exactly seven years ago, and after the initial excitement of visiting such a fabled city settled in, I began to sense that here an overarching harmony reigned: not only esthetically, from its perfectly-coordinated architecture to its rolling green hills, and not only in the fact that it hosts a range of epicurean delights, especially for chocolate lovers. There is a general well-being that pervades the air: it streets are clean, the quality of life is high, and the people are happy and alive. All this lifts one's spirits immediately, no kidding.
As first-time visitors to Verona so many years ago, I made stops at all the requisite touristic destinations, which are definitely worth go-sees - the ancient Roman arena that resembles a mini Coliseum and often plays hosts to concerts for the likes of Alicia Keys and Coldplay, and the ancient Roman theatre ruins atop Verona's heights are examples.
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| Piazza delle Erbe, Pre-Christmas. |
This time though, the destinations were other and unplanned: a stroll through Piazza delle Erbe, decorated for Christmas and lined with enormous outdoor cafes packed with families, couples and friends. Ducking into a side street just off the piazza, I found a relatively pint-sized Caffetteria Borsari, just as busy and buzzing with friendly baristas and gregarious clientele. The dark wood panelling, the hiss of the espresso machine and the shelves lined with chocolates I never see in Rome definitely left this lover of creature comforts with a warm fuzzy feeling inside. At first I resisted buying two fresh truffles and a Leone violet chocolate bar, but within fifteen minutes I was a repeat customer, having decided I needed them for the road.
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| Caffetteria Borsari: "The dark wood panelling, the hiss of the espresso machine and the shelves lined with chocolates..."
Of course, then came lunch. Here take note: after you check out Verona's Duomo, take the bridge to the other side of the River Adige, and make the effort to climb by foot or by wheel to the city's hilltops for a meal at Agriturismo San Mattia. Members of the Ederle family make up part of the welcoming personnel. They will get you started with their own red, tempt you with petite polenta squares doused with just the right touch of butter and herbs, seduce you with a unique plate of risotto and chicken so tender Linda Richman will pronounce it "like buttah!" in your head (but you won't tell anybody because if they're Italian they won't know what you're talking about), and then sweetly say goodbye with your own personal spread of minuscule and perfectly-satisfying desserts, including a lemon rectangle semifreddo, a dollop of mascarpone, and a bread-pudding like cake (with apples in the recipe but no name really). And as per usual, this meal comes with a view...
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| Looking out from the terrace of San Mattia Agriturismo, with a misty view of the River Adige in the background. |
Actually, the Veronese do it right, and I can't say it enough: the day was perfect. I capped it off with a dash through the newly-opened Tiepolo exhibit at Palazzo della Gran Guardia back down in the heart of Verona.
There is such an ease and beauty, but at the same time, there is a lot of industriousness to the city. So I wasn't surprised to hear Madonna was house-hunting here as recently as September. If Ms. Ciccone should make the move, I do futilely hope that property values and tourist numbers don't skyrocket. However, Madonna or no Madonna, I have several times contemplated becoming Veronese myself. Which leaves me with the question: could I ever leave Rome?
As I awaited my Alitalia flight at the Verona airport, I was excited to get back to La Capitale. Maybe not just yet, I decided, but I was returning home smiling with the fully-alive memory of the day and its images in my mind's eye. That was enough for now.
More Info:
Agriturismo San Mattia: www.sanmattia.it
Verona in the 1700s. The Nobility in Paintings: Tiepolo, Rotari and Cignaroli runs at Verona's Palazzo della Gran Guardia through April 2012: http://www.mostralouvreverona.com
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