Montecchia di Crosara
Montecchia di Crosara is a municipality in the Val d'Alpone, in the heart of the volcanic hills that separate the Soave area from...
Updated 12 July 2026
The story
The story of Montecchia di Crosara
Lessini Durello, wine of the volcanic hills
Montecchia di Crosara is one of the reference municipalities for the production of Lessini Durello, a DOC sparkling wine made from the native durella grape, whose natural acidity gives rise to long-lasting sparkling wine bases, produced both with the Charmat method and, in the finer versions, with the classic method. The volcanic hills on which the vineyards stand give the wine recognisable mineral notes, different from wines produced on the nearby plain. Several wineries in the area, many family-run, offer visits and tastings, allowing visitors to discover a product less well known than Soave or Valpolicella but of growing interest among wine enthusiasts.
The cherries of the Val d'Alpone
Alongside vines, Montecchia di Crosara is known for cherry growing, widespread across much of the municipal territory and the surrounding hills of the Val d'Alpone. The spring blossom, between March and April, turns the slopes white and is one of the most striking moments of the year for those travelling the area's country roads, while the harvest, concentrated between May and June, involves local farms with direct sale of the fruit. It is a farming tradition less well known than in other parts of the Verona area, but still deeply rooted and able to draw visitors during the blossom and harvest periods.
A landscape of conical volcanic hills
The territory of Montecchia di Crosara is shaped by the volcanic activity that affected this part of the Verona area millions of years ago, giving rise to hills with a distinctive conical form, now covered with vineyards and orchards. This landscape, shared with other municipalities in the area such as Roncà and Soave, stands out for the colour changes through the seasons, deep green in spring, golden in autumn during the grape harvest, and for the regular pattern of vine rows following the slopes. Travelling the country roads linking the hills offers interesting viewpoints over the Val d'Alpone and, on clearer days, over the Venetian Prealps further north.
Between Soave and the Lessinia
Montecchia di Crosara occupies an intermediate position between two very different but complementary areas: the wine-growing plain of Soave, a few kilometres away, and the first foothills of the Lessinia, which rise further north toward the Verona mountains. This location makes it a good base for those wishing to alternate visits to wineries in the Soave area with more demanding excursions into the Lessini mountains, perhaps discovering the typical contrade of the plateau or the palaeontological sites for which the Lessinia is known. It is a municipality that, while not a headline destination, works well as an intermediate base for a broader itinerary across the Verona hills.
Experiences not to miss
- Taste Lessini Durello at a local winery
- Walk among blossoming cherry trees (March-April) or during the harvest (May-June)
- Scenic drive or ride among the volcanic hills of the Val d'Alpone
- Excursion toward Soave or the first foothills of the Lessinia
Routes · Trovido Route
