Introducing the Vinitaly and the City 2026 programme. This year, the fringe event will also take place at the Arena di Verona

During Vinitaly, Verona is once again transformed into a city of a thousand shades and countless opportunities, thanks to Vinitaly and The City, the fringe festival dedicated to wine enthusiasts, scheduled from 10 to 12 April. There are numerous events on offer, ranging from guided tours to tastings, literary gatherings to dance evenings. In the historic heart of the Venetian city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, around 70 events are planned.

Events also taking place inside the Arena di Verona

New for 2026 is that, through tastings and experiences, this year the programme extends to the Verona Arena (which will open its gates for the first time for the event, offering a series of guided tours) and out into the province for a journey of discovery along the Valpolicella Wine Route, where fifteen wineries will offer a programme of tastings from 13 April to 3 May.

“Vinitaly and The City is also stepping up its efforts in the field of wine tourism,” said the president of Veronafiere, Federico Bricolo, “by enhancing the urban offering, starting with the experiences on offer, and expanding its scope with initiatives and activities that continue even after the event, involving numerous local wineries.” Vinitaly and the City is organised by Veronafiere in collaboration with the City of Verona, the Province of Verona and the Cariverona Foundation.

In the historic centre, there are several points of interest and activities: the area between Piazza dei Signori, the Cortile del Tribunale and the Cortile del Mercato Vecchio. The Loggia di Fra’ Giocondo in Piazza dei Signori will host the Grande Enoteca of the Consorzio DOC Delle Venezie, whilst the Logga Antica will be dedicated to mixology. In the centre of the square, the stand of the Isola della Scala Rice Fair and the Banca Passadore Lounge open to the public. The Old Market Courtyard will showcase wines from Calabria and Sardinia. In the Courtyard of the Tribunal, there will be Abruzzo, Campania (with the Campania.Wine project) and Molise (Palazzo del Capitanio), as well as spaces dedicated to Esselunga and a selection curated by Gambero Rosso. The Consorzio Vini d’Abruzzo will host the toasts on the terrace of the Torre dei Lamberti, 84 metres above ground.

Gambero Rosso tastings in the Cortile del Tribunale

Once again this year, Gambero Rosso is organising a packed programme of tastings during the Fuori Salone. The excellence of Italian wine will be represented by some of the finest labels selected from the Gambero Rosso Italian Wine Guide 2026, with a special Wine Tasting at tasting tables within the picturesque Courtyard of the Tribunal in Verona, allowing all participants to independently participate in a tasting journey from northern to southern Italy.

Discover the wineries and wines of the Gambero Rosso Wine Tasting

To purchase the tasting pass and skip the queue: www.vinitaly.com/eventi/vinitaly-and-the-city/