Strada del Prosecco: Three Days In Italy’s Sparkling Foothills

Trying to explain you’re flying to Venice with the sole intention of ignoring one of the world’s most beautiful cities isn’t easy. People look at you with the kind of faces reserved for missed opportunities.
Nevertheless, hear me out.
Arriving at Marco Polo airport mid-spring and already the air is ripe with generous sunshine and more than pleasant temperatures. Swathes of tourists are here, hoping to beat the even larger swarms destined to descend on this particular point of entry during the peak summer months. And who can blame them, given the notoriety of August’s backside-to-crotch crowds?
We’re here for another reason altogether, though. As the majority head to the airport’s own water taxi rank for immediate transfer to the iconic town on the lagoon, our route takes us further north and west, passed Treviso, and onto a rural hinterland of tiny villages, gently rolling hills, and the finest prosecco producers to be found anywhere in Italy, and therefore by definition, anywhere in the world too.
As we make our way up the highway there are similarities abound with the north of England. Here industrial sites juxtapose the untouched countryside and historic, centuries-old hamlets. Conegliano, the largest town in the area, is home to the most respected wine school this epicurean nation has ever established too. Scuola Enologica di Conegliano dates back to the 19th Century, and holds rank amongst Europe’s inner-circle of enological academies. It also bottles some truly delectable prosecco, which can be picked up at alarmingly generous prices from the on-site shop.
Outside this seat of learning the surrounding streets have plenty to offer, and further accentuate the correlations with our own homeland. Whilst taking in the vista from a castle perched atop a hillside, modern buildings from the last 50 years are clearly visible- ranging from non-descript or unsightly functionalist structures to easier-on-the-eye contemporary architecture. The factories are also difficult to ignore. Yet alongside these late-20th and early-21st Century edifices sit villas with hand crafted exteriors, backstreets that snake through public spaces which have welcomed locals for aeons, and, beyond all that, a seemingly endless expanse of stunning green space.
Of course back in the UK the weather wouldn’t be so reliable. In contrast, from mid-March through to October although rain can be a factor the skies in this region are almost guaranteed to be inviting. Hence the Primavera del Prosecco, a festival that begins in March, runs through to July, and takes place in towns and villages throughout the area. The idea being to celebrate the new prosecco product (now ready to be sold), whilst paying tribute to spring’s overall harvest. It’s a time when the landscape is quite literally bursting into life wherever you look, as are many venues, with events ranging from motorcycle rallies to communal foodie events.
Amongst the most essential attractions must be one of the beer-festival style wine showcases, wherein numerous varieties of bubbly and still stuff are available from a multitude of taps, all offering a taste of a different vineyard. Coupled with a hog roast and similarly rustic, meat-heavy dishes- perhaps not what most Brits think of to accompany a delicate piquant- and the result is a perfect evening spent watching the sun set over the rolling Dolomite foothills. Spectacular flavours in a truly stunning, off-the-beaten-track setting.
Well, OK, that might be pushing things a bit far. After all, we’re on Italy’s oldest and arguably greatest wine route, the Strada del Vino Prosecco, which has been traversed by many a vintage aficionado. Stretching roughly 30miles through the terrain surrounding Conegliano, Feletto, Quartier del Piave and Valdobbiadene, there are bountiful options along the way for those looking to taste exactly what this region has to offer direct from the grape, or as close to the notion as humanly possible. Our base is Pieve di Soligo, a whistlestop settlement of around 12,000 inhabitants, boasting a handsome river, bags of charm and our home from home; Locanda Ristorante de Lino.
Inside this tavern low-ceilings, a mind-bogglingly large collection of copper pots and a handful of suites- all named after Italian stars who have stayed the night- are the defining features. Established by Lino Toffolin in the 1960s, today his son and daughter are in charge but the focus remains on good quality, home cooked food and open-armed hospitality. Hardly your average family fuel, though, the dishes are spectacular, and designed to be enjoyed en masse over a lengthy period of time. Or at least that's how we approach things. 
Duck, fish, pastas and, naturally, multiple proseccos, reds and whites all help ensure a very good night’s sleep when it finally comes time to retire. Needless to say then, rising for the return flight is rather painful, but for more reasons than the post-gorge headache. This comparatively untouched and unexplored area of Italy is utterly intoxicating, offering great walks, magnificent views, villages to die for, and a larder to rival the finest on the globe, hence our feeling privileged to have the chance to experience it first hand, and our certainty that this won’t be the last time we’ll be in the neighbourhood.
 
 Primavera del Prosecco
 www.prosecco.it
 www.marcatreviso.it
 
 Locanda Da Lino 
Via Roma 19  
31050 Solighetto (TV)
+39  0438 82150       
Scuola Enologica
Via Via XXVIII Aprile 20
Conegliano
31015 - Treviso
+39 0438/61421 - 61524
 
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