Soave

Soave keeps one of the most complete medieval wall circuits in the Veneto, twenty-four towers linked by crenellated curtain walls that run down from the Scaliger castle on the hill to enclose the small town below, largely rebuilt in the fourteenth century and restored in the nineteenth. The wine is a dry white from Garganega grapes grown on the volcanic and limestone hills around, one of the earliest Italian wines to be widely exported, which brought both success and, for a period, a reputation for bulk production; the Classico zone on the hills is the historic core. Harvest festivals run in September.

What you actually see

• The wall circuit - twenty-four towers linked from castle to town.
• The Scaliger castle - a fortress above with courtyards and a keep.
• The Classico hills - the historic vineyard zone on volcanic soil.
• The small centre - one main street inside the walls.

When to go

April to October; harvest and wine festivals fall in September. The castle closes Mondays. Summer heat on the plain is heavy.

Honest expectations

The town inside the walls is very small, seen in an hour. Much of the wall is restoration. Soave's export reputation means quality varies widely by producer.

Nearby

Verona lies west; the Lessini mountains rise north.