Stage 8
From Negrar di Valpolicella to San Pietro in Cariano
It is the final stage of the Cammino, a route that is not too demanding physically and designed to end the journey in a relaxed yet evocative way.
Along the way you encounter true gems of medieval art such as San Marco al Pozzo and the Pieve of San Floriano, two places that preserve centuries of history and spirituality.
The route passes through ancient hamlets, renowned wineries and vineyards tended like gardens, symbols of the passion and dedication that have long defined Valpolicella.
ROUTE
From the centre of Negrar di Valpolicella, the starting point of the final stage, walk alongside the parish church and take Via G. Marconi.
Continue left onto Via Don F. Piccoli, then follow Via Don N. Mazza and Via Crosara, climbing through the vineyards towards Via Masua.
Once on the ridge of Monte Masua, the view opens over the valleys of Negrar and Marano di Valpolicella, with cultivated hills and scattered hamlets that reflect the long agricultural history of these lands.
Continue along Via Masua until a junction. Pass the turn-offs for Negrar and Valgatara, continue for about 250 metres, then turn left onto a dirt lane that leads to the atmospheric hamlet of Gnirega.
From here, turn right and cross the hamlets of Marognole and Bignele, continuing until you reach the Vajo dei Masi, which you descend briefly. Then take a small lane that, after about 300 metres, climbs to the right through the vineyards, leading to the beautiful courtyard of Novaia, easily recognised by its dovecote tower.
Continue along an easy dirt road heading north towards Olmo; here, turn left to reach the paved road which, turning left again along Via Campel, leads towards Marano di Valpolicella.
The route then descends along Provincial Road 34 and, shortly afterwards, turns right to enter the hamlet of Canzago, characterised by elegant manor houses and harmonious rural architecture.
The route then descends along a beautiful path to the hamlet of Pozzo, where you find the small church of San Marco al Pozzo, a Romanesque jewel with a well-preserved medieval fresco on its southern wall.After leaving the hamlet, the trail climbs again along a panoramic path to Via Cà del Pipa. After about 600 metres, turn left onto another path that leads to the parking area of San Floriano.
Cross the SP 4 and reach the churchyard of the Pieve of San Floriano, one of the most important Romanesque churches in the Province of Verona, a masterpiece of medieval art and a central landmark in the religious and cultural history of Valpolicella.
After visiting the parish church and its surroundings, continue along Via della Pieve, heading back towards the provincial road, which you cross to take a gravel path opposite the Zymè winery. Proceed for about 1.5 km along pleasant country lanes, then descend westwards until you reach the small church of San Francesco.
From here, follow Via San Francesco, passing by the “Ortiche” community garden, and continue until you reach a small roundabout. Cross the road and carry on along Via San Francesco until you reach the junction with the SP4. Turn right and shortly afterwards cross at the pedestrian crossing to enter a public park, which you follow keeping to the left until you join Via Roma.Turn right, and soon, along a charming street lined with historic houses, you arrive at Piazza Ara della Valle, in the heart of San Pietro in Cariano, the final destination of the Wine and Stone Trail.
Here the journey comes to an end: a route through nature and culture, stone and vineyards, linking the Lessinia to Valpolicella in a harmonious embrace of landscapes, work, and memory.
Where to Eat
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Where to Sleep
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A Glimpse of Stage 8
Must-See
Villa Spinosa
Set in a panoramic position west of Negrar, on the hill of Jago dall’Ora, the villa overlooks the valley from an elevation of about 250 metres, within an open and light-filled landscape. The complex is dominated by a nineteenth-century manor house, south-facing and flanked by a formal Italian garden, where box hedges follow the natural slope of the hill.
The building, compact and well balanced, rises over two main floors plus an attic and stands out for the refinement of its architectural details, visible in the moulded cornice and the elegant window frames. Both the street portal and the entrance on the north façade bear the owners’ coat of arms which, since 1928, has given the villa its name: a rampant lion holding a “thorny” branch.
Villa Novaia
Villa Novaia stands in a commanding position east of Marano, on the ridge of Contrada Novaia, a place name referring to land brought into “new” cultivation. Its origins are likely connected to the castrum of Novalee, mentioned in an early-fifteenth-century document.
Although the complex has undergone several alterations, it still preserves the characteristics of a medieval fortified residence: a strategic hilltop location at the watershed between the Marano valley and a smaller side valley, and a solid quadrangular substructure supporting a walled courtyard. The most ancient element is a tower-like core, later transformed into a dovecote, which reveals the original function of a late-medieval lordly tower-house, serving as residence and refuge during stays in the countryside.
San Marco a Pozzo
The Church of San Marco, once dedicated to Saint Stephen, in the hamlet of Pozzo, has preserved its Romanesque layout despite a few minor alterations over the centuries. It features a simple gabled façade and a single nave covered by wooden trusses.
Of particular note are the 14th- and 15th-century frescoes: the oldest can be seen on the bell tower wall; on the north wall, a Saint Catherine and a fragment of a Crucifixion; and on the south wall, a Madonna enthroned.
Outside, on the south wall of the church, there is a striking Crucifixion dated 1441, with two kneeling donors at the foot of the Cross.
Inside, the chapel on the north wall houses an altarpiece by the Flemish artist Michele Meeves, who also crafted the elegant wooden frame. Another painting of Saint Mark adorns the main altar.
The peaceful atmosphere, a few remaining cypress trees, the small bell tower, and even a Roman inscription stone embedded in the wall, all contribute to the church’s discreet yet pervasive charm.
Pieve di San Floriano
The pieve—as medieval country churches were called when they served as the religious center for a wide rural territory—of San Floriano is a fine example of Romanesque architecture, built in tuff blocks at the beginning of the 12th century, inspired by the churches of San Giovanni in Valle and Santo Stefano in Verona.
The gabled façade is divided into three sections, corresponding to the interior naves, by two pilasters that rest on inverted Roman votive altars. Additional fragments of ancient Roman funerary monuments are embedded in the church walls, at the base of the bell tower, and in the surrounding enclosure wall.
The façade is topped with a decorative band of blind arcading, a motif that also appears on the high walls of the massive square bell tower, also Romanesque in style.
The southern side of the church is flanked by an elegant cloister, where, beneath the first arch, one can admire a fine Crucifixion fresco from the early 15th century. Several sculptural fragments from the earlier church have been displayed on the cloister walls.
The interior, recently restored to reflect its Romanesque origins, features three naves separated by alternating columns and pillars. In several places, traces of the original monochromatic geometric decorations have reemerged, offering a glimpse into the church’s ancient aesthetic.