Discover what to do in Velo Veronese: the Cóvolo di Camposilvano, the Monte Purga festival, the Valley of the Sphinxes. Want to know more? First of all…
Where is Velo Veronese?
The municipality of Velo Veronese borders to the north with Roverè Veronese, to the northeast with Selva di Progno, to the southeast with Badia Calavena, to the southwest with San Mauro di Saline, to the east with Selva di Progno and Badia Calavena, and to the west with Roverè Veronese and San Mauro di Saline.
The Monte Purga Festival
The 2023 edition of the Monte Purga festival took place from Friday 4 to Monday 7 August in Piazzale Crosara.
As every year, the event features large and comfortable tent structures where you can enjoy mouth-watering homemade specialties, from mixed grills and mushrooms with slices of grilled polenta, grilled sausages with beans and gourmet hamburgers with fried potatoes to exquisite traditional recipes such as malga gnocchi and risotto al tastasal. The latter is a characteristic product of the Verona area made from a mixture of salted pork meats, peppered and flavored with cloves, garlic, rosemary and cinnamon.
Ideal for preparing hamburgers, seasoning risottos and pasta dishes, tastasal takes its name from the habit of tasting (tastar) the mixture to ensure the salting is just right.
If you are wondering what to do in Velo Veronese, the Monte Purga festival is an ideal opportunity to spend the beautiful season with pop, rock and disco music concerts, dance evenings, rivers of beer and delicious specialties to be savored in the splendid setting of a welcoming rural village nestled in the heart of Lessinia, a sought-after destination for hikers from all over the country.
For information about the Monte Purga festival, you can consult the Facebook page Pro Loco di Velo Veronese and the Instagram page prolocoveloveronese.
The Cóvolo di Camposilvano
Located in the homonymous hamlet of Velo Veronese, near the Geopaleontological Museum of Camposilvano, the covolo di Camposilvano is a natural cave eighty meters deep, whose ceiling collapsed due to the slow process of mechanical erosion by water.
Carbonate rocks are not soluble in pure water, however, the presence of water mixed with carbon dioxide transforms calcium carbonate (insoluble) into calcium bicarbonate (soluble). The karst phenomenon leads to the creation of grooves and fissures into which rainwater infiltrates, which, by cutting the rock deeper and deeper, over millions of years forms deep chasms, gorges, ravines, sinkholes and mysterious caverns, whose fairy-tale atmosphere has over time given rise to fascinating legends animated by goblins, sprites, fairies, witches and other enchanted creatures linked to local folklore.
Reachable via an easy staircase flanked by a wooden parapet, the cave is formed by Rosso Ammonico, a sedimentary rock from the Jurassic period. With a width of seventy meters and a height of thirty-five meters, the spectacular karst crater is a treasure trove of biodiversity enveloped by ferns, firs, beeches, birches and many other lush tall trees that frame steep rock walls veiled in moss.
Valley of the Sphinxes
How to Reach the Valley of the Sphinxes
Starting from the Camposilvano parking lot (45.62542172518844, 11.089483462443386), head north for 550 meters, then turn right and follow the dirt road called Il Fungo.
Surrounded by a lush mantle of forest vegetation, the sinuous valley is dotted with white limestone monoliths patiently sculpted by the elements.
If you are wondering what to do in Velo Veronese, the Valley of the Sphinxes and the Covolo di Camposilvano are two of the most photogenic natural sites in Lessinia, unmissable destinations for nature lovers who wish to immerse themselves in an unspoiled, bright and green environment.
