San Giorgio di Valpolicella

San Giorgio di Valpolicella, or Ingannapoltron, that entered the exclusive club of "I Borghi più belli d'Italia" in November 2015, lies in the territory of Sant'Ambrogio di Valpolicella, at the foot of Mount Solane. Located on the summit of a rocky outcrop, it is built in the same limestone on which it lies. Surrounded by vineyards and olive groves, next to its ancient quarries, it enjoys an unspolit natural environment and a charming panorama which ranges from Lake Garda to Verona, from Valpolicella to the Pianura Padana.

Whoever passes through the Valpolicella has only to raise his gaze to be attracted by this little jewel. Approaching San Giorgio, you can notice the houses which stand on the rock appearing as its continuation. It seems that you have already arrived, but then you realize that to reach it, you still need to cover winding lanes. Thus the villlage appears as a natural fortress reached after a long and tiring walk, and so the name "Ingannapoltron". The false addition "poltron" to the toponym San Giorgio "in ganna" seems to go back to late middle ages. According to the historians the word "ganne", of pre-roman eastern alpine origin, simply means a pile of stones or a rocky and stony place.

The village of San Giorgio and its church maintain their rock structure. This context is appropriate for events concerning the traditions of the area, the marble production, the grapevine cultivation and cultural festivals. A traditional appointment in November is the event "Festa de le Fae": in these days there are gastronomic stands of wine, olive oil, beans, cheese and chestnuts, as well as the distribution of the famous soup, and there are music and many other activities.

These days the hills that surround San Giorgio represent an important place for the production of Valpolicella wines, such as Amarone, Recioto, Ripasso. In this area there are also the cultivations of cherries and olives.

Thanks to the availability of excellent stone materials, such as the Rosso di Verona, the marble supply chain has developed contributing to the wealth of the area.