Gazzo Veronese between wetlands and Roman history

Wetlands and birdlife

The wider Paludi di Ostiglia e del Busatello wetland covers 81 hectares. It is located in Lombardy and Veneto, in the municipalities of Ostiglia (MN) and Gazzo Veronese (VR), and is recognised as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. The Palude del Busatello lies within the Special Area of Conservation IT3210013, which is also designated as a Special Protection Area. This combination of an extensive wetland and the protected-area categories designated there defines the natural landscape of Ostiglia and Gazzo Veronese. For geographical orientation, its location in two regions is therefore just as important as its belonging to two municipalities.

Natural-history highlights

The Palude del Busatello is one of the last Italian sites where cicuta acquatica can be found. The Paludi di Ostiglia e del Busatello also provide refuge for more than 200 bird species, including 54 breeding species. The rare aquatic plant and the diverse birdlife complement each other as natural-history features of the wetland. In Gazzo Veronese, the connection with nature thus ranges from a single botanical speciality to a habitat with great bird diversity.

Paths along the Tione

The Casa del Turbine, also known as Casa dell'Angela, serves as the starting point for the path into the Palude del Busatello. From the Casa del Turbine, an easy trekking trail follows the Tione to its confluence with the Tartaro. The Casa del Turbine is also the venue each year on 25 April for the opening of the season of guided tours in the Oasi. For your travel planning, both the route along the Tione and an annual recurring date are therefore central. The Tione gives the path a linear course, while the Tartaro marks the confluence reached. 25 April also provides a fixed calendar reference point in the annual cycle of the Oasi.

Archaeology and sacred sites

The Museo Archeologico di Gazzo Veronese is located in Villa Parolin Poggiani and provides insights into local life in the Neolithic and Roman periods. Gazzo Veronese is also home to Dosso del Pol, a Paleo-Venetian necropolis dating from the 6th to the 5th century BC. The Church of San Pietro in Monastero is also known as San Pietro in Valle and stands on the banks of the Tione at San Pietro in Valle, a hamlet of Gazzo Veronese. For visitors interested in culture, the historical spectrum thus ranges from early traces of settlement and the Roman period to a church site on the river. Villa Parolin Poggiani is therefore both the location of a museum and the venue for the annual nativity-scene exhibition.

Roman history and the annual cycle

In Roman times, Gazzo lay on the Via Claudia Augusta, which led from Ostiglia across the Tartaro River to Verona. An annual nativity-scene exhibition is held in Villa Parolin Poggiani in Gazzo; at the same time, Gazzo Veronese takes part every year in the regional initiative La Strada dei Presepi. The route of the Via Claudia Augusta names Ostiglia, the Tartaro and Verona as successive geographical reference points. The recurring nativity-scene references add a cultural aspect of the annual cycle to the site's historical context.

Further destinations

Further destinations: San Pietro In Cariano, Sanguinetto, Caprino Veronese, Rivoli Veronese, Pescantina, Roveré Veronese, Settimo, Stra.

To the main travel overview: Verona.