It is five in the afternoon. Rain drums on the cobblestones of Via Cappello and the scent of wet stone drifts up beneath the arcades. A glass of rosé Chiaretto — that antique pink with hints of grapefruit and lake water — waits on a small table. The question is not whether to drink it, but where. Because in Verona, even waiting has an address.
Why Chiaretto di Bardolino is the right wine for a grey afternoon
Before choosing the venue, it is worth understanding what is in the glass. Chiaretto di Bardolino DOC is produced on the moraine hills of the eastern shore of Lake Garda, twenty minutes from the centre of Verona. The principal grapes are Corvina and Rondinella, vinified with a brief skin maceration — a few hours, just enough to coax from the bunch that luminous pink colour and those aromas of pink grapefruit, orange, and wild rose.
On the palate it is fresh, savoury, and lightly mineral: exactly what you need when it is raining outside and you want to stay alert, not weighed down. Produced on the eastern hills of Lake Garda in the province of Verona, the name "Chiaretto" recalls its clear and luminous colour, which has become a symbol of elegance and freshness among Italian rosés. With an annual production of around 10 million bottles, it is considered the most important rosé wine in Italy.
It should be served chilled, at around 8–10 °C. Anyone who serves it at the wrong temperature does not know Garda. Bear that in mind.
The cocktail bars of the historic centre: stone, low light, and no rush
When the rain brings down the curtain on the terraces, Verona reveals its finest side: the one lived indoors. The rooms of the city's historic bars fill with an intimacy that summer, with its dehors packed with tourists, never offers.
Right in the heart of the city, on Piazza delle Erbe, there is a modern, carefully curated venue open until 3 in the morning, where guests can sit both outside and inside. The real gem is the basement level: a bookable secret room with an almost cave-like atmosphere, perfect for sipping cocktails away from the crowd.
Walking through Verona's historic centre between Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza Bra, you come across Via Ponte Pietra 26, opposite the Teatro Romano, where the Terrazza Bar al Ponte offers a panoramic view over the Adige. When it rains, the lights reflect on the river and the scene becomes almost cinematic.
Via Fama Cafè, a short walk from Piazza Erbe, is a venue that works from day into evening, welcoming guests in a characterful setting with carefully crafted cocktails and artisan cicchetti. It is one of those places where an hour becomes three without anyone noticing.
The advantage of the historic centre is structural: you are already in Verona, already moving at its slow pace. The rain becomes a backdrop, not a problem.
The Catullo Lounge by Aspire: the 2026 opening that rewrites the grammar of airport waiting
There is a story in Verona's airport that most tourists never hear. The airport is named after Gaius Valerius Catullus, a Latin poet who lived in the first century BC, regarded as one of the greatest figures in the Latin tradition and a cultural symbol of the city. He came from a wealthy Veronese family and is remembered above all for his verse charged with amorous passion — the intensity with which he rendered feeling was a genuine innovation in Latin literature. A poet who wrote of desire and the senses — and who now lends his name to a lounge where you drink Garda wine before take-off. We like to think he would have approved.
24 February 2026 marks a historic date for the Veronese airport: Progetto Romeo was officially completed, delivering to the city new gates, faster security checks, and a fully renewed commercial concourse. An investment of over 90 million euros that opens a new chapter in the airport's development.
On the ground floor of the new terminal, beyond security, the Catullo Lounge by Aspire has opened. The lounge extends over more than 600 square metres, and one of its defining features is the wide view over the runway, which transforms waiting time into a pleasant and almost meditative experience. The food and drinks offering celebrates the cuisine and wines of the Veneto. The Chiaretto here is not an afterthought: it is a deliberate menu choice.
The lounge has 95 seats, shower suites, quiet zones, and workstations. It is open every day from 05:30 to 21:00 and welcomes Business Class passengers, Priority Pass and DragonPass holders, as well as walk-in guests at a cost of €42.
Historic centre or Catullo Lounge: how to actually choose
The answer depends on where your journey stands — not just geographically.
If you are in Verona to enjoy it, if you have a free afternoon, if the rain arrived while you were strolling between Via Mazzini and Piazza Bra: stay in the centre. The city's cocktail bars have something no lounge can replicate — that patina of lived history, the low ceilings, the conversations in dialect at the bar. The Chiaretto there becomes part of an ancient urban ritual.
If, on the other hand, you are waiting for a flight, have already checked in, and have an hour to invest in something better than a duty-free shelf: the Catullo Lounge is the right answer. It is not simply a place to wait — it is a place to choose to pause. The view over the runway as the planes prepare to taxi, a glass of Garda wine in hand, the grey light of the Po plain beyond the windows: there is something strangely beautiful about all of it.
Two places, the same wine, two philosophies of waiting. Verona, after all, has always known how to make suspended time feel worthwhile.
How do you get to Catullo airport from the centre of Verona?
The Aerobus runs a daily shuttle service between the airport and Verona Porta Nuova station, with a journey time of around 15 minutes. By taxi or car the centre is approximately 12–15 km away: 20 minutes without traffic.
Is the Catullo Lounge accessible without a premium credit card?
Yes. The lounge accepts direct walk-in entry at a cost of €42, with no requirement to hold a premium card or fly in Business. A genuine option for anyone who simply wants to wait well.
Is Chiaretto easy to find in Verona's city-centre cocktail bars?
In wine bars and venues that pay close attention to local producers, yes, almost always. Look for places displaying labels from the Consorzio Vini Bardolino: that is a good sign. At the bar, ask specifically for Chiaretto di Bardolino — it is often served as an aperitivo alternative to Spritz.
For your stay in the centre of Verona, five minutes on foot from the Arena or close to the Teatro Ristori, the apartments at The Verona Stay put every cocktail bar in the historic centre within easy walking distance — and Catullo airport just 20 minutes away.