February in Verona is not a quiet month. It is a month in which the city runs at three speeds simultaneously: tractors and technology at the trade fair, carnival floats parading along the Regaste, glasses of Amarone in the hillside wineries to the north-west. Those who arrive without a plan leave at least one opportunity on the table. Those who arrive with a calendar in hand can do it all.
Fieragricola 2026 and Venardì Gnocolar: the dates that set the city in motion
Fieragricola 2026, the international agricultural exhibition hosted by Veronafiere, is scheduled from 4 to 7 February 2026. The dates have been moved from their traditional slot because the city of Verona will host the closing ceremony of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games. This is no minor detail: Piazza Bra and the Arena will be partially set up for the Olympic ceremonies throughout the entire month, and this changes the logistics of moving around the historic centre.
The 117th edition, under the claim Full Innovation, brings together agricultural machinery, livestock farming, renewable energy and viticulture. Over the four days, solutions in digital farming, water management, robotics, biosolutions and animal husbandry are presented, with more than 120 conferences and workshops. For those who come for the fair and also want to see the city, the best window is the evening: Veronafiere is on Viale del Lavoro, reachable by bus from Porta Nuova station, and the historic centre is a 20-minute walk away.
The following week, on 13 February, the pace changes completely. The Venardì Gnocolar — the heart of the Veronese Carnival — is scheduled for 13 February 2026, and ranks among the oldest carnival celebrations in Italy. The grand procession of allegorical floats, masked groups and marching bands winds through the city streets, led by the Papà del Gnoco, and ends in the San Zeno neighbourhood.
This year the route has been modified from the traditional one due to the Olympic installations in Piazza Bra. On 13 February, masks and floats will set off at approximately 14.15, following a revised itinerary. The procession will depart from piazza Luigi Cadorna, crossing Ponte della Vittoria, via Diaz, Corso Cavour, Corso Castelvecchio and the Regaste San Zeno, before concluding in piazza San Zeno. The day begins as early as 10 o'clock in piazza San Zeno with the gnocchi stalls.
An insider tip: arrive in the San Zeno neighbourhood by 17.30 to find your spot before the procession completes its roughly 2.5 km route. The bars along via San Zeno empty out after the floats have passed, and finding a warm table with a pastissada de caval becomes possible even for those without a reservation.
Valpolicella is 15 minutes away: what to do at a winery (and how to get there)
Fieragricola ends on 7 February. Carnival stretches through to Martedì Grasso on the 17th. In between — or before, or after — there is room for half a day in Valpolicella, and no season is better suited than winter, when the Amarone drying lofts are in full operation and the wineries are not crowded.
In Valpolicella the most common visit formats are three: the classic tour with vineyard, cellar and a tasting of 3–5 wines; a themed tasting focused on Ripasso and Amarone with an emphasis on different vintages; and a structured food-pairing experience, with local dishes or charcuterie boards. First-time visitors with two hours to spare should choose the first format. Those who already know the wines should choose the second — it is the one that clarifies the difference between a Ripasso and an Amarone within the same territory.
The Valpolicella Classica — the area encompassing San Pietro in Cariano, Fumane, Marano and Negrar — concentrates many wineries within short distances. From Verona the drive takes around 15 minutes along the SS12 towards Parona and the SP4 as far as Arbizzano di Negrar; ATV bus connections are also available on lines 21, 93 and 101 from Porta Nuova station.
Sunday is the most sought-after day for tastings, but in Valpolicella many wineries operate on shifts and require advance booking. The practical advice is to check three things before setting out: actual opening hours, the last available visit slot, and the language of the tour. The average price of a winery tour with tasting in the Valpolicella Classica is around 35 euros per person.
What to know about the tourist tax in Verona
A detail visitors often discover only at check-out: in Verona a tourist tax applies. The tax is charged for a maximum of four nights per person per month, with rates confirmed for 2026 as well. For tourist rentals (such as short-let apartments) the rate is 3.50 euros per night per person. Children under 14 and residents of the Comune di Verona are exempt. A 20% reduction applies to guests over 70 and to young people between 15 and 25 years of age.
In practice: a three-night stay for two adults amounts to approximately 21 euros in total tax. Nothing surprising, as long as you know in advance.
Where to stay to cover all three fronts
Those who want to take in the trade fair, Carnival and Valpolicella in a single stay need a base in the historic centre, within walking distance of Piazza Bra and with quick access to the station for buses to the fair and to the hills. An apartment between the Arena and the Teatro Ristori solves the logistics: five minutes on foot for Carnival, a direct bus to Veronafiere, a private shuttle or taxi for Valpolicella.
For your next February stay in Verona, explore the apartments of The Verona Stay near the Arena (Via Roma 21) and the Teatro Ristori: a central location, direct access to the historic centre, and everything you need to make the most of all three highlights this extraordinary month has to offer.