Fleeing false charges of corruption in Florence, Italy’s great medieval poet Dante Alighieri escaped to Verona and the protection of the Scala family. With the family settled in the Veneto, his son Pietro acquired a grand villa in 1353, the Casal dei Ronchi, which remains in the family today and forms the Villa Serego winery. Tours of the property and winery can be booked and are well worth it just to hear the fascinating story.
Alternatively, come for an evening of opera and a fairytale dinner (€68 per person); or book a stay in one of the property’s eight smart apartments (d €130 to €150).