Soon, Verona will be known as more than just the capital of impossible love affairs, like that of its legendary star-crossed couple, Romeo and Juliet. Now, Bacchus is set to play matchmaker, becoming the new star of the city when a wine museum like no other in Italy opens for its doors to visitors.
Italy is the world's largest producer of wine, with 50 million hectoliters recorded in 2021 by the International Organization of Vine and Wine. It has also long been a destination for wine tourism. However, Italy has never before showcased its wine culture with a museum worthy of the country's wine-producing quality and diversity. But that's exactly what's on the agenda for 2026. According to the Italian press, Italy is determined to prove that it too has an important role to play in the wine world. No less than 5,400 m2 will be dedicated to celebrating all things wine-related in a museum complex project that has already been named MuVin. In comparison, France's Cité du Vin in Bordeaux has a permanent exhibition space of more than 3,000 m2. A budget of €50 million will be devoted to the construction of this new museum, billed as the largest of its kind in Italy.
Verona, the city of Romeo and Juliet, is the place where visitors will discover this future hotspot of Italian wine tourism. Rooted in a region that has gained popularity through its famous red wine, Amarone della Valpolicella, the medieval city -- which visitors from Venice can easily explore after an hour's train ride -- is already a destination for wine merchants and producers. Industry professionals often head to the Vinitaly trade fair, a major rival to Vinexpo, which is held every two years in Bordeaux. Verona is an hour and a half's drive from Lake Garda and is also a major stopover for visitors to the northern Italian lakes.
The MuVin project intends to make its exhibition space perfectly attentive to the issues of the moment and will, in particular, address the effects of global warming on wine production. It will focus on the characteristic features of Italian wines, while also exploring those of wines from other countries.
The museum is planned to be part of a larger lifestyle-themed complex, with the opening of a food market, restaurants, a large winery, a conference center and even an auction house.
