The great plague of 1630 struck a large part of northern Italy, and was the most catastrophic event for Verona in terms of its socio-sanitary history: out of a population of 50,000 inhabitants at the time, at least 30,000 were carried away by the disease.
With this visit we want to reconstruct a little known historical itinerary in Verona, which we can call "Via dei Pestilenti": a sort of long, harrowing procession that the boats made to transport the infected, plagued and dying from the city to places of isolation. We will find out which were the convents used to take care of the infected, and what were the techniques - but much more often the beliefs - used to cope with the contagion. We will enjoy a route mainly in the nature of the South Adige Park, and our destination will be the seventeenth-century Lazzaretto, built by the Serenissima Republic in one of the most beautiful and least explored natural contexts of Verona.
Abstract
The itinerary that we have briefly described is suitable for walkers (but gladly also for cyclists) and in general for those who love to experience nature without leaving the city, immersing themselves in a context that is also of great historical suggestion.
Upon request, it is possible to organize the visit in a “philological” way, that is with the help of boats (rubber raft boats or canoes): the Adige is a safe, placid river and without any technical difficulty: the descent is suitable for all ages and also for absolute beginners…it often becomes the aggregating and most memorable moment of the whole visit.
Duration of the tour: starting from 3 hours
Rate: starting from 75€ per hour
CONTACT THE GUIDE: daniele.bressan@hotmail.it
