WELCOME TO CORTE SAN MATTIA!
ABOUT US
We are Camilla and Giovanni, siblings and business partners. Here is our description of who we are and what a Venetian holiday farm is like.
A few years ago we took over the management of this holiday farm in the outskirts of Verona, which has always been owned by our family. We grew up thinking that we would do something else in life but at some point we both understood our strong attachment to our land and our desire to turn this passion into business.
Since our mother Francesca passed the baton, we have always worked hard and fortunately we have created over time a nice work team made up of young willing collaborators capable of making guests feel at home, which we consider to be the greatest peculiarity of a holiday farm. Every year we all together take the holiday farm up a notch without ever limiting ideas and creativity.
OUR STORY
Today our business is very complex and well-structured, especially due to the large number of different things we do. It hasn’t always been like that though. We have grown one step at a time.
The farm dates back to 1920, when our grandfather bought it. We didn’t meet him but have good memories of the stories told by the old people who lived here when we were children. In those days everything was similar but different: wine, oil, fruit and vegetables were produced for the market in Verona’s Piazza delle Erbe. The many farmers who lived here worked the land by hand or with oxen, irrigated it with buckets of water from the Sommavalle fountain, delivered the crop with donkeys and carts going down to the town along old mule tracks. There was no telephone, electricity, water supply. In winter, the cold was fought by burning forest wood in the fireplaces and wearing wool spun at home.
Our grandfather began to rationalize countryside work. He brought electricity, the water main and the first tractors. On his land he built the road that still connects San Mattia to Verona.
He passed away in 1969 while he was at the town hall discussing the need to build a small school in San Mattia with the mayor.
In the following years, farming went on slowly, without big news, until 1985 when our father Francesco made his dream come true by opening a stable with a nationally renowned equestrian center. This was a very important moment for us because in order to face the need for accommodation and refreshment for the students of the equestrian center, our father opened the holiday farm. Corte San Mattia is the first holiday farm to open in Verona.
Unfortunately, a few years later, after our birth (1988 and 1987), our father got ill. Our fantastic mother Francesca rolled up her sleeves and took over the countryside work and the holiday farm, thus improving and increasing her business. In particular, we owe the 2006 refurbishment of the old flower greenhouses with the construction of rooms with a view of Verona to her.
When we finally grew up our mother made us join the farm and accompanied us for a long time to pass her experience on to us. Today she is always present on the farm and her contribution is fundamental.
Since we started managing the Corte San Mattia, we have made significant changes. In 2005 we started restructuring vineyards and crops. In 2009 we started producing and marketing wine and oil. In 2010 we enlarged the farm restaurant opening it to the external public. In 2012 we increased the number of rooms and apartments available to guests by opening renovated farmhouses. In 2016 we obtained the certification of an organic farm and in 2018 we built the new winery with annexed rooms.
Today mum and we are no longer alone as we have our families supporting us and enabling us to keep dreaming.