Discover Custoza: Ossario, Broccoletto and Vineyards

If you want to place Custoza as a destination in the western central part of the Province of Verona, you will find a location in the moraine hills of Lake Garda. Custoza consists of two larger settlement centers: Bellavista and Ossario lie on the hills, while a small depression between them connects both areas with Piazza XXIV maggio in the center. This structure gives the town several clearly named reference points for orientation.

Ossario di Custoza and Its History

The Ossario di Custoza was inaugurated on June 24, 1879. Before that, the remains of almost 2,000 soldiers who had fallen in battle had been exhumed and collected there. The history of the site is therefore directly linked to the battles, which are also referenced by the small archaeological museum dedicated to the battle.

The Ossario di Custoza comprises a crypt, a chapel and this small archaeological museum. The former caretaker’s house of the Ossario di Custoza also contains exhibition rooms with multimedia installations on the history of the monument. Anyone wishing to get to know Custoza through its historical side will therefore find several different components here: the memorial itself, the sacred spaces, the archaeological collection and the multimedia presentation of the monument’s history.

Broccoletto and Local Festivals

One of the town’s distinctive culinary themes is Broccoletto di Custoza. The product is a Slow Food Presidio and is grown exclusively in the Custoza area. Broccoletto is harvested by hand between November and February. In Custoza families, it is traditionally blanched in boiling water for about 20 minutes, seasoned with extra virgin olive oil and served with a hard-boiled egg and salami or fresh sausage.

This tradition is also expressed through events. The Festa del Broccoletto has been held in Custoza in January for several years; the producers’ association, restaurateurs and the Pro Loco are involved. In 2026, the Broccoletto di Custoza event series reached its 24th edition and included events and tastings. The “Broccoletto in Piazza” program offers traditional dishes featuring Broccoletto in a modern interpretation.

Other local events focus on different themes. Sego de la Vecia is a tragicomic performance in dialect verse, in which the entire village takes part as performers and which generally takes place every six years. “Il Custoza in festa” is a historic wine festival organized by the wineries of Custoza and reached its 55th edition in 2026.

Through Vineyards and Lush Landscapes

The “Cammina Custoza” excursion offers a way to explore the landscape. It begins at the Piazza di Custoza and follows a route through the vineyards. The route passes through DOC vineyards, small woods and vegetation-rich areas. In this way, the excursion connects the town center with the different landscape elements documented for the Custoza area, without overlooking the town’s historical and culinary character.

Getting to Custoza

For travel by train, a journey to Peschiera del Garda with a connection to an ATV bus is indicated. For travel by car, the Sommacampagna exit on the A4 Milan–Venice motorway is mentioned. These two details provide concrete starting points if you are considering Custoza as a place to stay in its own right or as a destination within a trip through Veneto.

More Destinations in the Same Selection

Other destinations that you can access from the same selection are Festara, Palù Dei Mori, Poiano, Castion Veronese, Sanguinetto, Rosta, San Pietro In Cariano and Sorgà.

To the higher-level travel overview: Verona.