Caprino Achieves City of Art Status, Aims to Expand Tourism Benefits
The monumental plane tree of Caprino turns it into an art city. The designation was granted in recent days to the Municipality by the Province, after the municipality submitted a formal application a few months ago.
In the territory of Caprino, there are protected historic villas, cataloged historic centers, and, additionally, the plane tree of the hundred Bersaglieri and the archaeological museum, recognized as national and regional monuments.
Based on these parameters, the Municipality submitted its request, which was approved by the Province. The recognition is especially appreciated because it was also awarded to three other municipalities in the Province—Verona, Valeggio, and Peschiera—but it could also carry an economic benefit.
Practical implications and future requests
Indeed, this designation allows for a derogation from Sunday opening restrictions for local shops that received it. “It has been granted, however, limited to the historic center and the Gaon district,” explains Maria Teresa Girardi, the mayor.
“A somewhat illogical situation since our main tourist hub is located in Spiazzi. But regional regulations can sometimes be difficult to interpret.”
The mayor, however, is determined and plans to work towards expanding what she calls a “territorialization.”
The intervention plans and proposals
There are two planned lines of intervention. One involves requesting that, given the City of Art designation, the holiday derogation be extended to the entire municipal territory, including shops outside the historic center and in all hamlets.
The other approach Girardi wants to pursue involves all the municipalities part of the Comunità Montana del Baldo. According to the mayor, all nine municipalities should fall under the category of tourist towns because they are part of a mountain district.
This is regardless of whether some of them have a large part of their territory below the 600-meter elevation legally required.
Legislation and proposals for extension
“This would be a broader recognition to be obtained for the entire Mountain Community and pursued in collaboration with the other municipalities. I intend to promote this initiative at the next Community council meeting,” she explains.
“Ferrara and San Zeno received it automatically. But what sense does it make to belong to a mountain entity if then distinctions are applied to the individual members?”
The regional legislation states that both tourist municipalities and cities of art should enjoy the derogation from Sunday trading restrictions.
“Our entire territory is tourist-oriented, and the Mountain Community itself aims precisely to promote tourism. We must therefore work towards achieving this goal.”