Updated 2016
Why you should add Verona to your long-term trip
- The City of love is one of the most romantic destinations in the world thanks to the legend of Romeo and Juliet.
- Verona is the fourth Italian city for historical relevance, called “the little Rome” for its monuments.
- The Opera Season in the Arena di Verona, a hundred years of tradition for one of the most fascinating stages in the world; Arena now is the venue of big rock/pop concerts too.
- Food and wine; this region of Italy is one of the most important ones for its red famous red wines like Amarone and Valpolicella, an old tradition since roman times; even Verona typical dishes like Bollito con la Pearà and Risotto are something you can’t miss.
- Verona is not just a city, nearby there are many historical sites, the biggest italian lake (Lake Garda), mountains, hills and a unique landscape rich of history and cultures.
Read: 10 Travel Destinations for the Broken Hearted.
Indie travel tips
Verona is less famous abroad as in the same region there is Venice that is most of the times inserted by big tour operators in the main tourist tours to Italy. Many travelers that don’t want to stay in crowded tourist places choose to stay here to discover northern Italy by train, in fact, the position of the city is perfect to visit many other destinations that are just 1 hour away (Venice, Milan, Bologna, Mantua just to cite a few).
- Start in Verona city center and get lost among narrow streets, tourists often visit the Arena square and they leave, but the best part of town is the anse of Adige River, Piazza Erbe (the formen roman forum) and Piazza dei Signori.
- Have a walk to Castel San Pietro and Roman theater where you can enjoy one of the best panoramas in town.
- Visit the Giusti Gardens and Villa Giusti, an example of the italian style garden and nearby have a drink at San Giovanni in Valle, a little borgo inside the city, climbed on the Verona hill.
- Have a dinner at Sottoriva, where under the porches locals use to drink wine and specialities with Donkey and Horse (fore example bigoli col muso or pastisada de caval).
- If you like wine have a drink in the Quartiere Carega area, near Portoni Borsari, a fascinating street full of bars and shops.
Read: Going Pink in Verona, Italy.
Overview
Shakespeare said “here is no world without Verona walls, but purgatory, torture, hell itself”. Thanks to the great poet now the legend of Romeo and Juliet lives in Verona, but even if many tourists come here to see Juliet’s balcony (it is a legend, the monument is not the real Juliet’s house) Verona is a masterpiece of italian history and art, now in the UNESCO heritage list.
In the city you can see how during centuries different cultures were able to maintain the old important monuments and integrate perfectly their owns. For romans Verona was the most important city of northern italy, on the way to the alps, during medieval times Scaligeri Family donated beautiful monuments to the city and magnificent churches were built, Venetian domain during renaissance gave to Verona a touch of the greatness of the republic of Venice and finally Austrian Emperor with its fortresses and walls gave a lot to the city. Even after two world wars Verona was preserved and in some cases rebuilt respecting traditions.
What to see
Main monuments of the center are: Arena and Piazza Bra, Gran Guardia Palace, Castel Vecchio, Porta Borsari and Porta Leoni, romans ruins, Piazza Erbe and Piazza dei Signori, Lamberti tower, Ponte Pietra, the Roman Theater, Castel San Pietro, Giusti Gardens, Scaligeri Graves, Juliet’s house and Juliet’s grave, the Dome and the church of San Zeno.
Near Verona don’t miss:
- Lake Garda (Sirmione, Peschiera and Malcesine)
- Valeggio sul Mincio, Sigurtà gardens and Borghetto
- Valpolicella
- The Dolomites
Read: Taking a Seat in Verona’s Roman Arena.
Transportation
Airport Valerio Catullo is just a few kilometres from the city center and it serves all the area around, here you can book flights from all the main european cities.
Verona Porta Nuova railway station is where you can get fast trains and regional trains too.
Car rentals are at the airport or at the station but traveling by car in Italy is often hard and stressful, there are many traffic limitation areas and restrictions.
Where to stay
There are a few options for who wants to find an accommodation in Verona:
- Beautiful elegant hotels like Hotel Due Torri and Hotel Accademia
- Charming apartments in the center like Juliet House apartment or Romeo Apartment
- Cheap b&b from 60€ for a double room
- Hostels from 18€ per person
