Fall in love with Verona

Your love story with this city will hopefully have a happier ending than the fictional one the town is already famous for. Of course, I’m talking about Romeo and Juliet - Shakespeare’s ill-fated lovers who met their untimely deaths because they couldn’t live without each other. But that’s not all Verona has to offer those who visit its cobble stoned streets. You’ll have to pay a visit, to find out exactly what it is about Verona’s charm that’s so enchanting.

Old Town
The old town is a beautiful area bordered on all three sides by the winding Adige River. It has a number of things to see and do inside its centre, not limited to Juliet’s balcony - but I’ll talk about those in a minute.

Free Walking Tours
We took part in a free walking tour while we were in town and it definitely opened our eyes up to a bit more of the history and culture of the area. If you can take the tour at the start of your trip, then it’s also great to get any recommendations for restaurants or experiences to do while you’re there. If you leave it until the last day, there could be some really great hidden gems you miss out on, because you just simply didn’t know.

There are usually a couple of different companies offering these tours, so just have a look around to see which ones are available. We used Guru Walk this time and they're generally pretty fun and informative. Just know that even though they’re promoted as ‘free tours’, it’s typically expected that you would tip the guide what you think it’s worth. We usually tip 20 Euros per person, but that can change based on how long it goes for, how good their information was, etc.

Verona Arena
The Colosseum in Rome is a must-see for millions of tourists who visit Italy every year, but there’s another incredible amphitheatre that’s arguably just as impressive in Piazza Bra. The Verona Arena is open to the public for tours and is still used for performances to this day. If you’re in town between June and September, and have ever had a slight interest in going to the opera, this is the place to do it.

We missed the season by around a month, so it wasn’t a possibility for us, but I would argue it’s one of those things that you get to do once in your life and would be worth the splurge.

Juliet’s Balcony

“Good night, good night, parting is such sweet sorrow.” - Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet.

When you come to Verona, you have to at least steal a sneak peek at the famous balcony - even if you’re not a romantic at heart. But the disappointing part is, it’s not even real. Shakespeare’s story dates back to the 13th century, but the balcony wasn’t added until the 20th century. And yet, it still attracts thousands of tourists every year.

So is it worth it? Well, if you’re already in town, there’s no harm in at least popping in. But I definitely wouldn’t change my itinerary just to visit the fake balcony.

There are some parts to the story of Romeo and Juliet that are real though. Even though the balcony is fictional, it is understood that Shakespeare based his story on two families who lived in Verona years ago - the Montagues and the Capulets.

Juliet’s house is open to the public and you can go visit for a 6 Euro fee, which gives you entry to the museum and also allows you to take a photo out on the famous balcony.

But the courtyard below is free to the public who just want to come gaze up at the balcony (or in our case take the obligatory photo and move on). It’s here where the gold statue of Juliet stands. The story goes, if you rub her breasts, you will find your ‘forever love’ within the next year; and if you are already in a relationship, it will now stand the test of time. Needless to say, that area of the statue is extremely ‘shiny’ from being touched so much, compared to the rest of it.

I’d advise that you get there relatively early if you don’t want to line up to rub her breasts (never thought I’d use those words in a sentence). By lunchtime when we went, there was a small queue, so I felt rushed (and a little embarrassed in my shameless tourist photo). So, save your dignity and arrive early.

Frescos
The frescos in Verona are stunning and prolific in the old town. Everywhere you turn, they brighten up the streets. Make sure you keep your eyes peeled for all the detailed paintings and just stop and marvel at their beauty.

Castel San Pietro
This is something that I missed out on because of time limits, but our guide says that some of the most beautiful overarching views of Verona are from this point on St Peter’s hill at sunset, while enjoying a picnic. You can walk up, or if you’ve already hit your step target for the day, you can take a cable car for just a couple of Euro.

Getting there
Verona isn’t that big of a city, that if you chose to drive or use public transport, you could easily do either or. We drove to Verona and dropped our car off at the train station, then started using public transport from here. I’d say you can still drive around the town without too much hassle here (and I’m someone who stresses when it comes to driving). But at the same time, the public transport in and around Verona is just as easy. The train and bus stops are about a 20 minute walk from old town (or 10 minute E-bike) and they’re both in the one spot, so it’s easy to jump between them.

Food recommendations
These are just some of the places we were recommended from our guide. We only had time to try a couple of them, but they were great local suggestions. If you’re wondering, some of the typical dishes for the region include risotto all’amarone (risotto cooked in red wine, typical from the region) and pastissada de caval (horse meat).

• Osteria A La Carega (local cuisine)
• Peperino (great for pizzas)
• Gelateria Savoia dal 1939 (gelato)

How long should I stay in Verona?
This goes against my philosophy of ‘slow travel’, but I would argue one night in Verona is probably enough, especially if you’re visiting nearby Lake Garda. I left it as a day trip because there wasn’t that much that I wanted to see in Verona, but it surprised me. I would have loved to stay overnight, just so I could go hike up St Peter’s Hill and have a picnic overlooking the old town as the sun went down.

The flip side of that, is using Verona as a base to then go day trip to Lake Garda (Sirmione is easy to reach by bus, or you can drive to the northern parts of the lake easily too). If that appeals to you more, I’d definitely stay 2-3 nights to take into account any day trips.