Travel guide Verona: an Italian gem

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If you’re looking for Italian charm, authentic food and history, Verona is the place to visit! And yes, there is more than ‘just’ Romeo and Juliette love stories. Verona is a charming, ancient city filled with little piazza’s, cobblestone streets and cozy bars and shops.

Being right in the middle of wine country, it’s the perfect place to finally try out an Italian wine tasting and explore the country side. Or; take a quick day trip to Lake Garda. We will cover it all in this travel guide Verona!

Travel Guide Verona

How to get to Verona

If you’re including Verona on an Italian multi city trip, odds are you will be taking the train. Verona is well connected to Milan and Venice. Check your tickets and times here. Verona also has its own airport, Valerio Catullo Verona Airport, which makes it easy to fly in from anywhere in Europe.

Things to do in Verona

Romeo & Juliet

Alright, let’s get the obvious one out of the way first! Verona is famous for the story of Romeo e Giulietta, the lovers who were not allowed to bet together. Verona’s most important attraction is Juliet’s balcony, located just off Piazza Erbe.

The house the balcony is attached to wasn’t actually Juliet’s, (remember, she’s Shakespeare’s fiction) but belonged to to the Capello family, which could be similar to Capelletti and evolved to Capulet. The balcony was only added in the 20th century, decided by the director of the Verona Civic Museum back then.

Casa di Giuletta, as it’s officially called, is on a busy shopping street. Come in the morning to avoid the line. You don’t need a ticket to view the balcony, but only for the museum if you decide to go inside. Tickets can be pre-bought here.

Piazza Erbe & Piazza dei Signori

Verona’s historic Piazza Erbe is the central market square and dates back to the middle ages, when spices, herbs and other goods were sold. Today, there is still an everyday market in the square. I will say that it looks more like a tourist market and that it does take away a little bit from the beautiful architecture of the buildings surrounding the square. (In my humble opinion).

However, it is still worth a visit, just don’t forget to look up!

On the close by, smaller square of Signori you will find a statue of Dante.

Ponte Pietra

This stone bridge, dating all the way back to the 1st century B.C. (!) crosses the Adige river surrounding Verona. The bridge has been through a lot. It has collapsed multiple times and was blown up during WWII, but was restored in the 1950’s.

The view from the bridge to the old city gate and the city itself is beautiful.

Verona Arena & Piazza Brà

Verona’s arena, or forum, is one of the best preserved Roman amphitheaters, and was also one of the largest. It is actually still in use for opera concerts in summer and fits around 22.000 people. When we went in September, the opera set up was still in place inside the theater, so the inside did not look as ancient as you would expect.

Attending an opera is most definitely a wonderful experience! Check the agenda here.

Piazza Brà, on which the arena sits, is a beautiful, colourful square. Here, you will find a statue of Vittorio Emanuele II, the first king of Italy, as well as several palazzi. This is the perfect place for a coffee or a glass of wine and watch the world go by!

Do a wine tasting

Verona is located in Veneto, which is the largest wine producing area of Italy. The most well known wines from this region are Valpolicella (where Amarone is from), Soave and Bardolino.

There are loads of organised tours to visit a winery, but as there are so many houses in the area, it is super easy to plan a tasting yourself as well. It’s an excellent and fun way to get to know more about your favourite wines and enjoy the Italian scenery and countryside.

Visit lake Garda

On a beautiful spring or summer day, a visit to lago gi garda is such a great way to spend the day! From Verona, the train will take you to either Peschiera del Garda or Desenzano del Garda in just 30 minutes.

A 10 minute walk will land you right by te waterside where you can enjoy a drink on a cozy terrace, wander the village itself or take a swim!

The lake itself is actually the largest in Italy, with beautiful views on the mountains and pretty lakeside towns. Note that all the beaches are pebbled, there are no sand beaches, but recliners are for rent everywhere.

Where to eat and drink in Verona

• Al Grottino. Tiny, cozy wine bar that serves amazing snacks
• Antica Bottega del Vino. A little upscale, but fantastic wines and food. You can visit their wine cellars as well
• La Piazzetta for a low key, hearty meal
• Osteria a la Carega. Tucked away with a little terrace that serves home made food
• Baraldo Enoteca. We loved this little place!

Where to sleep in Verona

Verona can be a little pricy, but as anywhere goes; the closer to the hustle and bustle, the more expensive it gets. You can still find good deals with a bit of searching!

→ Budget: Veronetta House. A small, charming guest house close to the old city. Rooms go for around $70, and that includes a full breakfast served in the room!

→ Mid range: Verona Romana Apartments are right in the city and offer classy rooms for approximately $95. All rooms have a little kitchenette if you want to save on eating out.

→ Luxury: There is no better location than Relais Balcone di Giulietta. The courtyard with balcony view is private at night and some rooms even have a view in the balcony itself. The rooms are fantastic and they even have a hot tub and bicycles available!

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Travel guide Verona: FAQ

How many days do I need for Verona?

For purely the city, 2 days should be enough to cover all the major sights. If you choose to take a take a trip outside the city, add on a day per trip.

Is Verona super busy?

In summer, most definitely. While it’s not Rome or Florence, but because it’s such an easy destination, there are lots of weekenders and day trippers. We went mid september, and it started to die down, your best best is to go just before or just after the European summer holiday. May to early June and mid september until early November would be perfect.

Is Verona a walkable city?

Very much so! The main old city isn’t too large and very pedestrian friendly. You certainly don’t need taxis getting anywhere.

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