Verona

A picturesque city with exceptionally preserved Renaissance as well as ancient Roman architecture, Verona makes for a perfect day trip from Venice, Bologna, or Milan. Founded as a Roman settlement in the 1st century BC, Verona’s real expansion came in the 13th and 14th centuries under the rule of the della Scalla family. Widely known and admired for its beauty, Verona served as the setting for Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, although it is unknown whether the playwright ever even set foot in Italy. Stroll along the river and admire the wonderful architecture before stopping for lunch to try some traditional potato gnocchi or risotto all’Amarone, cooked with local Valpolicella wine.

Points of Interest

Arena di Verona

As you make your way to the old city you will be struck by the sight of the colossal Arena, an impeccably preserved Roman amphitheater built in 30 AD. The Arena is among the world’s best preserved Roman theaters, and it actually continues to function as a theater today, having hosted a summer opera festival for more than a century. Even if you don’t get the chance to enjoy its world-class acoustics, you will surely marvel at the amphitheater as you walk around its exterior.

Piazza delle Erbe

Verona’s main square is the Piazza delle Erbe, which in Roman times served as the town’s forum. Lined by different palaces and municipal buildings, the square’s most notable monument is the Fontana di Madonna Verona, a Renaissance fountain supporting a Roman sculpture that dates to 380 AD.

Piazza dei Signori

Located close by is another of Verona’s most beautiful squares, lined by palaces and with a statue of the poet Dante Alighieri in its center. Dante was a guest of the lord of Verona during his exile from his native Florence.

Casa di Giulietta

Also near the Piazza delle Erbe is the house that according to popular tradition belonged to the family of Juliet, female protagonist of Shakespeare’s play.

Ponte Pietra

One of Verona’s finest views is looking back at the old city from across the Ponte Pietra (Stone Bridge), the city’s oldest Roman monument. Completed in 100 BC, the bridge suffered extensive damage during the Second World War, when retreating German troops blew up all but one of the bridge’s arches. However, it was reconstructed in 1957 using original materials.

Duomo di Verona

Close to the river you will also find the city’s cathedral, consecrated in 1187 on the site of two Paleo-Christian churches destroyed by an earthquake in 1117. The Romanesque cathedral has undergone several renovations, giving it an eclectic mix of Gothic and Baroque features, while its interior holds several notable Renaissance works, including Assumption of the Virgin, a large altarpiece painting by the Venetian artist Titian.