Every great city in Italy has its own distinct personality and offers something different to visitors. You go to Rome to wallow in history, in Naples you go for the neighborhoods, in Venice you live in a dream, in Milan you go shopping and in Verona you go to see the sights. Sure, every Italian city (except maybe Milan) is filled with things to see, but Verona is special because there is so much beauty stuffed into such a small city (pop. about 260,000) that you just let your eyes do the walking.
But you don’t go to Verona because it’s the “City of Love,” as the hype has it. Verona has the reputation of being one of the most romantic cities in the world, primarily because Shakespeare set his Romeo and Juliet there. And there is a building in which Juliet supposedly lived, the Casa di Giulietta (“Juliet’s House”) with a famous balcony (yes, that balcony: “But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.”).
But pardon me for saying that this is pure eyewash. Juliet didn’t live anywhere. She was a fictional creation by, first, Luigi da Porta, writer of A Recently Re-Discovered Story of Two Noble Lovers (aka La Giulietta), which Shakespeare used as his primary source material for his version of the story, which why his play takes place in Verona. The truth is that “Juliet’s house” in Verona is just a house and “Juliet’s balcony” was actually added to it in the 20th century, nearly five centuries after Juliet died in Shakespeare’s imagination.
But if you do go to the house and, like most other tourists who go there, rub the right breast of the statue of “Juliet” in the courtyard, you may as well also go into the house and get the full treatment: the little museum with costumes from the Renaissance, the bed used in Franco Zefferelli’s popular 1968 film adaptation of the play and whatever they are selling to take advantage of a PR gimmick that Verona doesn’t need.
Still, the city suffers because of its proximity (120 km, or 75 miles) to Venice, which is, let’s face it, a marvelous and marvelously beautiful city. Verona doesn’t have the canals and the gondolas and that feeling sometimes that you are dreaming that Venice has. On the other hand, it doesn’t have the tourist crush and the tourist prices, and it is beautiful in its own right, even without all the romantic confabulations.
How to Get There
Verona has its own airport. And the flights are cheap. What more do you need?
What to See
As much as possible. Verona is a great walking town, and you’ll see something to knock your socks off practically every time you turn a corner. The list below is very partial. Verona is also an easy town to see by bike, weather permitting.
The Bridges
Bridges need water to cross. The water in Verona is the Adige River, which flows from the Alps all the way to the Adriatic Sea and during its journey through Verona, Mr. Major, it passes under some very fine old bridges, such as the very old Ponte Pietra.
Yes, it does. The water in Verona is the Adige River, which flows from the Alps all the way to the Adriatic Sea and during its journey through Verona, Mr. Major, it passes under some very fine old bridges, such as the very old Ponte Pietra.
The Ponte Pietra is a stone bridge, as its name suggests, that dates back to around 100 BC, when it connected the city ‘s right bank to a Roman theater on the left. It spans the narrowest part of the river and was used as an aqueduct during the Roman era; hence the arches. Standing on the highest point of the bridge, in its center, you can see the Castel San Pietro behind a line of trees and the Verona Cathedral tower rising out of the old town. Mark it must-cross!
You should know that the bridge had a habit of collapsing back in the day or, as in World War II, being bombed so it has been rebuilt numerous times. The bridge you’ll be standing on is really a salad of styles from different periods of history.
The Ponte Scaligero (aka Ponte Castelvecchio) is another arched bridge and is a fortified structure from medieval times. The tall structure with openings that stand on the sides of the bridge suggest the bridge was a stronghold. But, in fact, it was built by a Lord of Verona as an escape route for himself and his family in case the masses got sick of his ways and means.
This bridge had better luck than the Ponte Pietra and actually lasted in its original form until, yes, World War II, after which it had to be totally rebuilt. War is definitely hell on bridges.
There are more than a dozen other bridges that span the Aldige, and one fine way to explore the city is simply to go from bridge to bridge and cross and re-cross the river on foot, because there are delights to be found on both banks.
The Arena
Almost every self-respecting Italian city has its very own Roman amphitheater, but Verona’s Arena is the only one that still hosts live events. No, no one is fed to the lions. Think Carmen, La Traviata, Aida. Yup, opera.
So if you are an opera buff (I am most definitely not) and you want to see, say, Verdi’s Rigoletto in an extraordinary setting, here’s your chance. And the ticket prices are surprisingly inexpensive and will not force you to skip lunch for five days to balance your budget. The Arena hosts other (mostly, but not exclusively, classical) musical events as well, so check out the program before you go.Castelvecchio
Churches/Cathedrals
It’s Italy so you know that there are going to be some remarkable places of worship to gawk at or, if you are so inclined, pray in. The
Basilica of San Zeno Maggiore is one of the most beautiful cathedrals in all Italy and one of the best-preserved examples of Romanesque architecture in the country.
Its arched wooden ceiling dates back to the 14th century. It’s such a famous structure that there is a legend that the San Zeno crypt was the setting for the wedding of Romeo and Juliet in Shakespeare’s play, but that’s unlikely since the man never visited Italy and probably wouldn’t have known about it.
The Gothic Basilica di Santa Anastasia is the largest church in Verona and has an eye-poppingly beautiful ceiling. There’s lots of Veronese red marble and an impressive fresco by Pisanello of St. George freeing a princess.
Other churches you may want to have a look at are the Church of Sant’Eufemia, the Romanesque Santa Maria Antica and the stunning Basilica di San Lorenzo.
A Hole in the Ground
Like it says. At Porta dei Leoni, there is a gaping hole in the street where apparently the asphalt collapsed and exposed some Roman ruins. It has since been secured by railings and viewing platforms. What you’ll be seeing are the remnants of the historic Porta dei Leoni, a large, fortified gate with defensive towers and an inner courtyard.
Castelvecchio
Castelvecchio, which means ‘old castle’, is both an impressive Gothic fortification and a museum. There are some beautiful frescoes to see here, as well as pieces of gold, ancient weapons, paintings and sculptures. The sculptures include works by Tintoretto, Veronese and Pisanello – so you can combine history with art in a single site.
Veronetta
If you want to get off the main tourist route, just head for this ancient district on the San Pietro hill. This was the site of the city’s first settlement and it contains some of Verona’s finest, though far less known, churches, such as Santo Stefano, San Giovanni in Valle, Santi Siro e Libera and Santi Nazaro e Celso. There is also the Church of Saint Thomas Beckett, which has an organ played by Mozart in 1770.
What remains of the ancient Teatro Romano, built more than 2,000 years ago, is still in use today. If you’re in Verona during the summer, try to catch a concert or theatrical performance there. Every year, it hosts the Rumors Festival, which featured African and Brazilian musicians this year, and Verona Jazz, where a strong international lineup played, including the great Norwegian saxophonist Jan Garbarek.
I missed it. But I did go to see the excellent archeological museum in the Teatro, where many fascinating Roman artefacts are on permanent display.
And don’t miss the view from the Castel San Pietro, which you can reach via funicular, if you don ‘t feel like taking the stairs.
Piazzas
Piazzas are very important urban spaces in Italy and have existed for over a thousand years. In Roman times, they were considered sacred ground. Today, when shopping and tourism make up so much of our Western lifestyle, they are still sacred in a way as they are used for festivals and markets and have also become tourist attractions, parks, and shopping centers.
The Piazza San Zeno hosts a fascinating flea market every Sunday, which you can combine with a visit to the basilica of the same name (see the Basilica of San Zeno Maggiore above). Next to that magnificent church stands the even older Church of San Procolo, which is definitely also worth a visit.
The Piazza dei Signori has a statue of Dante, the Palazzo della Ragione, and lots of cafés and restaurants for people-watching.
At the Piazza delle Erbe, you can climb up the Torre dei Lamberti, the tallest building in Verona, and get a great view of the city.
You can visit the Piazza Bra – the city’s largest – after catching an opera at the Arena, which is on the piazza. You can also have a look at Verona’s impressive city hall, the Palazzo Barbieri. Naturally, food and drinks are pricey here.
Around Verona
If you want to get out of the city for a day or three, there’s lots of beauty in Verona’s environs as well. The villages of Soave and San Giorgio di Valpolicella are drop-dead gorgeous. And the name Valpolicella tells you that there are vineyards to check out and wine to be tasted in San Giorgio. And Lake Garda is surrounded by beautiful villages and is only an hour away from Verona by bus. All of these towns and others nearby are accessible by public transport, a very inexpensive bus.
Verona Street Food
If you haven’t caught on yet, the definition of street food has changed somewhat from ‘food you buy in the street’ to ‘food you eat in the street but buy from a shop at street prices’.
You probably know and have had, or even made, a bruschetta. If you don’t know, it is bread topped with, for example, tomatoes, burrata and basil or is just brushed with olive oil. The Bruschetteria Redoro is famous for its versions, though a bit pricey. If you’re hungry, a well-topped bruschetta is just the thing for a walking-around lunch or snack.
The Neapolitan pizza portafoglio, or wallet pizza, is big in Verona and is a great non-messy way to eat a pizza on the go because all the messy pizza toppings are contained within the “wallet” of crusty dough.
The pupille is a small “ball” of bread stuffed with stuff like tuna, olives and meatballs. Great for consuming on the go. It was invented by the head baker at the Panificio DeRossi, so that’s the place to get it. And while you’re there, check out their breads too. They’re very good.
Pizza al taglio, or pizza by the slice, is how I always ate my pizza in New York. Well, I also ate it in Verona. But it’s tricky to consume while walking, so a bench would be a fine place to consume it.
Other great dishes to try: Arancini are deep-fried rice balls stuffed with meat, cheese and tomato sauce; panzerotti are deep-fried pockets of dough stuffed with tomato sauce and mozzarella; supplì are fried rice balls stuffed with tomato sauce and mozzarella; and piadina is flatbread with cheese, cured meats and vegetables.
Finalmente
I concentrated on sights because Verona has so much to see, and this list barely scratches the surface. It’s one city where you can just flip a coin to choose your direction and you’ll be sure to come on something special. I didn’t even mention the city’s street art, which is impressive but can’t really compete with the city.
Other Italian cities, like Rome, may have more ancient sites, but Verona has Roman structures that are still fulfilling their original purpose, to entertain. And please ignore the “City of Love” propaganda, which is no more than a PR ploy in a city that is its own best PR. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with finding love or proclaiming love or making love in Verona, because it is a city that will definitely arouse your emotions.