Looking for quick tips to plan your next trip to Verona? Check out the top 10 things you can not miss!
"But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the East, and Juliet is the Sun! .. it is my lady, it is my love" - W. Shakespeare - Romeo and Juliet
Who can resist to the hearth breaking love story of Romeo and Juliet and the desire of visiting at least one time in your life the charming Verona, the "City of Love"?
Cut by the river Adige, the historic centre of Verona is a little jewel where all the main attractions can be reached with a small walk through its lovely winding streets. Ideal solution for couples looking for a romantic weekend, families or friends who loves discovering new places.
Read this article to discover our itinerary and the bucket list we suggest you:
1. The starting point of our itinerary is obviously the famous and perfectly preserved Roman Arena in the colorful Piazza Brà, just 10 minutes far by walk from the train Station. Visitors are immediately attracted by the beauty of the amphitheatre, built in the first century and today one of the top attractions of the city; taking part to a performance is surely an unforgettable experience so don't forget to visit the official site to discover the next opportunity (https://www.arena.it/arena/en).
In any case the inside deserves a visit and if you buy the Verona card (we strongly suggest it! It is not expensive -20€ per person for 24h and 25€ for 48h - and it covers the majority of the interesting places of the city) you can skip the long queue for the access during the opening time.
For more info visit www.veronacard.it
2. Continuing your itinerary to Via Mazzini, the most famous pedestrian street in Verona. Luxury brands and many other shopping opportunities are available and here you can also find some good ice creams for a break, especially in the hot days.
3. Arriving to Piazza delle Erbe and its pictoresque houses, the market, many restaurants and shops: the vibrant heart of the city! Here do not forget to climb Torre dei Lamberti for an amazing view on the city from the above of its panoramic terrace and the belfry! Alternative solution to the 398 steps of the small stairs? Using the lift for just one additional Euro. With the same ticket you can also access to the adjacent Gallery of Modern Art.
Few steps from here there is also the elegant Piazza dei Signori and the nearby Arche Scaligere
4. Unavoidable is a quick leg to Juliet's house. From the courtyard you can see the most famous balcony of the history but if you want to take a picture from there you need to buy the ticket (included in the Verona Card).
5. It is probably lunch time! Verona offers countless restaurants and nice spots to taste the italian specialties and good wine for any budget. Our suggestion for a quick lunch break without giving the quality up is "La Bottega della Gina" (http://labottegadellagina.it/eng.html). This tiny spot offers high quality handmade fresh pasta cooked at the moment.. really to try!
6. Visiting the beautiful and finest decorated Basilica di Santa Anastasia, an extraordinary example of the Gothic style in Verona. This is the largest church of the city and its majesty can be appreciated in the grand interior area with its floral decorations on the ceilings.
Curiosity: pay attention to the two famous holy water fonts at the entrance; these are supported by the so-called “hunchbacks”, representing the efforts of the citizens in the construction of the church. It is said that touching a hunchback on the hump can bring good luck.
7. Crossing the beautiful Ponte Pietra and admiring the Adige river as well as the panorama around us. On the bridge a lovely surprise: a man was playing the piano... this city is really romantic! 8. Admiring the city from Colle San Pietro. This small hill can be reached by walk starting from the other side of Ponte Pietra or in little more than a minute taking the Castel San Pietro Funicolar. From the romantic panoramic Terrace you can see the Adige river that flows under the Ponte Pietra and the historic centre, with its bell towers.
9. Visiting the Basilica of San Zeno and the famous Mantegna's altarpiece. Other than just painting, Mantegna designed the frame, planned a dedicated atmosphere for the choir of the monks and the positioning on the altar, and finally ordered the opening of the window so that the source of natural light coincided with that represented in the painting.. a real masterpiece!
10. Ending the itinerary with a relaxing walk along the Lungadige up to Castelvecchio museum and Bridge, for an amazing view on the Adige River and on the several bridges of Verona.
To discover more about these places, have a look to our posts and stories dedicated to Verona dated March 2019 on our Instagram page @2intour
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