Finding Romeo: 5 Places to Explore in Verona, Italy
Romeo, Oh Romeo, Where Art Thou Romeo? Turns out, he’s in Verona, Italy. Verona was not initially on the top of our list of places to visit, but Verona is only a short 1-hour train ride from Milan so we decided to carve out some of our Milan time with a day trip here. I’m so glad we did. Not only is Verona the home to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, but it’s home to some 1st century Roman buildings and of course, amazing views and delicious food.
Read on for the 5 things to do in Verona, Italy.
1. Visit the Arena di Verona
If you ask most people to name a famous Roman architecture their first response would most likely be the Roman Colosseum located in Rome, Italy. But, the Romans built similar amphitheatres all over the world including in Verona. In fact, the first-century open-air Roman amphitheatre located in Verona is not only still completely usable today, it has been named as one of the best-preserved ancient structures in the world.
The Arena di Verona is open to visitors most days and even still hosts events including their famous opera festival each July. But it also has hosted more modern acts such as Adele and One Direction.
The Arena also sits right in the Piazza Bra which is also worth spending some time in exploring the statues, park and restaurants.
2. Overlook the City from Castel San Pietro
Verona is absolutely stunning from above. Take the walk up to the Castel San Pietro which overlooks the city from across the Adige river. It’s a moderate walk up, but the view from up there makes it worth it.
3. Find Your Romeo at Casa di Giulietta
Did you know that the Montagues and the Capulets are based on real families who lived in Verona? Don’t miss the chance to visit Casa di Giuletta, which is home to the famous balcony. Visitors can also mark their love forever on the wall entering the courtyard and take a picture with the bronze Juliet statue. There is also a museum in the actual house if you’re really interested in this Shakespearean story but only for a fee and supposedly isn’t worth it.
Tip: this area was very crowded when we were there. Make sure to watch your things closely to avoid being pickpocketed.
4. Take a Walk Along the Adige River
There are so many historical buildings located in this small town. It’s worth taking the time to walk along the river which offers the opportunity to pass or admire from a distance many of these locations.
We started our walk near the Ponte Pietra, a bridge first created in 100 BCE by the romans. We walked from here past the Church of Santa Stefano and the San Giorgio in Braida. We continued along this way passing the Ponte della Vittoria until we ended up at the Ponte di Castelvecchio. This bridge also offers some awesome views of the city, and leads you into the Castel Vecchio.
It’s also worth mentioning just off of the river and past the museum there is the Arco dei Gavi and the Canossa Palace.
5. Walk through the I Portoni della Brà and the Porta Borsari
The I Portoni della Brà is what is left of the old city gates. You’ll most likely accidentally walk through these as they are located in the center of the city. The Porta Borsari is another ancient Roman gate created in 1st century AD. This gate marked the entrance to the road Via Postumia into the city.