Verona 💕

1st-century AD Roman amphitheater, once able to hold thirty thousand spectators — today home to the famous summer opera season under the stars.

The largest square in the city, with the Liston — the paved promenade where Veronese take their evening stroll — and the 19th-century town hall.

On the site of the ancient Roman forum, today a daily market of fruit and souvenirs, surrounded by frescoed medieval and Renaissance palaces.

The monumental Gothic tombs of the Della Scala family, lords of Verona in the Middle Ages — an open-air masterpiece of funerary sculpture.

On the other bank of the Adige, a 1st-century BC Roman theater with the most beautiful view of the old city from the hill above it.

A 14th-century medieval house with a balcony added in the 1930s specifically for the myth — Shakespeare never actually set the story in a real place, but Verona has made it all tangible.

In the courtyard of the house, tradition has it that touching the right breast of the statue brings luck in love — it's worn down by the shiny bronze of millions of hands.

In the cloister of the former convent of San Francesco al Corso, a sarcophagus in red stone attributed by tradition — much less crowded than the house.

The oldest Roman bridge in Verona, destroyed by the bombings of 1945 and rebuilt with the original stones recovered from the river.

14th-century Scaliger fortress on the Adige, with the famous crenellated bridge and a civic museum housing sculptures and paintings from the Middle Ages to the 18th century.

On the hill above the Teatro Romano, reachable on foot or by funicular — the best panoramic view over all of Verona.

Rice mantecato with the red wine Amarone della Valpolicella — full-bodied, almost winey, the dish that best represents local cuisine.

Horse meat stew slowly cooked in red wine — a traditional dish, less known to tourists but present in many historic trattorias.

Amarone, Ripasso, and Valpolicella Classico — three styles from the same territory, to taste in a wine bar in the center or directly at the winery.

The square transforms into an aperitif zone after sunset, with bars and venues crowded until late — the best way to end the day.

Italy's largest lake, with Sirmione, Bardolino, and Peschiera reachable in less than half an hour by car or train.

Peninsula on Lake Garda with a Scaliger castle on the water and natural hot springs — one of the most photographed destinations on the lake.

The wine hills a step from the city center, with wineries offering tastings and guided tours among the vineyards.

Renaissance city of the Gonzaga, UNESCO heritage, with Palazzo Ducale and Palazzo Te — less than an hour by train.

Tourist card that includes entry to the main monuments and public transport — worth it if you plan to visit Arena, Casa di Giulietta, and Castelvecchio on the same day.

Between June and September, the Arena hosts open-air operas — tickets for the most famous performances sell out months in advance.

Seeing the balcony from the courtyard doesn't require a ticket — the ticket is only needed to enter the house-museum.