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The guide
UNESCO-listed, Verona charms with a Roman and medieval centre cradled in a bend of the Adige. Its heart is Piazza Bra, dominated by the 1st-century arena, still in use for opera and concerts. Steps away, Piazza delle Erbe, a former Roman forum, blends market, frescoes and palaces. Lose yourself along shopping Via Mazzini, climb the Lamberti tower for the view, then cross the ancient Ponte Pietra to the Roman theatre. Beyond the Romeo and Juliet clichés, the city offers fine churches such as San Zeno Maggiore, a crenellated Scaliger castle and an easy Veneto charm. Verona is also the gateway to Lake Garda and the Valpolicella vineyards.
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« Romeo and Juliet » (1968) by Franco Zeffirelli popularised Verona on screen, and the Casa di Giulietta on Via Cappello became its pilgrimage site. The irony: the famous balcony was only added to the façade in the 1930s, inspired by the film craze, on a medieval house with no real link to any Juliet.
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Every summer, Verona's Roman arena hosts the world's largest open-air opera festival, before 15,000 spectators. It all began on 10 August 1913 with a monumental « Aida » for Verdi's centenary; in the audience were Puccini, Mascagni and even the writer Franz Kafka.
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Skip the crush at the Casa di Giulietta and climb instead to Castel San Pietro at sunset: the view over the rooftops and the Adige is free and unbeatable. Keep a data eSIM handy to check the funicular times and book your opera tickets in minutes.
Must-see
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Arena di Verona
A remarkably preserved 1st-century Roman amphitheatre, the third largest in Italy. Home to the great summer opera festival; watching an opera under the stars here is a one-of-a-kind experience.
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Piazza delle Erbe
A former Roman forum turned into the city's loveliest square, framed by painted palaces and the Madonna Verona fountain. Market by day, lively terraces by night; highly photogenic.
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Castel San Pietro
A hilltop viewpoint reached on foot or by funicular, offering the finest panorama over the rooftops, the Adige and the bridges. Magical at sunset and free to access.
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Basilica di San Zeno Maggiore
A Romanesque masterpiece with carved bronze doors and a Mantegna altarpiece. By Shakespearean tradition, this is where Romeo and Juliet are said to have secretly married.
Good to know
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Spring and early autumn are perfect; the hot summer coincides with the opera festival and the crowds. The compact, pedestrian centre is fully walkable. Verona Porta Nuova station links Venice and Milan in just over an hour, and the city makes an ideal base for nearby Lake Garda. Avoid the car, as the centre is a limited-traffic zone. As for coverage, 4G/5G is very good throughout the city; café wifi is decent but uneven. For booking the opera, tracking timetables and finding your way through the lanes, a data eSIM remains the surest way to stay connected without interruption.
