Verona, what to see in the city of Romeo and Juliet

It is famous for being the city of love, thanks to the tragic love story of Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare, inspired by these very places and the main source of tourism in Verona. But this wonderful city is much more than that. In this short guide, we will explain to you what to see in Verona illustrating the points of interest of the Venetian city.

Verona: what to do and what to visit

What to See in Verona

The city of Verona reveals itself as a perfect place for romantic walks right away. The very ancient and well-preserved historic center, the picturesque corners, the wells and courtyards, the arcades, are examples of this. And then there is the Adige, the river crossing the city. To connect one part of the city to the other, some undoubtedly beautiful bridges were constructed, including the Ponte Scaligero and the Ponte Pietra. All around you can admire ancient palaces and bell towers. And then the squares. Piazza delle Erbe, the heart of the city, Piazza Bra and Piazza Mercato Vecchio.

Verona is also the city of the Arena, the largest opera theater in the world built twenty centuries ago. The summer opera season represents one of the greatest worldwide attractions for lovers of this musical genre. In this open-air theater with perfect acoustics, the notes of Aida and its triumphant march echo.

Verona is the home of Pandoro but also Italian gastronomy. Anyone visiting Verona cannot miss tasting Pastissada de Caval, Bollito with Pearà, risotto from Isola, Valeggio tortellini, all washed down with a glass of Valpolicella, Recioto, Custoza, Soave and Bardolino wines.

Getting to Verona is not difficult. Its central position makes it reachable from the main Italian road and railway arteries. You might have wondered what to do in Verona, what to visit. Here is a brief list of Verona’s points of interest and things you must absolutely not miss.

1 Arena di Verona

The Arena di Verona is the Roman amphitheater, a key symbol of the city along with the House of Juliet. Built in the 1st century BC and used for gladiatorial shows, it currently hosts concerts and shows by various Italian and international artists.

2 Verona, Piazza Bra

Piazza Bra in Verona is the heart of the city, where you can enjoy an excellent aperitif admiring the Arena, the Palazzo della Gran Guardia, which today hosts exhibitions and conferences, Palazzo Barbieri and the Museo Lapidario Maffeiano. It is the center of Verona and is truly very characteristic.

3 Verona, House of Juliet

Together with the Arena, the House of Juliet is the most visited building by tourists. It is located at Via Cappello, 23. Its Gothic style attracts art lovers. You will not fail to recognize it because upon arrival you will find the walls covered with love messages written on post-its and letters. You can visit the house and the famous balcony, symbol of Shakespeare’s love story. Don’t forget to capture the moment by taking a photo with the statue of Juliet, located right under the balcony. Touch her right breast; it is said to bring luck in love affairs. You never know!

4 Piazza dei Signori in Verona

Piazza dei Signori in Verona: from Juliet’s house, moving towards the Arco della Costa, you arrive at this square. From its arch hangs a whale’s rib. It is said it will fall when a pure soul passes beneath. Try walking under it!

5 Piazza delle Erbe

It is the oldest square in Verona and is situated right above the area of the Roman Forum. It was the center of political and economic life; over time the Roman buildings gave way to medieval ones. Piazza delle Erbe is also simply called Piazza Erbe.

6 Cavalcaselle Fresco Museum

The convent complex of San Francesco al Corso dates back to the 13th century. In 1935 Antonio Avena, then Director of the Civic Museums, opened to the public the so-called “Juliet’s Tomb”, that is the place where the ark was placed which, according to legend, contained the bodies of Romeo and Juliet, making it a tourist attraction. The adjacent “G.B. Cavalcaselle” Fresco Museum, inaugurated in 1975, exhibits cycles of frescoes from Veronese buildings from the Middle Ages to the 16th century and sculptures from the 19th century, while the church of San Francesco hosts large-scale canvas works from the 16th to the 18th century. In the underground area is a deposit of Roman amphorae from the 1st century AD found during excavations in the area. In the courtyard, architectural and sculptural stone material from the medieval and modern periods is stored in anticipation of the setup of a lapidary.

7 Early Christian Basilicas and Roman Domus

Beneath the floor of the Church of Sant’Elena and the cloister of the Capitular are visible the remains of two Early Christian basilicas, the oldest and smaller dating to mid-4th century AD, the larger and more recent dating to mid-5th century AD, with beautiful mosaic floors.

In the large room beneath the bank offices are visible the remains of a well-preserved Roman domus with mosaic and beaten floors arranged around a small courtyard with a peristyle.

8 Castelvecchio Museum

The Castelvecchio Museum hosts important collections of medieval, Renaissance and modern art (up to the 18th century):
– 29 exhibition rooms of paintings, sculptures, archaeological finds, weapons with 622 works exhibited
– Specialized cabinets: about 90,000 coins and medals, 2,650 drawings, 8,000 prints, 800 photographic plates
– In storage: 2,500 paintings, about 500 sculptures and bronzes, about 800 furniture and decorative art objects, 300 weapons and 200 ethnographic collection pieces
Besides the exhibition rooms, the Drawings and Prints Cabinet and the Numismatic Cabinet, there are: management, administrative and technical offices, general archive, photo library, temporary exhibition room, catalog shop, craft workshops for support.
The restoration, begun at the end of the fifties, saw close collaboration between director Licisco Magagnato and designer Carlo Scarpa both in imagining a philological restoration of the spaces and in choosing and placing works functionally and emotionally closer to the idea of a museum as a total work of art. Since then, the Castelvecchio Museum has become a reference point.

9 Remains of the curia and a cult complex

Accessible from the restaurant 12 Apostoli and a private house, visible are a stretch of the west side of the curia podium, part of a cardo paving, the base of a tower house and for 37 meters the outer side of the eastern wall of the portico that enclosed the supposed imperial cult complex.

10 Verona Radio Museum

The museum illustrates the history of the radio, from the first scientific equipment, spanning from the early 1900s to the 1950s design, through 700 devices from 7 countries.

11 Hypogeum of Santa Maria in Stelle

From an 18th-century access next to the parish church, you enter a corridor opening onto two mosaic-floored rooms, one of which features beautifully preserved paintings with scenes from the Old and New Testaments dating back to the 5th century AD. The hypogeum is older, originally created as a water convector, and in the last section after the rooms still serves this function and leads through a narrow passage to a spring.

12 MA African Museum

The Ma – African Museum exhibits artistic objects from traditional Africa. “Life in Africa” is told through sculptures, artifacts, utensils, clothing, work tools, musical instruments and much more, reconstructing the fundamental stages of life from birth to death. African peoples emphasize the different phases of human life with special celebrations, rites of passage, symbolic representations and festivities, varying from one ethnic group to another, depicted through artisanal and artistic objects.

Verona in brief: how to get there, where to stay, nightlife

13 How to get to Verona and get around

If you decide not to move by car, the best solutions to reach Verona are two. Arriving by train at Verona Porta Nuova station, you can reach the center in 15 minutes on foot or in less than 5 minutes by car. If you plan to arrive by plane, Verona Airport is the one to use. It is 12 km from the center and is well served by shuttles and buses. To avoid making your stay too costly, we recommend purchasing the Verona Card, which allows free entry to various museums and monuments and free travel on urban transport. Another tip we want to give you is to wander aimlessly through the characteristic alleys of Verona; it is the best way to experience this fabulous city.

14 Verona, nightlife

Verona is a lively city both day and night. Thanks mainly to the many events and shows held in the center, it is very lively at night as well. There are countless restaurants, pubs, and venues where you can entertain yourself until late at night.

15 Where to stay in Verona

Verona, where to stay: it is not a cheap city, but certainly, by booking well in advance, you will find hotels in Verona at advantageous prices. Our advice is to stay in the center to enjoy proximity to the main attractions.