City guide · Verona

Verona

An old city in a bend of the Adige: the Roman Arena, the opera festival and Juliet's balcony

Photo: Didier Descouens · CC BY-SA 4.0

Verona is an ancient city in the Veneto region of northern Italy, where the Adige River bends in a large curve, and the Roman Arena, the Scaliger family castle, and the balcony from Shakespeare's play all crowd inside the river bend. You can walk the Arena, Piazza Bra, Piazza delle Erbe, and Castelvecchio Castle in two days, then take a day trip to Lake Garda or Vicenza. Also worth visiting in the city: Verona Arena, Piazza Bra, Piazza delle Erbe, Piazza dei Signori, Juliet's House, Castelvecchio Castle, the Scaliger Tombs, the Basilica of San Zeno, Verona Cathedral, the Church of Sant'Anastasia, Torre dei Lamberti, Arco dei Gavi, Ponte Pietra, Castel San Pietro hill and Giusti Garden.

History

How the city came to be

Verona grew from Etruscan and Roman settlements on the Adige River and gained Roman city status in 49 BC. The Roman Arena dates from around AD 30, held about 30,000 people, and is one of the three largest surviving Roman arenas in Italy. In the 12th century Verona became a free commune, and the Scaliger family ruled the city from 1260 to 1387, building Castelvecchio Castle and the family tombs. From 1405 Verona belonged to the Republic of Venice until the republic fell in 1797; afterward the city belonged in turn to Austria and the Kingdom of Italy. Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is set in Verona, which has made Juliet's House the city's most famous literary landmark (please note: the Juliet story is a literary creation, not historical fact). In 2000, Verona's historic center was inscribed on the World Heritage List. Since Aida was staged in the Arena in 1913, an opera festival has been held there every summer.

49 BCVerona gains Roman city status.
Around AD 30The Roman Arena is built.
1117A great earthquake badly damages the city, and only four arches of the Arena's outer ring survive (the "Ala" seen today).
12th centuryVerona becomes a free commune.
1260–1387The Scaliger family rules, and Castelvecchio Castle is built.
1405–1797The period of rule by the Republic of Venice.
After 1797The city belongs in turn to Austria and the Kingdom of Italy.
1913Aida is staged in the Arena, starting the Verona opera festival tradition.
2000Verona's historic center is inscribed on the World Heritage List.

Stories

Stories of the city

Romeo and Juliet

Legend · Verona

Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet are fictional characters from Shakespeare's play, and the feud between their families is likewise a literary story. Even so, the love story has long been bound up with Verona and draws visitors from around the world.

Wikipedia: Verona

The balcony of Juliet's House

History · Verona

The link between the building now known as Juliet's House and the Capulets developed only later. It was converted into a museum in the 1930s, and the famous courtyard balcony was added at that time.

Wikipedia: Verona

Verona at a glance

Best season: April to June and September to October are best for visiting: temperatures are mild, the Arena opera festival takes place in summer, and September's grape harvest season suits trips to nearby wineries. July to August is hot and crowded, and accommodation is tight during the opera festival; from November to March it is quiet, rainy days are more frequent, and the Arena and museums keep shorter hours. Verona's Christmas market in winter is also worth seeing.
Getting there: Verona Porta Nuova station lies about 1.5 km south of the city center, and you can walk or take a bus to Piazza Bra; trains on the Milan–Venice line and services toward Bologna and Innsbruck all stop at this station. Verona Villafranca Airport lies about 10 km southwest of the city, with shuttle buses to the station; if you drive, please note that the city center has a limited traffic zone (ZTL), and violations may be fined, with details as officially published.
Getting around: The historic center is compact, and Piazza Bra, Piazza delle Erbe, Piazza dei Signori, and the Adige riverfront can all be covered on foot; much of the Old Town is pedestrian-only, so please park driving vehicles in outer parking areas. City buses cover the station and destinations outside the city, with fares and schedules as officially published. Walking or cycling along the Adige riverfront is a good way to see the old bridges and the castle, and the riverside path is flat and easy to walk. Day trips from Verona: Lake Garda (the Sirmione peninsula and lakeside towns), Vicenza (the city of Palladian architecture), Mantua (a Renaissance city), Soave (a white wine region with a medieval castle).
Where to stay: For a first visit, staying around Piazza Bra or Piazza delle Erbe is recommended: you are close to the Arena and the main sights, with many restaurants and cafés, and the trip back to your hotel at night is convenient. If you prefer quiet, the San Zeno district across the Adige or the area outside the city walls offers slightly lower prices than the city center, and walking into the city is not far. During the opera festival season (June to September), accommodation is tight, so please book in advance.
Country notes: Money, tipping and red lines in Italy →

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