Most people probably know Verona as the city of the sad love story of Romeo and Juliet. But Verona is actually much more than just the city of Romeo and Juliet. The city on the Adige River in northern Italy is a city of lovers, history, culture, fashion, architecture and excellent gelato. It’s fascinated numerous travellers throughout centuries. You should take at least two or three days if you want to experience the city with all its Italian charm.
We began our trip to Verona by visiting the park of the Giusti family. The beautiful 16th-century Italian Renaissance garden is located between the Adige and the hill. It’s a green oasis in the middle of the city, full of ancient trees, bushes, cypresses, statues and labyrinths. There are nice pathways running between cypresses. We climbed the steps to the upper deck from where you can enjoy a wonderful view of the city.
In eastern Verona, by the river, one can find Castel San Pietro which dates back to the 14th century. You can climb to the top with a cable car, but we chose the steps instead. These go up right next to an ancient theatre. We peeked through the walls and into the amphitheatre. It was quite pleasant sitting at the top, in the warm afternoon sun, and observing the belfries, church domes and roofs below.
We took a walk to the old town and crossed the stone bridge known as Ponte Pietra. The bridge dates back to the Roman Empire. It was reconstructed many times and almost demolished during World War II, but it’s been renovated and is one of the city’s cultural landmarks.
We first stopped at Piazza dei Signori. It’s a rectangle-shaped square that is surrounded by historically and architecturally important buildings. We walked past the city hall, the Loggia del Consiglio and the government building. With the Dante Alighieri statue, Verona has paid tribute to the poet who lived in the city for a period of time.
After that we turned to Piazza delle Erbe. It’s one of the most picturesque squares in Italy and is surrounded by Renaissance palaces and medieval city houses on all sides. The Lion of Saint Marco statue and a fountain with Madonna Verona statue, dating to the 14th century, stand in the square. The latter served as a city forum in the Roman Empire, but is now a city market which turns into Christmas market in December.
If you want a bird’s-eye view of the romantic city, then you should look for Torre dei Lamberti. The tower’s construction began in the 12th century. It reaches 84 metres high. The ticket will grant you access to Galleria d’Arte Moderna Achille Forti and you can visit the panoramic terrace in the belfry from which you can enjoy a 360-degree view of Verona. We climbed up the steps which are located inside the vertical circumference (there are 368 steps) and then returned with the lift.
Porta Leoni are one of the ancient Roman gates that lead into the city. But the Roman ruins and undiscovered layers of the city that were found by accident are even more interesting. The path lets you take a look at all that is still hidden below and that is what we did on our walk in this part of the city.
You can find Juliet’s house or Casa di Giulietta at Via Cappello 23. It has a bronze statue and a balcony under which Romeo is said to have courted Juliet. The house really does date back to the Middle Ages, but the balcony that overlooks the square was built in the 20th century. In doing this, they have made the beautiful Juliet’s “home” out of a completely inconspicuous medieval house. The atrium is now visited by every tourist that comes to the city.
The largest and most famous square is undoubtedly the Piazza Bra in the centre of Verona. There’s an arena in the square, dating back to the 1st century, and it’s thought to be one of the most well-preserved amphitheatres of the Roman times. It could host 20,000 spectators when it was completed and operas and other events are still held there. The square is surrounded by numerous restaurants and cafés. There are also gates nearby which used to lead inside the walls.
We left the amphitheatre and headed towards the western part of the city where we visited a fortress with the Castelvecchio fortress that stands on the right riverbank of the Adige. Dante was thought to have lived in the castle for a few years and he is said to have written the third part of his Divine Comedy there, titled the Paradise. The castle is now a museum that houses the greatest Renaissance painters. Ponte Scaligero, the largest arch bridge in the world, stands next to the fortress. What is interesting is that each arch is smaller or lower than the other.
Verona is a wonderful and romantic city where history buffs, culture enthusiasts, art and architecture lovers and fashionistas will have a whale of a time. Take your time and explore the little streets, sit down on a terrace, treat yourself to some Aperol Spritz, take delight in Italian cuisine, climb a castle or a tower and take a look at the city. We really liked Verona, so we’ll certainly come back soon.
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