Verona is a charming little town in the North of Italy, known to tourists mostly as the hometown of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. This autumn my boyfriend and I spent one day in Verona and found out that this “city of lovers” has much to offer travellers beyond the famous, dramatic love story. Verona is a beautiful town with great history, and it is possible to visit almost all of the town’s must-see places in just one day, as most of the sights are very close to each other.
I think that the best way to start exploring Verona is to go to the Piazza delle Erbe, which is the architectural complex of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque style buildings with the Madonna Verona fountain in the heart of the square. The Piazza delle Erbe is the central and most beautiful square in Verona, so there are always a lot of tourists drinking coffee in cafes and buying souvenirs, vegetables, and fresh fruits at the market (I bought a big glass of strawberries for €3).
I decided to eat my strawberries while enjoying a panoramic view of Verona. You can do it from the tower Torre dei Lamberti on the Piazza delle Erbe, but you have to pay for it. If you want to experience a panoramic city view for free, you can follow our route. First we crossed the bridge Ponte Pietra through the River Adige (the views from here are wonderful!), then headed to the top of the hill on the left side of the river.
The way to the top is not too difficult, and only takes about 20 minutes. Of course, we made some stops on the stairs, to take photos with picturesque houses. Finally, we reached the top and stopped in the little garden near the castle Castel San Pietro. From here the right side of Adige River, with the historic centre of Verona, is clearly visible. Here you can enjoy one of the best panoramic views of the town!
After having a rest in this quite place (most tourists are too lazy to climb the hill) we returned to the right side of the river and visited several churches. My favorite three churches are: Verona Cathedral with Titian inside it, the church of Sant’Eufemia, and the church of Sant’Anastasia. You will be impressed by the architecture and interior design of these gorgeous buildings!
Of course, you can’t forget about the main showplace of Verona: Juliet’s House. The balcony from which Juliet supposedly talked to her Romeo is famous all over the world. (If you decide to visit it with your beloved – kiss him here!) It is also believed that if you write the declaration of love or leave the lock with your names on the special wall in the yard, your relationship will be happy. Touching the statue of Juliet in the yard is a sign of good fortune as well.
The last place on our route was the Arena of Verona, which resembles the Colosseum in Rome. Nowadays this Roman amphitheatre is used like a concert hall. The Arena of Verona is located on the Piazza Bra, where you can find many restaurants to have dinner.
After exploring different points of interest we decided just to walk around the town. It is really pleasant to walk without choosing a specific direction, and admire old buildings on lovely narrow streets of Verona. Almost everywhere you will see decorated walls and photogenic balconies with flowers. And at the end of the day we had a wonderful supper in a cozy restaurant, Hostaria Vecchia Fontanina, on a quite, non-touristic street, followed by Italian gelato!
Of course, if you are only spending one day in Verona, you can’t explore it in detail, but you can see some of the main sites, and enjoy the romantic atmosphere of this medieval town. Verona will leave a lasting impression on you. Believe me, you will fall in love!
We hope that this article has inspired you to visit Verona. If you have any questions about the destination or have your own travel tips to share please leave these in the comments below.
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- 10 Things You Must Do With Your Girlfriends In Florence
By We Are Travel Girls Contributor Liza Kofanova
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Meghan says
Spot on! I loved Verona – wish I had had time to see all of the things listed here.
We Are Travel Girls says
Thanks for reading Meghan – there is always a reason to go back!
Jennifer says
Wow! Gorgeous place. I would love to visit some day. :)
We Are Travel Girls says
Thanks for reading Jennifer! Verona is beautiful, I hope you get to go soon!
Jamie says
I visited here 10 years ago! It was so lovely. I had just gotten together with my now fiancé then and told him when I returned home, “I touched Juliet’s statue for good luck.” We are getting married this spring and we still smile about when I told him that. He says we should go back and thank Juliet for the luck ❤️
We Are Travel Girls says
Ah that is a lovely story Jamie, thank you for sharing! Have a wonderful wedding next year – heres to a great 2017!