Verona has very ancient origins. This city boasts world-famous attractions, namely its Arena (a Roman amphitheatre that plays host to the renowned opera season each year), and Juliet’s balcony (in a building dating back to the XIII century).
Verona is a shining example of how architecture and urban structure can integrate historical elements into modern development, with the city being named a UNESCO world heritage site. Verona is a “walled city”: for thousands of years, these walls have defended the city’s art, history and culture, allowing only its inhabitants, together with their guests from all over the world, to see them.
Still today, the city manages to maintain its medieval and Renaissance charm. The tragic love story of Romeo and Juliet was in fact set in Verona when the city was ruled by the Scaligeri family.
However, Verona is much more than the place that Shakespeare chose as a setting for several of his stories: Verona is all about art, history and culture, in both the city and the surrounding area.
DON'T MISS
- The Arena, the symbol of the city, is Italy’s third largest Roman amphitheatre, hosting wonderful shows, concerts and operas during the summer months.
- Juliet’s house, with its famous balcony paying tribute to William Shakespeare's love story
- Piazza Erbe is where the locals like to meet. This square is home to an integrated mix of Roman, medieval and Renaissance architecture and buildings dating back to the Scaliger era and the 19th century.
- Piazza dei Signori, Verona’s “sitting room”
- The Scaliger Tombs, the funeral monuments of Verona’s Lords
- Castelvecchio, home to the Museum of Modern Art, with its medieval “Scaliger Bridge”
- The Roman Theatre, which today hosts international theatrical and musical performances
- The Basilica of San Zeno Maggiore and the Basilica of San Fermo Maggiore