Updated August 16, 2019
Our weekend in Verona was amazing to say the least. We got to explore a new part of Italy together and we also got to spend some quality time with old friends who were visiting from Houston. Verona had not been our first choice. We actually suggested elsewhere (Perugia), but in the end, their choice of cities was perfect. Here is how to spend a weekend in Verona and our highlights of the best things to do in the pretty and romantic city.
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Things to do in Verona Italy – A complete guide
Weekend In Verona Italy:
Getting to Verona from Rome (where we had been visiting Federico’s family and touring) was a breeze for us, You have to love train travel in Europe. There are numerous trains day from the humongous Rome Termini station that connects to other parts of Italy and beyond. We took the Italo high speed train and our journey was just over three hours and cost €24 per person one way. I do believe you get a small discount if it’s a round trip journey but we were continuing on to Milan from Verona.
Weekend in Verona: First Impressions
Verona is located in the Northeast of Italy and over a quarter million people call it home. The city of Verona is on the Adige river in Veneto and the metropolitan area of Verona has almost a million residents. Way bigger than l thought for sure. The city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, thanks to the architecture and it is a popular destination, thanks to the romance connection.
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Expecting it to be cold and grey, we were pleasantly surprised. Just like in Rome, the skies were blue albeit very cold, but we welcomed it. It gave us a chance to bundle up and experience true winter. It’s hard to convey my feelings about Verona, but one word l would use to describe the city is sophisticated or perhaps classy. I think part of it is that l am used to the Roman accent which is crude compared to the Northern accent in Verona. It’s cleaner and sounds a bit more uppity which translates into your mind elevating it somewhat, unconsciously of course. What is Verona famous for you ask?. The Gentlemen of Verona of course! 🙂 :-). Oh yeah..and the other one also by Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet. Perhaps you’ve heard of it?
Where to stay in Verona:
True to our budget luxury travel ways, this time we chose to stay at a Verona hotel instead of private accommodation. My reason behind this was that since we were traveling outside of tourist season, the hotel prices would be competitive. After some research, I chose the the Hotel Verona. A very good choice indeed. This small boutique hotel was just perfect.
Click here for room availability at Hotel Verona
The room was big, the bathroom luxurious and it had a big terrace from which to enjoy the views over the city. It was also just a stone’s throw away from the Verona train station. Had we not been saddled with a big checked-in luggage in addition to our carry-on, we would have walked or taken the bus (€1.50) instead of the taxi that cost €12 for a 2 minute ride! We can definitely recommend this hotel. Location was great (Corso Porta Nueva just outside of the old center) as was the free buffet breakfast. We walked everywhere from there. If you prefer a luxury hotel in Verona, we can also recommend the Due Torri Hotel where our friends stayed. A former palace, you can just imagine how elegant and luxurious this five star hotel was. A bit out of our price range though.
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Things to do in Verona Italy:
These are some of the top things to do in Verona:
- Arena di Verona
- Piazza Bra
- Piazza de Signori
- Santa Maria Parish and Cemetery
- Casa dei Giuletta (Juliet’s Balcony)
- Castelvecchio
- Piazza Erbe
- Shopping in the old center
Verona Arena:
The arena di Verona is one of the best known icons of Verona. Located in Piazza Bra (a 5 minute walk from our hotel), this ancient Roman Ruin was built in 30 AD and could accommodate over 30,000 spectators. Nowadays, the summer of opera occurs there, with at least 4 opera productions taking place, not to mention the famous names that have performed at this Roman Amphitheater. Think Duran Duran, Pink Floyd, KISS and Leonard Cohen. The night view of the Verona arena is pretty cool too. We didn’t tour it since we had just done the Colosseum tour in Rome. Over half a million people per year get to enjoy the arena’s productions.
Piazza Bra: The epicentre of Verona
Piazza Bra or just Bra as the locals call it, is the largest plaza in Verona. Aside from the arena, there are tons of restaurants and cafes. It reminds me being in Bruges as the architecture and looks are quite similar. The Bra garden sits between the arena and the cafes and features a grand fountain (Fountain of the Alps) and a magnificent statue of Victor Emanuel II, the first king of Italy which Federico must have spent at least thirty minutes photographing and wishing he had a different lens :-).
Piazza dei Signori Visit: What to do in Verona
This was one of my favorite spots in Verona. A huge statue of Dante the poet, sits right in the center of the square that houses a few palaces (Palazzo Domus Nova and Palazzo della Rangione and other important buildings. Perfect for hanging out, people watching and patronizing some of the outdoor cafes.
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Santa Maria Cemetery:
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We did skip checking out the interior of this very small church as l have mostly had my fill of them. The cemetery at the back however should not be missed. Just a stone’s throw from the piazza dei Signori, it has the most intricate and beautiful Gothic architecture that is just mind boggling. The church was a private church for the ruling Scaligeri family and the cemetery holds their tombs. There was a private tour being conducted close to me and l was straining to hear :-). Apparently Mastino II poisoned his uncle Mastino I to become the true lord of Verona and made sure the body was not examined. The guide noticed me listening and ushered them away. I was intrigued. Another reason to do a tour if you can :-).
Juliet’s House in Verona: (Casa de Julieta)
The most famous house in all of Verona. Palatial and historical beginnings, but now a museum. Your guess is as good as mine as to whether Shakespeare was actually inspired by this kind of cool Gothic style building. Actually, it has never been proven that he actually visited Verona. Nonetheless, the city has embraced this ageless love story of the teenagers and their forbidden love. The balcony was built after the novel and is quite small.
We were lucky because the lack of tourists made it possible to get up close without the long waits associated with this iconic place. One is supposed to rub Juliet’s right breast for good luck so you can imagine how much shinier it is. The immediate area is surrounded by little shops selling associated knickknacks, from t-shirts to aprons, candy and even pasta. Hey, I don’t blame them for capitalizing on this. For a romantic comedy, check out “Letters to Juliet” movie. It was actually cute, and that’s coming from me :-).
Castelvecchio Verona:
Constructed during the Scalier dynasty in the middle ages, it is now home to the Castelvecchio Museum with fine art that spans several centuries. Make sure to climb up for stunning views of the city and the Adige river. Had we had more time, I wouldn’t have minded exploring the museum.
Piazza Erbe:
The front side of the piazza dei Signori, with the town and judges halls. Numerous Greek gods also make an appearance, as does the St. mark’s Lion which is the symbol of the Republic of Venice. The Madonna Verona statue in the middle of the square dates back to 380 AD. The fountain itself was built in 1368 by Cansignorio della Scala. An open air market filled with stalls selling everything from fresh fruit to pasta to jewelry and handbags. A great place to bargain for your souvenirs of Verona. There are cafes along the side to take it all in.
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Shopping in Verona:
The old center is chock full of both high end stores and more reasonably priced ones. Louis Vuitton? check! Cartier, Armani, and the other usual suspects are represented. I added two bags to my collection :-). Meandering around, you’ll even find some old Roman Ruins.
These are just what l consider the most awesome things to see in Verona. There are of course other lovely places including the Romanesque style church at the end of Ponte Navi called the San Fermo Maggiore Complex which holds the relics of two saints, namely Fermo and Rustico (they refused to sacrifice to pagan idols and were martyred. There is also the famous church San Tomaso Becket where a young Mozart, aged 13, performed. The organ that he played on is on display there.
Food in Verona was excellent:
Apart from an underwhelming lunch of burger and hot dog in the very touristy section of Verona which ended in one of our classic arguments… :-). I had a raging headache all morning and thought some caffeine would help along with some food, so we kept looking for a place that had Diet Coke and not that awful cough syrup like concoction called Coke Zero ( may God punish whoever invented that crap! 🙂 ). Finally found one, sat down and he hated the look, the food, everything and l felt it would be awful to get up and leave, so we ordered..and wouldn’t you know it, the menu was old and they only had Zero!!!! After lunch, he gallantly went about the city in search of Diet Coke while l had a lie-down.
Other than that, we had amazing food befitting one of the most wonderful cities in Italy. Here are two local places recommended to us by staffers at the hotel which were amazing and we definitely loved. Our last night, we had pizza at this joint that was definitely locals only. The pizza was so good, as was the lasagna but l can’t for the life of me remember the name. If it comes to me, I will update. Federico’s pizza with lard was the bomb!
Foodie experiences in Verona: Where to eat in Verona
Ostregheteria Sottoriva 23:
Homey food galore. make sure you have the focacchia and the cold cuts meat were so, so good. Having lived in Spain for a while now, I have had it up to here with ham products but l couldn’t help gorging on this. Every dish we had was fantastic, including the horse meat that is typical of the region (according to our friend Sam, we didn’t try it). Definitely mostly locals and we loved it. 5 star dining at reasonable prices.
Address: Via Sottoriva, 23, 37121 Verona VR, Italy
Butcher, Verona Restaurant:
Click to find your Verona Hotel
Every single dish was a winner! This place was filled with mostly locals and a handful of tourists. From the name, Lisa had expected sort of like Texas style steak and had initially been disappointed but ended up loving her steak. We were giving complimentary soup appetizers, the most mind boggling, insanely delicious whipped hummus soup! Whipped hummus! who would have thunk it??? We practically licked our bowls.
Address: Via Leoncino, 7a, 37121 Verona VR, Italy
Pizzeria Du De Cope
Address: Galleria Pellicciai, 10, 37121 Verona VR, Italy
Is Verona worth visiting?
My answer would be a definite yes. It’s a lovely city, and yes..romantic. I think the image of the view of the Adige river and castle at night is forever entrenched in my memory. There is so much history and beauty. It lacks the hustle and bustle of bigger cities like Rome and not quite as intense as Venice but that’s a good thing in my opinion.
How many days in Verona to visit:
We all very much enjoyed our visit and l would definitely visit again. How long to spend in Verona the city itself? I think 72 hours in Verona would be the perfect amount of time to see and do and of course eat. Yep! 3 days in Verona is just enough.
Things to do near Verona:
Verona makes for an excellent base to enjoy nearby places. Day trips from Verona to Milan (which our friends did before our arrival) and a day trip from Verona to Lake Garda are among the adventures to consider and perhaps make you add an extra day to your Verona travel.
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Have you been to Verona or any other cities in Italy? What was your impression and would you recommend visiting Verona to others?
Those meats look fabulous Kemkem. Melt in your mouth good. Plus it looks brisk and refreshing there; right up my alley. Excellent post.
They really were Ryan. We enjoyed every bite. We really enjoyed our visit and the gods smiled upon us weather wise. Thanks for the compliment :-).
Lovely article. I feel inspired to visit Verona and thanks to your recommendations I feel like I know where to start when it comes to planning a trip there. Thanks!
Thanks for reading. I hope it can be of use to you. It was a really good trip, one l’m happy to say exceeded my expectations :-). Sure you would love it.
A beautiful city and even better without the crowds, right? I remember having to wait in a loooong line to get to touch Julieta’s chest :)) And everybody was doing it in a rush to let the next person in line get their chance to do so 🙂
Beautiful terrace too at your hotel – I can only imagine how pleasant it is to sit there during the sunny days and enjoy the sun. And think back at all that amazing Verona food you had. Mouth watering indeed!
The lack of crowds made it even more amazing. Haha! For sure l would not have waited in a long line to rub anything… :-). It was pretty empty and we had plenty of time. Crowds definitely made a difference. On the Saturday, we passed by there again, and it was a bit more crowded.
The hotel turned out to be a wonderful deal. The terrace was gorgeous, a bit cold but pleasant nonetheless as we sipped wine. The summer time would be amazing. The food was indeed mouthwatering. Absolutely fabulous. I would go back for sure.
Kemkem, excellent guide! I am yet to visit Verona, it looks incredibly charming. Going in the winter was very wise, Lovely that you were able to meet up with your friends and explore it together. All those letters to Juliet…it is rather bizarre. The food looks yummy and sounds like you found some great places to eat frequented mostly by the locals, that is usually a recipe for success. I would like to visit Verona with our motorhome when we finally make it there 🙂
Thanks Gilda. I think you guys would really enjoy Verona, especially with the added convenience of your motorhome. It was really nice being able to catch up with them. They were in Verona for 12 days total which might be just a little too long for me :-). The food was absolutely fantastic, and it was great that we were told of those places, they were really special and the food super good. I hope you get there soon.
Your photos are beautiful. I was not really familiar with Verona, but I will add it to the travel bucket list!
Thanks for reading and for the lovely comment :-). It deserves to be on that travel bucket list for sure!
We had no idea Verona was so large. The food looks incredible but lard as a topping? Thanks for narrowing things down. Will have to find a terrace for sun, coffee, and a pastry.
Truthfully, I had no idea it was that large either before we got there. Lard is wonderful..hahah! I remember when we went to Vienna, Lard covered bread was highly recommended (their version of bruschetta) and absolutely freaking delicious! The terrace was quite nice and a great place to take it all in. Thanks for reading.
I like that…a classy city! This is one on my Italian bucket list. Hope to put my letter to Juliet, one that I may have written as a teenager. But I don’t think I will choose winter to go to northern Italy!
Haha! After being in so many sunny places, it was actually nice to break out our winter coats. I had no idea l would like Verona as much as l did so it was a pleasant surprise. I hope you get to cross it off your bucket list soon..perhaps in the Spring time then? :-).
We have never been to Verona so this is helpful to learn about what we may want to see when we visit. I agree that the trains in Europe are great way to travel – as long as there is no workers’ strike. Our accommodation preferences are budget luxury too so it is good to know about the boutique Verona Hotel. I am not sure I would want to visit anywhere in winter unless it is warm weather. I can see why Verona is crowded in the warmer seasons with all of the wonderful sights. I bookmarked your post to come back to it when we visit Italy, which I think will be in a shoulder season.
I hope the Verona guide can be of good use to you. It really is a special city, one that we enjoyed so much. I love train travel, it makes things way less stressful. No need to be there an hour before the train leaves or insane security check points. We hope to do more closer to our neck of the woods in Spain. The hotel was just the perfect size and the staff so lovely and very handy for getting everywhere too. The shoulder season would be a perfect time to visit this great place for sure. Thanks for the comment.
I’ve been around Italy quite a bit, but there are still so many places on my list, such as Verona. This is a great guide for a visit. And the food at Butcher looks delicious. You’re so right about train travel in Europe. We’ve been able to get around easily by rail in several countries, including Italy.
I love train travel in Europe. The fact that there are no size/weight restrictions on your luggage makes it even more pleasant. This year we are planning on doing more train travel in Spain. The Butcher was excellent. I hope you get to Verona soon on your travels. Thanks of reading :-).
Kemkem, Loved reading your fascinating guide to Verona, a city I’d never even thought of putting on our list of places to see in Italy, a country Steven hope to visit in the next couple of years as we’ve never been there together. Your post brought the city to life for me and made me want to hop on a plane right away! But New Zealand and Australia are beckoning me first – a friend and I leave tomorrow for a shortish trip to that part of the world. Already looking forward to your next post and wondering where in the world it might come from! Annie
Thanks for reading Annie, and l am so glad you enjoyed it.Verona would definitely be a nice place for you two to enjoy together, like it was for us. Federico was pleasantly surprised as well. I would definitely visit again, it was charming.New Zealand is a place l wouldn’t mind visiting. I almost did it years ago when l visited Sydney, but l had no idea how expensive the tickets were if not booked ahead..it was insane. I hope you have loads of fun, I know it’s such a special place from all the pictures l’ve seen. Haha! I am always curious to see where in the world l am next too..as l often have no idea :-).
You cracked me up with who wants advice from a teenager who committed suicide. Thanks for sharing another beautiful adventure. We have no plans for visiting Italy in the near future, but our daughter will be going in July – she is going to be shocked at the number of tourists. Smart to go off-season. P.S. I’m with you re; Coke 0
Thanks for reading Suzanne. I’m sure your daughter is going to love Italy, but you’re right, she will be right in the thick of things as far as crowds which can be frustrating. It’s kind of weird how Juliet receives so many frigging letters from people seeking advice..there is something warped there :-). I’m glad l’m not alone in my hatred for Coke 0. It sucks balls!!!! 🙂
Loved the post but the line that made my laugh out loud and read it to Joel was “had it up to here with ham products” as we often after months in Greece go in search of food, any food that isn’t served in “olive oil and oregano” Too much of a good thing really can be tiring on the taste buds, no matter how good it is.
Yeah.. I am always wondering how Federico can still eat it. I suppose if you’re used to it from birth, you can’t get tired of it, but l was never a huge fan. It’s hard isn’t it when you’ve had too much of a good thing :-). I am almost at the same point with calamari and mussel. They’re so cheap and we eat it so often but l’m getting tired of it. P.S.. please, I am having so much trouble leaving comments on your blog. My vision is really bad and l can’t do that verification stuff on the laptop and cell.. I try like 6 times each time and can’t get them all…so l give up :-(.
I’m with you in traveling during the off-season to avoid both the crowds and the high season prices even if you have to bundle up! Verona is now on my list of places to see in Italy thanks to your post and your hotel sounds like a good value. So much to do, see and eat there and I was drooling a bit looking at your photos. But horsemeat? And lard pizza? I think they both might be a little too exotic for me! 😁
Yeah..after our disastrous day on non-day in Sintra, I think visiting anyplace during the height of tourist season is a no-no for me. Verona is very much worth it. I was a bit disappointed at first when they chose it because all l knew was the Juliet connection and it wasn’t much of a draw for me. It turned out to be wonderful, and the food? Absolutely wonderful and yummy. I wasn’t adventurous enough for the horse meat. The lard pizza was really, really, really good. You would love it, it was thin like bacon :-).
Thanks for this. You make me want to go back. I was in Verona 2 years ago and loved it so much. I did visit Lake Garda because of the Scaliger Castle in Sirmione. It was a wonderful experience!
Thanks for reading. We really loved our visit to Verona. Yes, the castle in Sirmione was incredible and had the most amazing views :-).