Verona – Beauties of Italy’s Most Romantic City
Even though taking a gondola ride through the channels of Venice might be something most people picture when you mention ‘Italy’ and ‘romance’ in the same context, Verona is a true yet often underrated city of love in this part of Italy. Well-known for Shakespeare’s tragedy as well as all dramatic family feuds and the forbidden love between Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet, this specific city truly brings amazing stories both in historical and simply fictive storytelling. Let’s check them out!
Historical background
Situated in Northern Italy, this amazingly beautiful city was a Roman trade centre ever since the 3rd century BC – it even used to be called ‘’little Rome’’. Verona from those times was quite important because of its strategic position; it became a Roman settling point as well as it was placed at the intersection of two massively important roads.
The city was growing and it soon got a forum (which is now called Piazza Delle Erbe), ancient gates, and amazingly big Roman arena – which is still famous as one of the greatest opera venues in today’s world.
When the fall of Rome happened, Verona happened to be ruled by the Lombards, Goths, and the Carolingians. On the other hand, Otto the Great was the person who incorporated Verona into the Bavarian territory. Lots of different sides took over this city during the years which implies there are plenty of other history lessons related to Verona as well as its rich historical and cultural heritage.
Today Verona has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site due to ancient architectural designs together with the entire artistic heritage.
What To See?
While in Verona, simply take a nice walk and allow yourself to discover its amazingly beautiful streets and everything they offer. The first and the most famous stop is Verona’s own version of the Colosseum in Rome, the Arena that was constructed in 30 AD.
Its remarkable structure has stood for thousands of years, preserving the people plenty of shows and games that have been held there. As we have already said, this is one of the well-known places where musical shows and concerts still take their place – plus, an excellent amphitheatre whose architecture you can admire from the inside too.
Castle Vecchio is a quite valuable structure constructed in 1354. It happened to be one of the biggest achievements of engineering for the Scaliger dynasty that used to serve as a primary mode of defence for Verona. Inside of the castle was turned into a museum dedicated to the rich historical background of this area.
Ponte di Castle Vecchio was the world’s longest bridge of its kind at the time when they built it. It is connected to the castle Vecchio as well as decorated in the same style. As a matter of fact, most of the historical objects that were constructed in Verona during this era were made of red brick. That part allows these structures to stand out against the rest of the buildings and the city’s landscape.
Piazza Delle Erbe is another important place in Verona we have already mentioned – the city, in general, contains a great amount of charming little squares where the Piazza Delle Erbe happens to be the most famous one. It is shaped like a diamond and you will find it in the heart of Verona’s historical centre.
On the other hand, Giusti Gardens are a perfect spot for those who love to enjoy some green surfaces as well as some beautiful landscape architecture’s achievements. They are placed near the palace that carries the same name and holds the spot on the eastern bank of the Adige, the river that flows through Venice.
Also, how about Piazza Bra? It is the largest piazza in Verona as well as one of the main and most touristy places in the city. The main attraction you will find there is something we have already mentioned – Arena. Still, you can definitely take a walk, explore on your own and discover some interesting bars, restaurants or similar places on this piazza.
If you don’t feel like walking around the city anymore, but you still got some time left, take a one-day trip to lake Garda. It comes as one of the biggest lakes in Italy as well as a quite popular holiday destination because of its excellent climate conditions, amazing scenery and all the attractions available there. You can even take the boat ride over the lake or maybe visit one of those charming places on Garda’s shores like Bardolino or Sermione.
City Of Forbidden Love
One of the reasons that have increased the popularity of this amazingly beautiful city is definitely William Shakespeare. To be precise, a couple of his plays are actually set in Verona – with Romeo & Juliet as the most known one, of course. Out of that reason, most visitors come because they want to see the Casa di Giulietta. After entering the yard, you can see the supposed building from that famous scene when Juliet talks to Romeo over his balcony.
Even though this hasn’t really been the building where everything happened, that yard and Juliet’s statue in it still attract masses of tourists. After visiting this spot, you can also leave a love message on the wall in front of the yard – where dozens of other people have been leaving it for years too.
What Else to Do In Verona?
As it comes while visiting any other city, simply allow yourself to get lost. Wander the streets of Verona, discover some unknown places, take a closer look at the architecture and try to find some hidden gems on your own. Also, any visit to Italy is a great opportunity to enjoy their specific cuisine; discover some new restaurants and bars, go after a perfect sunset location and simply soak up the spirit of the city.
At the end of the day, those are definitely the travelling memories you will cherish the most – as well as true insight in the life in Verona.