An Italian getaway, Part 2 – A day in Verona

Ah, the famous Prologue that sets the scene for one of William Shakespeare’s most famous plays, Romeo and Juliet.  “Fair Verona” was the next destination that my sister and I ventured to on our Italian escape. We had originally planned to visit one or two other towns on Lake Garda, but without a car, we found that we could waste a lot of time travelling to the North end of the lake, whether by ferry or bus. And although Verona was still a bus journey away, it was a well-established route from Sirmione and only took around 1 hour, leaving us plenty of time to take in the sights.

The bus took us to right into the centre of Verona which was perfect. The previous night I had planned a route by pinning all the main sights on Google Maps – I find this super helpful so you don’t miss something and end up having to double back on yourself which is THE worst when you’re short on time!

Keep reading to follow my journey through the beautiful Verona!

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Castelvecchio Bridge

First up, we headed to the Castelvecchio Bridge which crosses one of the bends of the Adige River – because of this, you can get stunning views from both sides! The bridge itself is beautiful, with red brick turrets across its full length and white marble arches.

 

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Borsari Gate

Next, we headed to the Borsari Gate, an ancient white limestone Roman gate dating back to 1AD and is a great example of ancient architecture, note the classic archways and the windows in the upper level.

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Piazza del Erbe

This is a bustling and lively square with markets and several historical sights, including the Fontana Madonna Verona, a fountain with a statue of the Madonna in the centre and Palazzo Meffei, a 17^th century palace (now a hotel) on the North side. Look up and you will see Torre dei Lamberti, the tallest of the towers in Verona.

 

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Casa di Giulietta

“O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?” We couldn’t leave Verona without having seen Juliet herself, but everyone seemed to have the same idea and the little courtyard was really crowded… The balcony was really sweet though, as was the statue of Juliet – but all the groping that Juliet had to endure on her boobs from tourists was not-so-sweet! I looked it up afterwards and apparently it brings luck in your love-life… but still!

 

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Piazza dei Signori

This is another square with some beautiful noteworthy buildings around it including Palazzo Domus Nova, Palazzo della Ragione (New Gallery of Modern Art) and Palazzo del Podesto. You can see the famous statue of Dante here too.

 

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Ponte Pietra

We walked across the Ponte Pietra, another Roman arch bridge crossing the other bend of the Adige River, to head towards Castel San Pietro. The water is such a beautiful colour!

 

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Castel San Pietro

The views from Castel San Pietro are absolutely breath-taking and an absolute must-see if you come to Verona. Look down upon the terracotta red rooftops, the winding blue-green Adige River, and count the arched bridges. Honestly, pictures really don’t do it justice!

 

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Arena di Verona

Last stop was the Arena di Verona, a Roman amphitheatre – isn’t it unbelievable that to this day, the Arena still has a busy schedule of opera, ballet and concerts and can house up to 15,000 people? Amazing!

 

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Have you ever been to Verona? If not, I hope this post gave you some inspiration!

You can also read about our previous stop in Sirmione, Lake Garda. Join me next time for the delights of Venice – don’t forget to follow me so you don’t miss it!