Top Tips for a Day in Verona
Due to time constraints we were only able to spend one full day in Verona during our travels around Italy. However I feel that this was adequate enough time to see everything important and still enjoy the city without feeling too rushed. Here are my top tips to fully enjoy all the city has to offer.
Verona is a very clean and beautiful city but like Venice it relies on the tourist industry and is therefore quite expensive. There is an admittance fee for almost every attraction even churches so be prepared and take these into consideration when you're planning your budget. Aside from this though the city has a lot to offer and is well worth a visit! It's easily accessible by train from Florence, Bologna and Venice so if you can't manage a whole weekend here definitely try a day trip from one of the other major cities.
1. Arena di Verona!
The arena as the most prominent feature of Verona captures the focus of every visitor. When we visited in the Summer the queues for entry were pretty lengthy and there was very little shade, however being one of the major sites of the city we felt obliged to visit. We paid 20 euros to enter only to find that on the inside there was pretty much nothing to see. Knowing that we were later going to visit Rome and the Colosseum we left feeling a bit underwhelmed. However, we later found out that the arena was still a fully operable theatre with live shows every evening and with tickets at as little as 25euros per person. As we were only passing through the city we couldn't take advantage of this but did feel a little disappointed as we would have much rather spent a bit more to get the full experience and atmosphere of an outdoor theatre performance in an authentic roman arena. Before you plan your trip to Verona check out http://www.arena.it/arena/en to see what theatre performances will be on during your visit.
2. Make the Walk up to the Amphitheatre!
A short walk over the Ponte Pietra leads you to the amphitheatre built on the side of a hill overlooking the city of Verona. Unlike the arena, entrance to the amphitheatre is only 1euro per person and there aren't crowds of tourists. Although the structures themselves are not in as good condition as the the main arena the views over the city are fabulous.
Its the perfect spot for a picnic, in fact there were lots of locals there with a bottle of wine just chilling in the sun.
If you want a relaxed afternoon, grab some nibbles and a bottle of Chianti and go soak up the sun and atmosphere at the this peaceful, tranquil spot.
3. Lunch at Il Ciottolo.
We had the most amazing meal at this restaurant just opposite the castle in Verona. Both inside and outside the restaurant has amazing character and was the perfect spot to try out a local dish. The rabbit fettucine was amazing, especially washed down with a good house red. I'm quite particular when it comes to dining, I like to take my time with meals and savour the experience and this restaurant met my needs perfectly. The waitress had the perfect balance with being there just enough but not too much. Would highly recommend this place!
4. Casa di Giulietta
Ever since the film "Letters to Juliet" was released, this tourist attraction has become even more popular and crowded than before. Trust me when I say, it was mental! The courtyard itself was packed with tourists trying to get a glimpse at the famous balcony and bronze statue. Every wall covered in graffiti love notes, symbols and declarations. If like us you manage to squeeze and fight your way through to the courtyard, be prepared to have to fight again to get into the house or anywhere near the statue. We opted not to visit the house as we were on a budget but if you fancy paying for a few minutes on the famous balcony you're looking at around 6euros per person. We opted instead to try and fight for a photo with the famous bronze statue of Juliet. It's said to bring you luck in love if you rub the breast of the statue so of course Sam had to make sure he fulfilled the tradition. Word of warning, you will have to be quick and lose your manners for the few minutes it takes you to get the photo which is an incredibly hard feat for us Brits. The absence of any sort of queue was completely alien to me and I felt awful pushing my way through to get a photo but it was the only available option. Suck it up Brits, if you want a photo drop your inner prude!
5. Verona Card
As previously mentioned this city is quite expensive in regards to admissions into attractions so if you're planning on staying in Verona at least one night then I would say it's well worth purchasing the Verona Card. For 18euros per person for a 24 hour pass you will get access to all the attractions I've mentioned plus more for free or at a reduced rate. In addition you will also get free bus transport within the city. I would always advise to work out whether or not this will be good value of money depending on what you want to do and see.
Check http://www.tourism.verona.it/en/information/travel-your-way/verona-card/discover-the-benefits for benefits and prices.
Most of all just enjoy this city! It's beautiful. Spend at least a couple of hours just wandering around the streets. If you're into shopping there is also amazing designer shops around the Via Giuseppe Mazzini area! Hint hint!
Verona is a very clean and beautiful city but like Venice it relies on the tourist industry and is therefore quite expensive. There is an admittance fee for almost every attraction even churches so be prepared and take these into consideration when you're planning your budget. Aside from this though the city has a lot to offer and is well worth a visit! It's easily accessible by train from Florence, Bologna and Venice so if you can't manage a whole weekend here definitely try a day trip from one of the other major cities.
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| Roman Arena in Verona |
The arena as the most prominent feature of Verona captures the focus of every visitor. When we visited in the Summer the queues for entry were pretty lengthy and there was very little shade, however being one of the major sites of the city we felt obliged to visit. We paid 20 euros to enter only to find that on the inside there was pretty much nothing to see. Knowing that we were later going to visit Rome and the Colosseum we left feeling a bit underwhelmed. However, we later found out that the arena was still a fully operable theatre with live shows every evening and with tickets at as little as 25euros per person. As we were only passing through the city we couldn't take advantage of this but did feel a little disappointed as we would have much rather spent a bit more to get the full experience and atmosphere of an outdoor theatre performance in an authentic roman arena. Before you plan your trip to Verona check out http://www.arena.it/arena/en to see what theatre performances will be on during your visit.
2. Make the Walk up to the Amphitheatre!
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| View of the city from the hill. |
Its the perfect spot for a picnic, in fact there were lots of locals there with a bottle of wine just chilling in the sun.
If you want a relaxed afternoon, grab some nibbles and a bottle of Chianti and go soak up the sun and atmosphere at the this peaceful, tranquil spot.
3. Lunch at Il Ciottolo.
We had the most amazing meal at this restaurant just opposite the castle in Verona. Both inside and outside the restaurant has amazing character and was the perfect spot to try out a local dish. The rabbit fettucine was amazing, especially washed down with a good house red. I'm quite particular when it comes to dining, I like to take my time with meals and savour the experience and this restaurant met my needs perfectly. The waitress had the perfect balance with being there just enough but not too much. Would highly recommend this place!
4. Casa di Giulietta
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| Sam hoping for some luck in love! |
5. Verona Card
As previously mentioned this city is quite expensive in regards to admissions into attractions so if you're planning on staying in Verona at least one night then I would say it's well worth purchasing the Verona Card. For 18euros per person for a 24 hour pass you will get access to all the attractions I've mentioned plus more for free or at a reduced rate. In addition you will also get free bus transport within the city. I would always advise to work out whether or not this will be good value of money depending on what you want to do and see.
Check http://www.tourism.verona.it/en/information/travel-your-way/verona-card/discover-the-benefits for benefits and prices.
Most of all just enjoy this city! It's beautiful. Spend at least a couple of hours just wandering around the streets. If you're into shopping there is also amazing designer shops around the Via Giuseppe Mazzini area! Hint hint!
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