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Things to Do in Verona: Verona Hotels travel guide on the best things to do in Verona. We’ve got all the best attractions listed with reviews. Have a look below for more details on Verona Attractions, restaurants, nightlife, bars, clubs, events and shopping.
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Top things to do and Attractions in Verona:
Before you visit Verona, please read this – vacations in Italy and in the Verona region are always a rewarding experience, but one key that could significantly affect your stay is knowing when to go.
From April to June, the weather hovers around the mid-70s, the humidity is mild, and the tourist crowds of summer have yet to descend. Since most tourists travel to Italy during the summer months, it is up to your discretion whether you want to fight them for space on the trains and in the hotels and popular attractions.
Verona Hotels - Roman Amphitheatre, Verona
This is especially important if your travel to Italy includes stops in the larger cities such as Rome or Venice, where the huge crowds that exist year-round swell to ridiculous proportions. If you can, try to avoid taking vacations in Italy during August, when many Italians take their own vacations.
This is why we recommend Verona as a destination to visit which gives you the best of both worlds.
You will find a surprising amount of hotels, restaurants and shops to be closed down for an extended period of time. And cheap travel to Rome or Venice during is a near impossibility during the summer but in Verona it’s a bargain.
But if you prefer to enjoy your travels with an assembly of your fellow countrymen, visit Italy during the months of July and August – there will be more in Verona now, but it’s still fine. Assuming you don”t mind the temperature climbing well into the 80s.
A large majority of Italy vacation packages are available year-round, though a few carriers will not offer any during the off-season. Although Christmas is an aberration, as you will find millions of people who want to spend their holiday vacations in Italy.
If you are looking for cheap travel to Italy, try to stick to trips between January and March when airfares dip significantly in price. But beware of the weather, the winters in Italy are surprisingly cold, complete with freezing rain and snow during the early months.
Even as far south as Naples, the temperature rarely rises about 50 degrees during the winter. Cheap travel to Italy is also available for discount shoppers during the shoulder months of April to June, or in mid-autumn, and the weather is mild and pleasant during these windows of opportunity.
Though invariably friendly already, smaller towns in Italy are often more welcoming of visitors in the off-season, especially in somewhere like Verona. You will be waited on more closely and more likely to be engaged in lively conversation.
Our hitlist of the best of Verona:
Verona Hotels - getting to and from and around once there
To save money whilst enjoying the most popular and important attractions the city has to offer, instead of paying for a single entrance fee, ask to get the Verona Card (Verona Card) for either one day (10.00€) or three days (15.00€).
The card will allow access to the 14 most important attractions of the city, including the Amphitheatre, the Roman Theatre, Juliet’s House and some of the most important churches of Verona. The Verona Card also allows access to the local public transport (ATV buses).
Verona was a Roman city, and many Roman ruins have been preserved, notably the Arena. Most of the historical sights to see today date from the past 800 years. If you are keen on art history, Verona offers a golden opportunity to see the transition of Western European art from late medieval to early renaissance styles, with its rich offering of 12-Century churches and art museums. Verona’s military importance has also left city fortifications and an excellent castle.
Look out for architectural details related to the Scaligeri (or della Scala) family, who ruled the city from the 12th-14th Century – their family emblem is a ladder, and appears in many places around the city (scala is Italian for ‘ladder’).
The Arena,. An enormous, spectacular Roman amphitheatre, crumbling on the outside but still functioning today. It was erected in the 1st Century AD in an elliptical shape, and is the world’s third-largest amphitheatre to survive from antiquity. Much of the outer ring was damaged during the earthquake of 1117 but the inner part is still intact. If you can, plan your trip during the Opera season and see a performance in the Arena. Ouside the opera season you can visit it during the day.
Juliet’s House and Balcony
Juliet’s House (Casa di Giulietta), Via Cappello, just off the Piazza delle Erbe. Supposedly the location of the famous balcony love scene from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The house is a major destination for tourist pilgrimage, as the tiny courtyard is normally packed with lovestruck teenagers photographing each other on the famous balcony. In fact, the house has no connection with Shakespeare’s fictional characters – although the house is old, the balcony was added in 1936 and declared to be “Juliet’s house” to attract tourists. You can visit the house itself (€4 entry) – it contains a sparse collection of Renaissance frescos rescued from other demolished palaces, and the bed from Zeffirelli’s 1968 movie, but not a lot more.
The balcony overlooks a tiny courtyard containing a statue of Juliet. There is an unbelievable amount of graffiti and general scrawling on the walls, floor, seats, anything that will hold ink – there is a tradition of writing love messages to Juliet, and visitors leave notes, trinkets and bits of chewing gum fashioned into love hearts. Juliet’s house is a popular romantic shrine, but its popularity belies its value; compared to some of the treasures around Verona, Juliet’s house has very little to offer.
Roman amphitheatre (Teatro Romano), across the river on the hill, in the north-east of the city.
Castle Scaligeri.
Castelvecchio. A 14th-century, red brick, fortified castle on the banks of the river Aldige. The main castle buildings house the city art museum which is packed with a rich collection of medieval sculpture and Renaissance paintings. As well as the museum, the extensive castle ramparts are great for exploring – ideal for families with children who enjoy running around castle fortifications. The Castelvecchio has an adjoining bridge over the river which is open all the time – walk over the bridge for some fantastic views of the castle on the river.
Piazza delle Erbe. Home of the Forum in Roman times this is still a focal point of the city. Contains the ‘Britney Verona’ fountain, 14th century ‘Gardello Tower’, and a market that, while picturesque, seems to have become another tourist cliche during its recent refurbishment.
Lamberti Tower (Torre Lamberti) – completed in 1463, this is the tallest of Verona’s towers. The unmistakable clock tower looms over the Piazza delle Erbe, and you enter via the palace courtyard. Although there are 238 steps to the top, there is a lift! Views from the top are breathtaking.
Porta Borsari. The remains of a Roman gate, dates to at least the 2nd Century AD, but is almost certainly older.
Giardino Giusti. One of Italy’s most important renaissance/mannerist gardens, with grottos, fire-breathing masks carved into the hillside etc.
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Verona Cathedral. (Duomo) was built to replace an 8th-century church which was destroyed in the earthquake of 1117. Consecrated in 1187, the church features an ornate marble Romanesque façade by the Veronese architect Nicolò; its pillars are supported by two griffins. Stone reliefs around the door include Biblical scenes. The smaller side door is also worth a look – medieval carvings include Jonah being swallowed by a whale. Inside, the nave has many Gothic alterations, and oil paintings arond the side chapels include an Assumption by Titan. The Romanesque baptistery adjoining the chapel of Sant’Elena is preserved, with its exquisite marble font and collection of medieval paintings.
San Giorgetta. A tiny chapel immediately next to San’Anastasia. Easily overlooked, this church s richly decorated with early Renaissance frescoes depicting the walled garden of the Virgin Mary.
San Zeno Maggiore
Basilica of St Zeno (San Zeno Maggiore), located slightly outside the centre. A 10-15 minute walk from the Castellvecchio, but well worth the walk, as it is possibly the richest in devotional artwork and historical preservation in Verona. The church is dedicated to Verona’s patron saint, Zeno, a 4th-century North African and a keen fisherman who was ordained Bishop of Verona in 363. Zeno’s tomb lies in an atmospheric shrine in the church undercroft, and he is also commemorated with a grinning medieval statue of Zeno in full episcopal robes, dangling a golden fish on the end of a fishing rod.
The entrance to the church is graced with a ornate Romanesque façade by Nicolò; like the cathedral, this church was erected after the earthquake of 1117. The church itself was a centre of European pilgrimage for centuries; pilgrims were greeted by huge 10-metre frescoes of St Peter, patron saint of pilgrims.
Visitors across the centuries have left their mark – pilgrims happily inscribed graffiti in the frescos, and signatures dating from 1390 survive to this day. There is also graffiti left by the invading Austrians in 1865.
Other significant churches include: Sant’ Anastasia, San Lorenzo Maggiore and San Fermo Maggiore
Castell San Pietro (St Peter’s Castle), across the Ponte Pietra (Peter Bridge). Climb the steps up the hill above the Roman Amphitheatre to the Castell San Pietro. This former Austrian barracks dates back to the Austrian occupation of the left bank, and while the building is not open to the public, the views from the hill over Verona are spectacular. Go up in the early evening and enjoy a romantic sunset for free!
Roman Theatre. Where theatre performances still take place. It is also the seat of the Archeological Museum.
Juliet’s Tomb, at the Capuccin Church, which also houses the Antonian Fresco Museum.
Best things to do once in Verona:
Verona Hotels - getting to and from and around once there
Climb to the top of the tower (or take the lift if you are unable). Great views out over Verona.
Shop till you drop on Verona’s golden mile.
Take the Bus 41 for having a breathtaking view from S. Maria di Lourdes Sanctuary, placed on the edge of Verona’s highest hill.
Eat gelato in one of Piazza Bra’s many bars.
Wander around Carega block (just ask for ‘Carega’, close to the Duomo), near Garibaldi Bridge, and experience traditional wine bar and cosy restaurants.
Take a short walk to Castel San Pietro for a great lookout on the town center.
Hire a tourist guide for a guided sightseeing tour or a wine tour in Valpolicella or Soave:
If you are the kind of person that prefer to find your way through the city on your own instead of being guided consider the Verona edition of whaiwhai, [7]. , a series of guidebooks that turn visits to Verona into intriguing treasure hunts.
Shopping in Verona:
Via Mazzini is Verona’s golden mile of shopping, taking you between Piazza Bra and Piazza delle Erbe. Most of the major Italian labels are represented, and even if you can’t afford them it’s great to wander and window shop.
Corso Porta Borsari is another elegant shopping street in Verona. There are very nice shop, like Lo Scrittorio, an old fashioned shop selling papery and elegant pens and pencils.
Corso Santa Anastasia, This street is the centre of antiques shops’ zone. Narrow streets where you can find authentic masterpieces.
Great places to eat – restaurants and dining in Verona, Italy:
Verona Hotels - Restaurants and Dining in Verona, Italy
The Veronese are keen eaters of horse-meat (cavallo), a local speciality. Pastisada de caval, is a dish of braised horse meat, as is Picula de Caval.
Pizza is not traditionally eaten locally, but pasta dishes feature widely on restaurant menus. Try Pizzocheri (buckwheat pasta with cheese and sage), casoncelli (a type of ravioli) or bigoli (thick spaghetti).
Casoela is a pork casserole, and a bollito misto is a mixture of boiled meats, usually served with mostarda, a traditional accompaniment of fruit and vegetables in mustard.
The Armoured Car (Leonardo’s, not Mussolini’s) is a charmingly atmospheric and good value restaurant/wine bar in the ‘ancient canteen’ style with shared tables and paper place mats. Food is authentically Veronan but unpretentious. There is an enormous, equally good value wine list, which can however rise to meet all budgets.
‘Cat Alley’ is not entirely easy to find. Best to face the (nominal) west front of S. Anastasia on via Massalongo and then turn right towards v. Trotta. Vicolo Gatto is a few tens of yards down on the left. There is also an entrance on Via Massalongo itself.
Opera goers should note the late opening times. Highly recommended, but it helps if you can speak Italian. Not that they’re stuck up about trying to understand one, they’re not Venetians after all.
Al’ Duomo, Via Duomo 7, tel: 045 800 4505. Excellent family-run restaurant, just next to the Cathedral ((as its name suggests). It’s popular with the local Veronese (a good sign) and with a menu full of traditional local specialities. You’ll find this is a good place to blend in with the local scene, and has welcoming staff who will help you with unfamiliar items on the menu. On Wednesdays, Al’ Duomo plays host to a local mandolin ensemble, so if you’re on a traditional music tour, put this on your list. As it’s a popular place, booking is advised. Menus are not overpriced, so for about €15-20 a head (plus wine) you’ll come away glowing with gastronomic satisfaction.
Bars, Clubs and Nightlife in Verona:
Verona Hotels - bars, clubs and nightlife in Verona
Avoid the hordes of tourists in Piazza Bra and head to Piazza delle Erbe. At least slightly more genuine, this Piazza has a number of good bars where you can sit and enjoy a coffee or aperitivo in the sun. Great for your coffee in the morning and your drinks into the evening.
Caffè delle Erbe, Piazza delle Erbe. Great coffee and brioche.
Rain, Via Stella 13A. Be sure to check out Verona’s newest wine bar and jazz club. Located in the heart of Verona, this bar provides a great atmosphere to enjoy a glass of wine, nibble on some food, and listen to great music. The owners, brothers Giuseppe and Riccardo Zambelli Rain, provide visitors the warmth that one expects in Italy. Giuseppe (you can call him Joe) is fluent in English. Ask for him if you have any questions about the area.
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