Verona travel blog — The fullest Verona travel guide for first-timers

Verona is known as one of the most popular tourist cities in Italy. Referring to this place, people will immediately remember the play “Rome & Juliet” by writer William Shakespeare. However, this city is not only famous for its romantic love story, but Verona has an extremely charming charm. So, is Verona worth visiting, how to visit Verona, what to do in Verona and how to plan a budget trip to Verona for the first-time perfectly? Let’s check out our Verona travel blog (Verona blog) with the fullest Verona travel guide (guide to Verona, Verona tourist guide, Verona city guide, Verona guide) from how to get to Verona, best places to visit, best time to come, what to eat as well as top things to do in Verona to help you maximize your trip as follows!

Surely many of us know the famous love story about Romeo and Juliet, right? But do you know where this story comes from? Yes, It is from the Italian city of Verona. That is also the reason that people liken Verona as a city of love. Visiting Verona will definitely bring you great experiences.

Overview of Verona: A brief introduction to the city of Verona (#verona travel blog)

Located in the North of Italy, Verona is a famous tourist city, second only to the lovely, romantic city of Venice. Referring to Verona, people often think of the image of an ancient city with time-stamped lime-tiled houses, and also a city of love because this is the hometown of the romantic love story but tearful Romeo & Juliet by the great playwright William Shakespeare.

When it comes to Italy, people often think of the strange leaning tower of Pisa, the green canals flowing through the dreamy city of Venice. But for those who have visited this country, the city of Verona has left in them good emotions. Nestled on the river Adige, Verona is one of the important cities in the Veneto region of Italy.

The historic city of Verona was founded in the 1st century BC and especially developed under the rule of the Scaliger family in the 13th and 14th centuries, then part of the Republic of Venice from the 15th to 18th centuries. Verona has preserved numerous monuments from Antiquity, the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, and represents an outstanding example of a military stronghold. As a result, the city was recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site in 2000.

The city is located along the banks of the Adige River, where the river flows through the Padana Plain, about 30 km east of Lake Garda. The city is 59m above sea level, at the southern end of the Lessini Mountains.

In ancient times, Verona was an important traffic knot in the Italian waterway system. Verona is not only famous for the immortal love story between Romeo and Juliet, but also one of the most attractive tourist cities in Italy. Coming to Verona, you will have the opportunity to see many beautiful ancient architectures and enjoy many delicacy.

The city is famous as a historic center with a multitude of beautiful buildings. Verona is the second largest city in the region after Venice and has a population of over 639,000 (metro area population), covering an area of 140.8 square kilometers. In 89 BC, Verona was a Roman settlement. The city holds an important place in Northern Italy as it lies at the intersection of two important roads.

Received the title of World Cultural Heritage Site in 2000, Verona – the main commercial transit station, the oldest and most beautiful city in Italy – is known as a “Little Rome” because of its similarities with Rome and its importance.

The city of Verona is famous among world travelers for being the place where William Shakespeare set the scene for “Romeo & Juliet”. In addition to the romance story, the city has much more to offer. Verona Italy has a magnificent beauty waiting for you to discover step by step.

Verona has lovely narrow streets. They can be called by the word “shade streets” because the summer here is very hot and when wandering into these narrow streets, it is easy to feel lost in a shady area. Stopping at a coffee shop to sip a cup of Cappuccino and watching the flow of people pass by will help you feel more clearly the beauty of peace in the gentle and poetic Verona painting.

What time of year should you travel to Verona? (#verona blog)

Climate in Verona has two distinct seasons. Winter is very cold and summer is hot. The coldest period of Verona is from December to February next year, the temperature has a clear difference. During the day, the highest temperature is only 15 degrees Celsius, but in the evening it drops to 0 degrees Celsius. In these days, the weather here does not rain, much fog whether morning or evening.

So when is the best time to travel to Verona? According to our Verona travel blog, you should go in spring or in autumn is the best. But you also remember to bring a jacket, warm clothes… to keep warm.

Getting to Verona (#verona travel guide)

Verona is very easy to reach by train (less than 1.5 hours from Milan and just over an hour from Venice). If you want to explore the nearby vineyards or the lakes of Italy, then you should consider renting a car to facilitate your journey. You should ask the hotel staff in advance about the parking area, as parking in the historic downtown area is relatively hard.

How to get around Verona?

Verona is a city with a fairly modern and convenient transportation system. You will have many options to travel in the city such as bus, taxi, bicycle, etc. However, the best way to explore Verona city is to walk or rent a bike to cycling around the city.

Where to go and what to do in Verona? (#verona travel blog)

But Verona also hides many other interesting landmarks and attractions besides Juliet’s beautiful balcony. With narrow winding alleys, deserted, iron balconies winding like silk, windows full of red and purple flowers, or the bridge across the blue Adige River on the hillside planted with cypress trees. In the morning breeze, this ancient and magnificent city is the ideal destination for you to explore the Veneto region, northern Italy or can take a day trip because it is not far from Venice. Therefore, Verona is relatively crowded with tourists coming here to visit, especially in the high season like summer. However, compared to Venice, Verona is still much quieter and deserted.

Some of the city’s main attractions are the Roman amphitheatre (Arena di Verona) located in the heart of the city’s historic center, Giardino Giusti – a garden of caves and fascinating labyrinths, Piazza delle Erbe – The old Roman square, once the meeting place and took place many important events of the city in ancient times, today is an extremely busy and bustling open-air market, especially the fresh fruit market, the Lamberti tower – where you can climb up to see a panoramic view of Verona city, some beautiful old churches and cathedrals like San Zeno Maggiore built in the 12th century with Verona stones, especially sparkling gold, the ancient castle of Castelvecchio, once the residence of the Scala family, is now a museum displaying many valuable antiques such as paintings, statues and many precious jewels. And of course, the house of Juliet cannot be missed.

Juliet’s House (#verona travel blog)

Address: Piazzetta Navona, 37121 Verona VR, Italy
Hours: 9 AM–7 P/Monday: Closed

Located on Via Cappello, Casa di Giulietta is the building believed to be the famous setting in Shakespeare’s play where Juliet talks to Romeo from the balcony. Although it is not clear if this is a true story, this place has contributed an interesting Verona tourist spot.

Shakespeare never really said where Juliet’s house was, but anyone who’s ever watched the play or is a fan of the great playwright knows that he chose Verona as the setting of this romantic love story. By the time the play was premiered, an old building in Italy called Casa di Giulietta was consistently receiving thousands of fan letters because of its appearance that looked exactly like the Romeo and Juliet story, and immediately become a magnet attracting the attention of tourists near and far.

Casa di Giulietta was built in the 12th century, which was owned by the Capello family (akin to the Capuletti family name in the play). In 1667, the Capello family sold the house to another family to make a hotel. In 1907, it was auctioned and bought by the city government to create a museum. It wasn’t until 1936 that city officials really took an interest in the house, when George Cukor made the movie Romeo & Juliet. There was a renewed interest in Shakespeare’s works and the building was restored and remodeled to become a tourist attraction. Even the balcony where the two lovers dated was built in the 1930s.

A very interesting experience that you should not miss when visiting Juliet’s house is to write love messages on a piece of paper and stick it on the wall around the house. It is believed that those who do so will have a happy and lasting love.

In the courtyard of the house, you will see a bronze statue of Juliet with a worn breast. According to experience from tourists, as long as you rub your hand on the right chest of the statue, luck in love will find itself, or you will meet your true lover in life. No one can verify that is true or not, but tourists, young or old, when coming here try to take a photo as a souvenir with this statue, and do not forget to rub the statue’s chest with their hands. Many people have called this the luckiest breast in Europe.

In front of the entrance to Juliet’s house, the two sides of the wall were filled with inscriptions of lovers from all over the world. They signed their names there, drawing different love letters to mark their presence in the house of the beautiful girl who had a tragic love ending.

Juliet’s house is not large, in front of the house is a small yard, close to the wall of vines growing everywhere, next to a statue of Juliet. Tourists take turns in front of the statue to take pictures as a souvenir.

While the house isn’t the actual setting for Romeo and Juliet’s love story, given the city’s government and Shakespeare’s influence, many visitors say they still feel like they’ve been inside. Live in this heartbreaking love story as enter the Casa di Giulietta.

Roman amphitheater (#verona blog)

Address: P.za Bra, 1, 37121 Verona VR, Italy

It is not only Rome that has a Colosseum. There is also a very famous Verona Arena (a Roman amphitheatre) in Verona and is one of the famous places to visit in Verona that you should not miss. This arena is located right in the center of the city. The arena is called Roman Arena. Every year, this arena attracts thousands of tourists to visit.

This is a fairly famous building in Europe – the arena in ancient times. This work was built in the first century (Built in AD 30), with a length of more than 150m, a width of 123m, the exterior is surrounded by white and pink limestone, enough to accommodate more than 30,000 people. This place used to take place the battles of gladiators.

The earthquake in 1117 damaged part of the exterior of the building, and during the Renaissance it was intended to be used as a theater, but it was not until 1913 that the idea became a reality. Today the Roma Arena is home to popular concerts, take places on June, July and August.

People come to the arena because they want to see this great work once in their life or see an art performance, but every step stops for a long time there.

Come here, do not forget to stop by G Mazzini street to buy relief paintings of a ballet girl of a Yugoslav man, fragrant soap bars from small shops as gifts, or stroll on Piazza Bra to watch tourists and locals eat chocolates and freshly baked fruitcakes from the surrounding pasticceria.

Erbe Square (Piazza delle Erbe)

Address: Piazza Delle Erbe, 37121 Verona VR, Italy

Like many other Italian and European cities, Verona owns many beautiful squares. One of the most beautiful and famous squares in Verona that attracts a lot of tourists to visit is the Erbe square whose full name is Piazza Delle Erbe. In ancient times, this square was often used as a meeting place and important events of the city.

The city of Verona has many beautiful, ancient squares. Among them Piazza Delle Erbe is a typical example. Erbe Square is located in the historic center of the city, is the main place of life.

During the Roman Empire, the square served as the main forum for settlement. Many important buildings line the square such as: Torre Lamberti, Palazzo Maffeia and Case dei Giudici.

By day Erbe Square is a bustling market. This place sells a lot of souvenirs (note, the items here are quite expensive and the quality is not good). In the evenings, the square is filled with locals and tourists sipping Campari at open-air cafes.

Right in the middle of the central area of Erbe square is a fountain and a statue of Madonna. This is considered a symbol of the city of Verona.

Verona Cathedral

Address: Piazza Vescovado, 37121 Verona VR, Italy
Hours: 11 AM–5 PM/Saturday: 11 AM–3:30 PM/Sunday: 1:30–5:30 PM

Coming to Verona’s main church, visitors will have the opportunity to admire different architectural styles and discover its long history dating back to the 12th century. As one of the holiest Catholic churches in Verona, Every year, Verona Cathedral (Duomo) attracts thousands of visitors to worship and admire the beautiful architecture of the work.

Stepping inside, discover a row of small chapels, vaulted ceilings, and impressive frescoes and sculptures. Visitors can attend a morning religious service performed by the bishop of Verona or spend time in meditation in one of the chapels. Visitors take the first aisle along the nave to the Capella Nichesola, a small chapel to the left of the church. Once inside, admire a large Renaissance fresco called Assumption of the Virgin by artist Titian.

Basilica of San Zeno Maggiore

Address: Piazza San Zeno, 2, 37123 Verona VR, Italy
Hours: 9 AM–6 PM/Sunday: 1–6 PM

Verona is a city full of beautiful old churches and cathedrals. It will take a lot of time to visit all of these churches. However, there are cathedrals that you should not miss. One of the most famous cathedrals in Verona is the Basilica of San Zeno Maggiore. This is a cathedral that was built in the 12th century. Over hundreds of years of existence, this cathedral has been preserved very intact and retains its inherent ancient beauty.

Also known for the fictional wedding of Romeo and Juliet. Built in the 4th century, but most of the buildings today were built between the 10th and 12th centuries.

Coming to the cathedral, visitors can admire the floor lined with peach and gray tiles. The brass doors, with 48 ornately carved biblical scenes, date from the 11th century. This is also where the tomb of King Pippin of Italy (reigned from 777 – 810).

Castelvecchio

Traveling to Verona without visiting the ancient castles here is a pity. One of the most famous ancient castles in Verona is the Castle of Castelvecchio. This castle was formerly the residence of the Scaliger family – the lord ruled Verona at that time. The castle was designed in the old medieval architecture and this was also the residence of the Scala family at that time.

Today, the castle Castelvecchio has turned into a museum displaying many valuable items such as sculptures, paintings or precious antique jewelry.

Giardino Giusti

Address: Via Giardino Giusti, 2, 37129 Verona VR, Italy
Hours: 10 AM–6 PM

Giardino Giusti Garden is located within the grounds of the palace of the same name on the east bank of the river Adige. Inspired by the Renaissance style, the garden is like a breeze in contrast to the modern architecture growing around.

The Garden split into 8 different squares, each with a different design and fountain. The trees here are carefully cared for and shaped. The rows of green trees, spectacular stone statues, mysterious labyrinths. Giardino Giusti Garden is an ideal resting place for those who want to feel green space and peaceful atmosphere.

Well of Love

I was especially impressed by the Well of Love located at the end of the street. It’s quiet, but I’m sure an endless number of lovers have come here, as evidenced by the countless number of locks with names written on them hooked into the well. Many couples come here without preparing the lock in advance, but instead, they write their names on coins, on pieces of paper and drop them to fill up the well…

In addition attractions above, you also visit the Lamberti tower which is the symbol of Verona, Piazza Bra or Piazza Dante, The gate of Arco dei Gavi…

Day trips from Verona

However, if you are wondering how much time to spend in Verona – 1 or 2 days, I recommend you to spend 1 day in Verona –  The ancient and romantic place mixed with the love story ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and the last day go to Lake Garda – to discover the beauty of Italy’s largest lake

The ancient and beautiful city is the ideal destination for you to explore the Veneto region, northern Italy, or can take a day trip as it is not far from the romantic city of Venice.

What to eat?

The cuisine in Verona is extremely rich, especially the dish made from horse meat – a specialty of Verona.

Especially if you are a wine lover, Verona is located in the famous Valpolicella wine region and you will have the opportunity to sample different flavors in restaurants around the city, or spend a day exploring wineries in the region.

Verona cuisine is also extremely rich, especially the dish made from horse meat – a specialty of Verona. However, if you are not used to eating strange foods, you should skip those that have words like “caval” or “cavallo”. In addition, Verona has a lot of delicious cakes and ice cream for you to choose from.

Pandoro: A traditional cake sprinkled with powdered sugar and refrigerated, popular at Christmas and New Year, visitors when traveling to Italy will want to enjoy the unique taste of this cake.

Tortelli di zucca: Pasta sliced into thin slices, served with pumpkin, mustard, cheese, nutmeg, golden butter, and sage leaves.

Tortellini di Valeggio: Pasta stuffed inside a mixture of meat, vegetables, bread and wine, served with beef broth.

Verona’s wines: The regions surrounding Verona are home to some of the world’s most popular wines, the most famous of which are the Valpolicella and Bardolina regions.

In order to get a culinary experience like the Italian in Verona, perhaps not more perfect than a breakfast at Caffe Borsari (Address: Corso Porta Borsari, 15 D, 37121 Verona VR, Italy/Hours: 7:30 AM–7 PM), where you can enjoy a cake and sip a smooth cappuccino cup with milk, under the tiny flower rigs on the door frame.

Or a dinner at Osteria Caffè Monte Baldo (Address: Via Rosa, 12, 37121 Verona VR, Italy/Hours: 10:30 AM–3 PM, 5:30–11:30 PM/Tuesday: Closed), with fresh shellfish mixed with minced pork and herbs, stuffed in green shells as big as three fingers, fried eggplant polpette and Mortadella covered with bread, served with yellow polenta made from freshly pureed corn mixed butter and spices that refer to the Italians know, both fragrant and firm, sipping with white wine is great.

But sometimes you do not need to go to a luxurious restaurant, you can sit down on the foot of the bridge in the sunny sun and eat a very Italian lunch, just a round bread that bought at the food counter Along the road or a piece of pizza wrapped in brown paper, the edge of the cake is crispy but the middle is soft and flexible thanks to the fresh cheese layer covered with red pepperoni pieces and thin sliced olives.

Where to stay?

Below we recommend more best budget, mid-range and upscale hotels with good ratings and reviews you can refer to.

• Hotel Milano & SPA (Agoda, Booking)
• Verona – Hotel Giulietta E Romeo (Agoda, Booking)
• Hotel Firenze (Agoda, Booking)
• Novo Hotel Rossi (Agoda, Booking)
• Hotel Accademia (Agoda, Booking)
• Hotel Leopardi (Agoda, Booking)
• Hotel San Marco Fitness Pool & Spa (Agoda, Booking)
• Hotel Porta Palio (Agoda, Booking)

Check out more top and best hotels in Verona on Agoda.com or Booking.com

Tips before you go

• Many attractions and restaurants in Verona are usually closed on Monday, while most of the attractions and museums are entering the free door on the first Sunday of each month.
• Verona is a small city and often promotes social rules. You should greet the locals as well as the shop owners with smiles always on the lips, thanks and say goodbye before leaving.
• Piazza Delle Erbe is the most famous square in Verona for its spectacular and splendid appearance. However, most items sold in the outdoor market here are often of poor quality at heaven price. If this is your first destination when you arrive in Verona, then note that you can find better items elsewhere.

Coming to Verona, we only know this is not only a city of love, not only the city of art and also the city of peace. Every year attracts a lot of tourists but Verona still retains its old identities. Time goes on and the human life is more hustle, but this city is still peaceful and charming, perhaps because Verona has brought the taciturn of the past.

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in, from and to Verona you can refer to

• Verona Arena Fast Track Tour in Verona
• Verona Walking Tour
• Gardaland Amusement Park Ticket in Verona
• Verona Card Pass
• Hop-On Hop-Off City Sightseeing Bus Tour in Verona
• Verona: Verona Card with Arena Priority Entrance
• Verona from Above: Lamberti Tower Entry
• Verona: History and Hidden Gems Walking Tour
• From Verona: Sirmione and Lake Garda Small Group Tour
• From Verona: Amarone Wine Trail Tour
• Verona: 2.5-Hour Guided City Walking Tour
• Gardaland: Sea Life and Gardaland Park Skip-the-Line Ticket
• Verona: Hop-on Hop-off Tour 24 or 48-Hour Ticket
• Verona Full-Day Tour from Lake Garda
• Verona & Lake Garda Day Trip from Milan

Are you looking for more top things to do in Verona: Tours, activities, attractions and other things? Let’s check it out at here. And all Italy guide here.