Travel guide · Italy
Verona travel guide
A Roman arena, Romeo and Juliet lore and the gateway to Lake Garda
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Verona sits in a loop of the Adige river between Venice and Lake Garda, and its compact, UNESCO-listed centre layers a 1st-century Roman arena, medieval squares built by the della Scala lords and Renaissance palazzi. Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet made it famous, but the summer opera festival in the Arena, the Valpolicella and Soave vineyards on its doorstep and Lake Garda about 30 km west make it far more than a quick stop. Plan 3 days for a first visit; the best months are May–June and September.
Key facts
- Country
- Italy
- Best time to visit
- May–June and September
- Ideal stay
- 3 days
- Main airports
- VRN, VCE, BGY
- Mid-range daily budget
- $150–$270 per person (estimate)
- Known for
- Arena di Verona, Opera festival, Romeo and Juliet and Amarone wine
Why visit Verona
- The Arena, a Roman amphitheatre from around 30 AD, still hosts a summer opera festival under the stars.
- Piazza delle Erbe, Piazza dei Signori and the Scaliger Tombs pack medieval Verona into a few minutes' walk.
- Valpolicella's Amarone estates and Soave's white-wine hills are 20–30 minutes from the centre.
- Lake Garda towns such as Sirmione and Peschiera are within an hour by train or bus.
- Fast trains to Venice, Milan and Bologna make Verona an easy base for northern Italy.
Top things to do
The six sights most first-time visitors build a trip around. See all 17 things to do.
Historic site · Piazza Bra and the Arena
Arena di Verona
Built around 30 AD, the Arena is one of the best-preserved Roman amphitheatres, with its pinkish limestone tiers almost intact, although most of the outer ring fell in an earthquake in 1117.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Kids
- Architecture
- Photo spot
Experience · Piazza Bra and the Arena
Opera at the Arena
The Arena di Verona Opera Festival, held since 1913, stages large-scale productions of operas such as Aida, Carmen and Nabucco on summer evenings.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- After dark
- Couples
- Iconic
- Art
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Landmark · Città Antica (Piazza delle Erbe)
Piazza delle Erbe
Built on the site of the Roman forum, Verona's old market square is ringed by the frescoed Mazzanti houses, the Baroque Palazzo Maffei and the Casa dei Mercanti, with the Madonna Verona fountain, crowned by a Roman statue, in the centre.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Food
- After dark
- Photo spot
Historic site · Città Antica (Piazza delle Erbe)
Juliet's House
This medieval house on Via Cappello, once owned by the Dal Cappello family whose name resembles Capulet, has been promoted as Juliet's home since the 20th century, when the famous balcony was added.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Couples
- Photo spot
Viewpoint · Città Antica (Piazza delle Erbe)
Torre dei Lamberti
Rising about 84 metres above Piazza delle Erbe, this medieval tower was begun in the 12th century and topped with an octagonal belfry in the 15th.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Photo spot
- History
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Historic site · Città Antica (Piazza delle Erbe)
Piazza dei Signori and the Scaliger Tombs
Just behind Piazza delle Erbe, the quieter Piazza dei Signori was the seat of Verona's rulers, with a statue of Dante, who was sheltered here in exile, the Renaissance Loggia del Consiglio and the Palazzo della Ragione with its outdoor Scala della Ragione staircase.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Free
- Art
Where to stay
Piazza Bra and the Arena is the easiest base for a first visit. Compare all 7 areas.
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, families and couples
Piazza Bra and the Arena
Verona's grand main square, café terraces on the Liston and the Roman amphitheatre
$$$$ · Best for couples, culture, food lovers and luxury
Città Antica (Piazza delle Erbe)
Medieval squares, frescoed houses and wine bars inside the river bend
$$ · Best for budget, solo travellers, nightlife and culture
Veronetta
University district across the river with student bars and the Giardino Giusti
$$ · Best for quiet stays, budget and food lovers
San Zeno
Residential quarter around the Romanesque basilica west of Castelvecchio
What to eat
- Risotto all'Amarone — Risotto made with Vialone Nano rice from the Veronese plain, cooked with Amarone della Valpolicella and finished with butter and Monte Veronese or Parmigiano, turning a deep purple-red.
- Risotto al tastasal — A risotto of Vialone Nano rice with seasoned minced pork (tastasal), originally made by pork butchers tasting the salt in their sausage mix.
- Bigoli — Thick, rough-textured spaghetti traditionally pressed through a bronze die; in Verona they are served with duck ragù (bigoli all'anatra) or with a sauce of anchovies and slow-cooked onions.
- Pastissada de caval — Verona's signature stew of horse meat marinated and slowly braised in red wine with spices, traditionally served with soft polenta or gnocchi.
- Lesso e pearà — Boiled meats such as beef, tongue and cotechino served with pearà, a peppery sauce of breadcrumbs, beef marrow and broth that is particular to Verona; it is a winter and holiday dish.
- Potato gnocchi — Potato gnocchi are a Verona institution, eaten with butter and sage, tomato or pastissada.
When to go
The best months for Verona are May, June and September, when the weather is warm, the opera festival is running from mid-June and the vineyards are green or being harvested. July and August are hot and crowded but bring the full opera season; April is lovely, though hotel prices spike during Vinitaly. Winter is cold and quiet, brightened by Christmas markets in December.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | March–May | Mild weather, blossom around Lake Garda and quieter streets; Easter and Vinitaly fill hotels in April. |
| Summer | June–August | The opera festival in the Arena, long evenings and lake days, with heat, high prices and the biggest crowds. |
| Autumn | September–November | Grape harvest in Valpolicella and Soave, rice festivals and mild days, turning damp and grey by November. |
| Winter | December–February | Cold and foggy, but Christmas markets, the illuminated star in Piazza Bra and Valentine's events in February add atmosphere. |
Getting there and around
Verona Villafranca Airport (VRN) is about 12 km southwest of the centre; the ATV Aerobus shuttle reaches Porta Nuova station in about 15–20 minutes, and a taxi takes about 20 minutes. Many visitors fly into Venice, Bergamo or Milan and continue by train.
Verona's centre fits inside a bend of the Adige and is best explored on foot: Piazza Bra to Ponte Pietra is about 15 minutes. ATV buses link Porta Nuova station, the airport and outlying districts, and much of the old town is a limited-traffic zone.
Plan your days
Two days covers the Arena, the old-town squares, Castelvecchio, San Zeno and the view from Castel San Pietro, plus an evening at the opera in summer. A third day adds Valpolicella or Lake Garda; with longer, take day trips to Venice, Vicenza, Padua or Mantua.
Practical information
- Currency
- EUR
- Language
- Italian
- Plugs
- Type C, F and L sockets, 230 V, 50 Hz
- Tap water
- Tap water is safe to drink; ask for 'acqua del rubinetto' in restaurants if you do not want bottled water.
- Emergency number
- 112 (European emergency number)
- Tipping
- Tipping is not expected and a coperto is often charged; rounding up or leaving a few euros for good service is appreciated.
Pickpockets work the crowds at Juliet's House, Piazza delle Erbe and around Porta Nuova station, so keep bags closed. Summer heat on the Arena's stone tiers can be intense during afternoon visits.
Flights to Verona
Questions travellers ask
+How many days do you need in Verona?
Two days covers the Arena, the old-town squares, Castelvecchio, San Zeno and the view from Castel San Pietro, plus an evening at the opera in summer. A third day adds Valpolicella or Lake Garda; with longer, take day trips to Venice, Vicenza, Padua or Mantua. How to split your days.
+When is the best time to visit Verona?
The best months for Verona are May, June and September, when the weather is warm, the opera festival is running from mid-June and the vineyards are green or being harvested. July and August are hot and crowded but bring the full opera season; April is lovely, though hotel prices spike during Vinitaly. Winter is cold and quiet, brightened by Christmas markets in December.
+What is Verona known for?
Arena di Verona, Opera festival, Romeo and Juliet, Amarone wine, Piazza delle Erbe, Gateway to Lake Garda and Pandoro. The Arena, a Roman amphitheatre from around 30 AD, still hosts a summer opera festival under the stars.
+Is Verona expensive?
Verona is moderately priced for international visitors: a mid-range trip costs roughly $150–$270 per person per day before flights (AMZBooking estimate). Costs and money-saving tips.
+Do you need a car in Verona?
Not for the city, where the old town is a limited-traffic zone with camera-enforced fines. A car helps for Valpolicella wineries and the smaller Lake Garda villages; trains and buses cover the main day trips.