Sight guide · Verona · Italy
Visiting 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.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Opera at the Arena is an experience in Piazza Bra and the Arena, Verona. Allow 3–4 hours; it is mid-priced. Book weeks ahead for weekend performances and the most popular operas; the unreserved step seats are the least expensive.
Key facts
- Type
- Experience
- Area
- Piazza Bra and the Arena
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Recommended
- Good for
- after dark, couples and art
- Best months
- September–October and December
About 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. Audiences sit on numbered seats in the stalls or on the unreserved stone steps, and the tradition of lighting small candles on the steps at dusk is part of the experience.
Tip: On the stone steps, rent or bring a cushion, arrive early for a good spot and pack a layer; performances often end after midnight.
Plan your visit
- Time needed: 3–4 hours.
- Cost: Mid-priced.
- Book ahead: Book weeks ahead for weekend performances and the most popular operas; the unreserved step seats are the least expensive.
- Where: Piazza Bra and the Arena, verona's grand main square, café terraces on the Liston and the Roman amphitheatre.
Best time to visit Opera at the Arena
To avoid the biggest crowds, aim for the quietest of the good months:
- December: 6°C (43°F) highs, about 6 rainy days, moderate crowds.
- October: 18°C (64°F) highs, about 7 rainy days, moderate crowds.
- September: 25°C (77°F) highs, about 6 rainy days, busy crowds.
When to visit Verona has the full month-by-month picture.
Fit it into your trip
Our 3-day Verona itinerary visits Opera at the Arena on day 1, together with Arena di Verona, Piazza delle Erbe and Juliet's House.
- No. 2 of the 17 sights in our Verona things-to-do list.
- Day 1 of the 1-day plan.
- Day 1 of the 2-day plan.
Near Opera at the Arena
Also in Piazza Bra and the Arena, so you can walk between them:
- Arena di Verona — 1 hour, low cost
If you like Opera at the Arena
- Ponte Pietra — Veronetta, 15 minutes
- Juliet's Tomb and Fresco Museum — San Francesco al Corso, 45 minutes
Staying near Opera at the Arena
Stay in Piazza Bra and the Arena ($$$$) to walk here: verona's grand main square, café terraces on the Liston and the Roman amphitheatre. All areas to stay in Verona.
Questions travellers ask
+How long do you need at Opera at the Arena?
Plan 3–4 hours. With Arena di Verona nearby, it fits a half-day in Piazza Bra and the Arena.
+Is Opera at the Arena free?
No, it is mid-priced. Booking ahead is advised.
+When is the best time to visit Opera at the Arena?
September–October and December, the quietest of the good months. On the stone steps, rent or bring a cushion, arrive early for a good spot and pack a layer; performances often end after midnight.
+Do I need to book Opera at the Arena in advance?
Book weeks ahead for weekend performances and the most popular operas; the unreserved step seats are the least expensive.