Free things to do · Verona · Italy
5 free things to do in Verona
Verona without the ticket prices: sights, walks and views that cost nothing.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Oliver Twentyman, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
You can fill at least 2 days in Verona without paying an entry fee: Piazza delle Erbe, Piazza dei Signori and the Scaliger Tombs, Ponte Pietra and Castel San Pietro viewpoint are all free. The Verona Card pays off if you visit the Arena, Castelvecchio, the Torre dei Lamberti and a couple of churches in a day.
Key facts
- Free sights in this guide
- 5
- Low-cost extras
- 10
- Cost level
- Moderately priced
- Lowest hotel prices
- January and November
Free sights and experiences
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Landmark · Città Antica (Piazza delle Erbe)
1.Piazza delle Erbe
For aperitivo, sit at one of the cafés on the square's edges and order a spritz or a glass of Soave as the light fades.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Food
- After dark
- Photo spot
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Historic site · Città Antica (Piazza delle Erbe)
2.Piazza dei Signori and the Scaliger Tombs
Look at the wrought-iron fence around the Scaliger Tombs: it is decorated with ladders, the family emblem ('scala' means ladder).
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Free
- Art
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Landmark · Veronetta
3.Ponte Pietra
Cross at dusk and look back towards the cathedral's bell tower as the lights of the old town come on.
- Time needed
- 15 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Photo spot
- Couples
- After dark
Viewpoint · Veronetta
4.Castel San Pietro viewpoint
Come for sunset, when the old town turns gold, and walk down by the steps for changing views.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Views
- Free
- Couples
- Photo spot
- Kids
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Historic site · Città Antica (Piazza delle Erbe)
5.Porta Borsari
Continue beyond the gate along Corso Cavour, lined with Renaissance palazzi, on your way to Castelvecchio.
- Time needed
- 15 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Free
- Architecture
Free sights by area
| Area | Free sights | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Città Antica (Piazza delle Erbe) | Piazza delle Erbe, Piazza dei Signori and the Scaliger Tombs and Porta Borsari | 45 minutes + 45 minutes + 15 minutes |
| Veronetta | Ponte Pietra and Castel San Pietro viewpoint | 15 minutes + 1 hour |
Worth a small ticket
Historic site · Piazza Bra and the Arena
Arena di Verona
Climb to the top tiers for a view over Piazza Bra and the rooftops; daytime access can be reduced on opera days while sets are prepared.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Kids
- Architecture
- Photo spot
Historic site · Città Antica (Piazza delle Erbe)
Juliet's House
Come early or late in the day to see the courtyard without a dense crowd; writing on the walls or leaving padlocks is banned.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Couples
- Photo spot
Viewpoint · Città Antica (Piazza delle Erbe)
Torre dei Lamberti
Go late in the afternoon for warm light over the terracotta roofs.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Photo spot
- History
Castle · Castelvecchio
Castelvecchio and Ponte Scaligero
Walk across the Ponte Scaligero, rebuilt after it was blown up in 1945, for the best views of the castle's swallowtail battlements.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
- Kids
- Architecture
Historic site · Veronetta
Roman Theatre and Archaeological Museum
Combine it with the funicular up to Castel San Pietro, which starts from the same street.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Views
- Art
Religious site · San Zeno
Basilica of San Zeno Maggiore
A combined ticket covers San Zeno, Sant'Anastasia, the Duomo and San Fermo if you plan to visit several churches.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Art
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Religious site · Città Antica (Piazza delle Erbe)
Verona Cathedral
The cathedral sits in a quiet corner of the river bend; continue to Ponte Pietra, a couple of minutes away.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Religious site · Città Antica (Piazza delle Erbe)
Sant'Anastasia
Use your phone's zoom for Pisanello's fresco, which is high above the chapel arch.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
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Garden · Veronetta
Giardino Giusti
Let children loose in the maze, then climb to the belvedere for one of the quietest views in Verona.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Couples
- Kids
- Views
- Outdoors
- Off the beaten path
Museum · San Francesco al Corso
Juliet's Tomb and Fresco Museum
It is far quieter than Juliet's House and makes a more reflective stop for couples.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Couples
- Art
- Off the beaten path
- Rainy day
More ways to save
- The Verona Card pays off if you visit the Arena, Castelvecchio, the Torre dei Lamberti and a couple of churches in a day.
- Unreserved stone-step seats at the Arena cost a fraction of the stalls and still show off the scale of the staging.
- Avoid Vinitaly week in April and big opera nights for better hotel rates, or stay in Vicenza or on Lake Garda and commute by train.
- Eat in Veronetta or San Zeno rather than on the Liston, where prices reflect the Arena view.
- Many of Verona's best moments are free: Ponte Pietra, the walk up to Castel San Pietro, Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza dei Signori.
- Regional trains to Lake Garda, Vicenza and Mantua are inexpensive and need no advance booking.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Verona expensive to visit?
Verona is moderately priced for most visitors, but 5 of its best-known sights are free, which makes a tight budget workable.
+What is the best free thing to do in Verona?
Piazza delle Erbe: For aperitivo, sit at one of the cafés on the square's edges and order a spritz or a glass of Soave as the light fades.