For couples · Verona · Italy
Romantic things to do in Verona
Ideas for a couples' trip, from small moments to a special day out.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
Verona trades heavily on Romeo and Juliet, but its real romance is quieter: sunset over the river from Castel San Pietro, opera under the stars in the Arena and long dinners with Amarone in old-town osterie. Couples tend to stay in Piazza Bra and the Arena.
Key facts
- Romantic ideas
- 6
- Couple-friendly sights
- 6
- Area for couples
- Piazza Bra and the Arena
- Best months
- May–June and September
Romantic ideas
1.Opera under the stars
Watch a summer performance in the Roman Arena, where small candles traditionally flicker on the steps as the music begins.
2.Sunset at Castel San Pietro
Ride the funicular or climb the steps and watch the old town turn gold across the Adige.
3.Juliet's Tomb
Skip the crush at Juliet's House and visit the quiet crypt at San Francesco al Corso, a calmer place to honour the legend.
4.Amarone in Valpolicella
Spend an afternoon tasting at a family estate in the vineyard hills, then dine on risotto all'Amarone.
5.Giardino Giusti
Wander the cypress avenue and climb to the belvedere for a private-feeling view over the city.
6.Ponte Pietra at night
Cross the Roman bridge after dinner, when the river is lit and the old town's towers reflect in the water.
Sights couples love
Experience · Piazza Bra and the Arena
Opera at the Arena
On the stone steps, rent or bring a cushion, arrive early for a good spot and pack a layer; performances often end after midnight.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- After dark
- Couples
- Iconic
- Art
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
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Landmark · Veronetta
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
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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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
Where couples should stay
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, families and couples
Piazza Bra and the Arena
Piazza Bra is the city's largest square, with the Arena on one side and the Liston, a broad marble pavement lined with cafés and restaurants, on the other. The Gran Guardia and the town hall face the gardens, and Via Mazzini leads straight to Piazza delle Erbe. Hotels here put you steps from the opera, and Porta Nuova station is about 15 minutes' walk away.
- Good
- Central and walkable to everything; Easy walk from Porta Nuova station; Lively on opera nights
- Watch out
- Tourist-priced cafés on the Liston; Crowded and noisy on summer evenings
- Nearby
- Arena di Verona, Liston, Via Mazzini, Palazzo della Gran Guardia
Romantic day trips
- Sirmione, Lake Garda (About 40–60 minutes by train and bus) — Sirmione sits on a narrow peninsula jutting into Lake Garda, with the moated Scaliger Castle at its entrance, thermal spas and the ruins of a large Roman villa known as the Grotte di Catullo at its tip.
- Valpolicella (About 20–30 minutes by car) — The hills northwest of Verona produce Amarone, Ripasso and Recioto.
- Venice (About 1 hour 10 minutes by high-speed train) — Fast trains make Venice an easy if full day out: walk from Santa Lucia station through Cannaregio and over the Rialto Bridge to St Mark's Square, then ride a vaporetto back along the Grand Canal.
- Mantua (About 45 minutes by regional train) — The Gonzaga capital is surrounded on three sides by lakes formed by the Mincio river.
- Malcesine and Monte Baldo (About 1.5 hours by bus or car) — On Lake Garda's northeastern shore, Malcesine has a castle above its harbour and a cable car with rotating cabins that climbs Monte Baldo to about 1,750 metres, with hiking trails and views along the length of the lake.
For dinner
Share local specialities such as Risotto all'Amarone, Risotto al tastasal and Bigoli. Ask for wine 'al calice' (by the glass) to try several local wines over one meal.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Verona romantic?
Verona trades heavily on Romeo and Juliet, but its real romance is quieter: sunset over the river from Castel San Pietro, opera under the stars in the Arena and long dinners with Amarone in old-town osterie.
+What is the most romantic thing to do in Verona?
Opera under the stars: Watch a summer performance in the Roman Arena, where small candles traditionally flicker on the steps as the music begins.
+Where should couples stay in Verona?
Piazza Bra and the Arena: Verona's grand main square, café terraces on the Liston and the Roman amphitheatre.