Most people think that Verona isn’t a popular city in Italy. But when I first visited it I realized that it is one of the most beautiful and interesting cities in Italy.
Mostly known to tourists from Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet, there’s way more to do in the city than visiting Juliet’s house. While you can see Verona on a day trip from Venice or Milan and most tourists do so, I highly recommend spending at least one night as it’s much quieter and local than nearby big cities.
To feel real local life we took a little apartment. But there was one negative side- it was far from the city center. But in that apartment, we felt for two days real local Italian life and were happy with our choice.
Now I’ll share with you some tips for Verona😊
1. Choosing the best time to go to Verona depends on whether you want to experience heat or co
ld. Verona gets very hot during the summer (up to +40 C) while winters are moderate as the city doesn’t really get snow (down to +5 C). I was there in July and the weather was okay, not too much hot. It was good because we could walk around the city and see places.
2. Where to stay? You choose an apartment or a hotel. We chose an apartment as I said. But there are plenty of good hotels in the city center near historic places. But I recommend taking an apartment. But be ready, prices in the city center are different and more expensive. That’s why we took one far from it.
3. You might not be aware but Verona is famous for gnocchi. They have been around for five centuries as a significant part of the Verona carnival. However, you can eat more than just gnocchi in Verona. There is also risotto all Amarone (with red wine), bigoli (thick spaghetti) and in this region, a horse meat stew is very common.
4. One of the things I found most interesting to learn during our day with Virginia and Sara is that Verona isn’t only the city of Romeo and Juliet. It is also the city of marble. Verona marble, Marmo Rosso di Verona, has been used since Roman times for its elegance and quality and is still used for buildings today. Naturally, it makes sense that the biggest global event for the natural stone industry would be in Verona. I just note this to be mindful of the dates and for that extra little history lesson.
5. Coming to Verona you can buy a Verona card. By buying it, you will have access to all museums and you will see all of them on the card. The card can be purchased for 24 hours or for 48 hours. ( 20 and 25 euro) . It can be bought online or in hotels.
6. One more interesting thing that you can get is a card for all churches in Verona. We got it from our guide that we took to the city. On the card are places all churches of the city and you can visit them for free. Visiting each church, they make their own sign on the card and you click each of them. It is very interesting!
7. Like many people I also thought that the only love story in Verona is Juliette’s and Romeo’s but it isn’t so. There is one church that is associated with one more couple, and they were even before Juliette and Romeo. So the real love story comes from them. Only a few people know about this story and about this little church.
8. In every church of Verona there are crypts where you can have access. It is very interesting to visit them and have a new experience and you feel the real atmosphere of those times.
9. Veronetta- This is the “other Verona”, the right bank of the Adige, across from the historic center. For us, it is the authentic part of the city, popular with the big student population for its cheap street food, pubs, and late-night bars. Walk across any of the Adige bridges and the crowds disappear, though there is still plenty to see: the Roman theatre, overlooking the river, and adjoining archaeological museum explain how much ancient history is still waiting to be excavated.
10. The classic drink all around the Veneto for aperitivo is the Spritz: a shot of liquor like Aperol or Campari with prosecco and club soda. The combination is refreshing and surprisingly strong.
11. The region around Verona produces some of the best wines in all of Italy. Be sure to taste Amarone, the luxurious wine made of raisins instead of grapes, which was once reserved for royalty. Other areas famous for producing wine include Bardolino and Valpolicella; you’ll find wine from these regions all around the city.
12. The heart of local life in Verona, where vendors sell vegetables and fruits by day and young people bring the party by night. It’s surrounded by lovely medieval and Renaissance architecture and there is an arch called Arco della Costa, with a real hanging whale rib. The legend goes that this bone will fall on the first person to pass who has never told a lie, so the excessively virtuous might want to keep an eye out.
13. The range of eating options in Verona will be more authentic and at lower prices, than anywhere you’ll find in Venice. Away from the touristy hotspots, you’ll find a huge range of options for eating well on a budget, with local people and students.
14. Before going back from this city don’t forget to buy souvenirs. They have cookies and chocolates called Baci of Juliette. They are all tasty but the most delicious ones you will find in pastry shops, not in souvenir ones.
15. Juliet’s House gets very busy during high season, I recommend visiting first thing in the morning to avoid the crowds and have a less crowded experience inside the museum. If you want to leave love notes on the walls outside, you’ll need to bring your own pen, paper, and adhesive. Don’t forget to rub the right breast of Juliet’s statue to bring good luck.
Hope it will help you while visiting Verona❤️
