Verona is a pretty city on the banks of the river Adiga. It mainly attracts tourists for the very famous Romeo and Juliet balcony from Shakespeare’s play. This place is not as popular as Venice, Florence, or Rome but it’s worth visiting.
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How to reach Verona from different parts of Italy?
After spending 2 days in Venice, we boarded a train to Verona.
Tickets and where to buy them
Venice and Verona lie in the same region ‘Veneto’. So many regional trains operate between this route and trains run almost every hour.
The 1.5-hour train ride costs 10€ per person. We purchased the regional tickets at Venice’s main station a day earlier. But you can purchase the ticket at any time because it will be valid when you punch the tickets.
What to expect inside
We boarded an early morning train so there weren’t many passengers. The train seats are colorful, clean, and comfortable.
Transportation in Italy is well planned to connect all the cities across Italy. For instance, there are three ways to reach Venice from Treviso airport.
Climate
During our visit, the weather was favorable in the mornings and got a little hot during noon. So we went back to our accommodation to catch up on some afternoon nap.
Things to do in Verona
Tip: Most of the attractions offer reduced prices to students. So don’t forget to carry your valid student ID card to avail of this offer.
Piazza Bra
Piazza Bra is the city center and main square in Verona with lots of restaurants and cafes on one side and the Verona Arena on the other. Since it was a weekend the plaza was filled with people.
The atmosphere was very nice and we spotted many youngsters enjoying the morning sun. We clicked many pics and I was excited to explore this town.
This plaza connects to the main shopping area in Verona. It was like a regular shopping area with lots of shops on both sides.
In this area, souvenirs (I mainly concentrate on postcards and magnets because these are the only 2 things when I visit any city 😀 ) were a little expensive.
Verona Arena
It is the 3rd largest Roman amphitheater in the main square of Piazza Bra after the Colosseum in Rome and amphitheater in Capua.
I will call this the ”Colosseum of Verona”. The exteriors look the same but smaller in size. We did not take a tour because we had already visited the Colosseum in Rome.
The Arena in Verona was built in the 1st century AD by the Flavian emperors according to the principle of “bread and games”. It is one of the best-preserved ancient structures in the world.
You will surely like it if you haven’t visited the Colosseum in Rome. It is better to visit in the morning to avoid the crowd.
Tickets and timings
The prices are 10€ for adults and the reduced price is 7.50€. The group price for a minimum of 15 people is 7.50€.
If you have a Verona card (description at the end) then the entry is free.
The arena is open from Tue-Sun from 8.30 am-7.30 pm and on Mondays, it’s from 1.30 pm-7.30 pm. Keep in mind the ticket office closes at 6.30 pm.
The timings vary during summer seasons due to events and shows. Refer to the arena website for more information.
Juliet’s House
The Renaissance-style Romeo & Juliet balcony is the most famous attraction in Verona.
This place attracts 1000s of tourists every day just to get a glimpse of the balcony. They say that rubbing Juliet’s right breast will bring luck. Well, try it out.
Inside Juliet’s house
It is a 2-floor museum which displays various articles like their beds, dress tables, chairs, mirrors and many more.
People mainly visit this place just to take a picture from the balcony but the staff force you to tour the museum first and then allow you to take a picture in the balcony.
The waiting queue was quite long because every single person spent a lot of time on the balcony.
It got a little annoying. Finally, when my turn came, I spent a minute to find Praveen amidst 100s of people waiting down to click pictures. 😀
We walked through the main shopping area and Juliet’s house is located just at the end of the shopping street.
You just can’t miss this place. Just walk in the direction of the crowd and you will reach the house.
Is it a tourist trap?
Initially, I didn’t think it to be a tourist trap because I was excited to get myself clicked on the balcony. Once I saw the crowd entering through the narrow entrance and 100s of people waiting downstairs, it wasn’t a pleasant sight.
I availed the reduced price and I waited in the queue for almost 30 mins. Is it worth it? Well, decide for yourself 😛
Tickets and timings
It is 6€ for adults while concession prices start at 1€. If you have a Verona card, again the entry is free.
The balcony is open to tourists from Tue-Sun from 8.30 am-6.45 pm and on Mondays, it is open from 1.30 pm-6.45 pm. The Juliets balcony website gives more information.
Piazza Delle Erbe
Piazza Delle Erbe is translated to ”Square of Herbs”. This is another pretty square in the city.
We walked around the square and even did a little shopping. There were many souvenir shops so I purchased a magnet and a postcard. There was also a variety of articles on the display.
Since it was the weekend there was also a flea market. I didn’t buy anything but I like to glance through all the items.
The chariot races were held in this plaza. Walking here takes you back to the medieval period. One of the most iconic structures in this Plaza is the Torre dei Lamberti.
Torre dei Lamberti
It is an 84m Romanesque-style tower located in the Piazza Delle Erbe, also the tallest tower in Verona. Torre dei Lamberti. is also called Torre dei Campane.
Bells at the Torre dei Lamberti
The tower is equipped with 4 bells; the Rengo being the largest and the Marangona bell being the smallest. Bell of Hours and Rabbiosa were added only at the end of the 18th century.
The largest bell was used to call the army in case of an emergency. The smallest one was used to alert the citizens in case of fire accidents and regulate city life.
You can reach the top of the tower either by climbing the 368 steps or taking an elevator. The steps are not very steep and the stairs are wide.
Tickets and timings
The tickets cost 8€ for adults and the reduced price starts at 1€. The tower is open from 10.00 am-6.00 pm from Mon-Fri and 11.00 am-7.00 pm on Weekends and holidays.
The Torre dei Lamberti website gives you all the necessary information.
Ponte Pietra
It is a famous red-arch bridge across the river Adiga. We walked along the stone bridge to reach the old town of Verona. This part of the city was quiet and the walk was very soothing.
You can spend some time on the banks of the river or may spend the rest of the evening watching the sunset.
Do not expect the water to be turquoise-colored or clear. We spent the evening here enjoying the flow of water.
Castel San Pietro
This is another viewpoint located on the Saint. Peter’s Hill. It will give a breathtakingly beautiful panoramic view of the city along with the river Adiga.
We did not visit this hilltop viewpoint as we were running short of time.
How to reach the hilltop
The hilltop is reached by foot or by funicular. It is a 45 mins hike and by funicular, it takes less than a minute.
Tickets and timings
The regular ticket price is 2€ and the reduced prices start at 1€. The viewpoint is open from
Summer (April to October): 11.00 am-9.00 pm
Winter (November to March): 10.30 am-4.30 pm.
Food
Plenty of Kebabs were available throughout the day. Italian cuisines like Pasta and Pizzas make you stop now and then. We happened to have a quick break at Piazza Delle Erbe for lunch.
Local transportation
Verona’s main station is Verona Porta Nuova. Since we were at Verona for only a day, we purchased the day ticket for 4€ (unlimited transport for that particular day). A 90-minute single ride costs 1.30 €.
These tickets are available in all the tobacco shops including the Verona card. Check out Verona’s official website atv to know more about routes and timetables.
Tip: Wave your hand at the bus stop to let the driver know that you want to board.
Verona to airport
Verona’s airport, ‘Valerio Catullo’ or ‘Verona Villafranca’ is located ~ 12 km away from Porta Nuova. There are multiple ways to reach the airport
- Shuttle bus Aerobus runs between these points for every 20 min and the ride costs 6 € (approx)
- Take bus #199 with destination ‘Aeroporto’ and the duration is 20 min
Much more info is available in Italy heaven.
Verona Card
If you are planning to visit all the tourist attractions and museums then the Verona card is the best option. It gives you free access to many attractions and saves time as you are given privileges and allowed to jump the queue.
Various cards are available depending on the duration, 20€ for 24 hours and 25€ for 48 hours. More information on the Verona cards is clearly explained in the Tourism Verona.
The Verona card is similar to the HeidelbergCard or the BlackForestCard
We visited Verona because we were in Venice. If it was not the case then we probably would not have visited Verona. So are you Verona ready?
Overall experience:
out of 5
Time of visit: June 2019
”Put down the map and get wondefully lost”- Anonymous.