Verona's most impressive tourist attraction is the Arena, the third largest Roman amphitheatre in Italy. Arguably, however, more tourists visit the city for Shakespearian reasons - to see Casa Giulietta (Juliet's House) and its famous courtyard and balcony. Another fine venue from Roman times is the theatre, the Teatrum Romanum, just north of the Old Town, where the city's famous archaeological museum is also based.

For those more interested in Medieval times, there is the Castelvecchio (Old Castle), built by the city's rulers, the della Scala family, in the 14th century. It was restored in the 1960s by the famous Italian architect Carlo Scarpa who redesigned some of the castle's interior features.

The city's finest ecclesiastical building is the Basilicia of San Zeno Maggiore, which is regarded by many as one of the foremost examples of Romanesque architecture in Europe.

Verona also has one of Italy's finest Renaissance gardens, the Giardino di Palazzo Giusti. Also worth visiting is the Natural History Museum, which has interesting collections of zoological, botanical and geological items.

Tourist Information Office
Piazza Bra
Tel: (045) 806 8680.
Website: www.tourism.verona.it

There are three more tourist information offices in Verona, at the Porta Nuova railway station, at via degli Alpini 9 and at Piazza XXV Aprile. Staff can help with bookings, practical information and information about the city and the region.

The VeronaCard gives free access to museums, churches and other attractions in Verona as well as free travel with AMT buses. It also gives discounted entry to some places of interest. Visitors can buy either a one-day or a three-day card. The card is sold at museums, churches and tourist information offices.