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Verona Travel Guide

About Verona

It’s the setting of the world’s greatest love story, but Verona has more to offer than just Romeo and Juliet. While romance, conflict and passion shaped the city, it’s the Roman, medieval and Renaissance architects that earned it UNESCO World Heritage status.

Verona’s remarkably well-preserved architecture is crowned by its magnificent amphitheatre, the Arena, which has remained intact for two centuries. 25,000 spectators still take to its marble seats during Verona’s summer opera festival.

Known as piccolo Roma (little Rome), Verona’s narrow streets are a rich collection of beautiful buildings and baroque facades. With its stunning historic monuments, wide variety of restaurants and fabulous shopping, Verona has all the ingredients for the perfect weekend break.

Roman gates, sections of the original city wall and other ruins are found at every turn. The elegant, three-storey Porta rises wonderfully above Corso Porta Borsari, the city’s best shopping street.

Still, it’s Romeo and Juliet who have left the greatest mark. Discover the amour and agony of devotion at the 14th-century balcony of Casa di Giulietta, where lovers graffiti hopeful pleas on the courtyard walls.
Romeo’s banishment took place in the magnificent Cortile del Mercato Vecchio, while the tale’s epilogue leads visitors to Juliet’s tomb in the crypt of San Francisco al Corso monastery.

Verona has more than its fair share of beautiful churches. With elegant rounded arches and soft yellow stone, the magnificent Basilica of San Zeno Maggiore is regarded as one of the finest Romanesque buildings in the world.

Rising above the whole city is Castelvecchio, the ancient castle which overlooks the surrounding Valpolicella and Soave wine districts. But little beats striding along the Via Mazzoni to peek into its boutique shops and designer chains, or visiting the buzzing market stalls on Piazza delle Erbe.

Situated in the affluent and culturally rich Veneto region of north eastern Italy, Verona is within a few hours train ride or car journey from Venice, Vicenza and Padua, so works well as a base from which to explore this particularly beautiful and historic part of the country.

Key facts

Population:
270,622
Latitude:
45.437141
Longitude:
10.992933
A digital image at https://illuminoto.com

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Escalus Luxury Suites

So close to the Arena, you might hear the opera singers in the summer if you fling the floor-to-ceiling windows open wide enough. The modern Escalus Luxury Suites offer 4-star luxury with rooms designed by Andrea Truglio. More apartment than hotel, breakfast is delivered to your own dining table each morning.

Hotel Colomba d’Oro

Situated between the Adige River and the Arena, and close to Romeo and Juliet’s balcony, the Hotel Colomba d’Oro’s 51 rooms are furnished in traditional style with rococo mirrors, Italianate paintings and candy-striped bedspreads. The breakfast buffet is lavish and there’s a chic cocktail bar too.

La Grotta Hotel

With jazzy bedspreads and faux Renaissance paintings on the walls, La Grotta isn't set to win design awards, but with a complimentary minibar, friendly staff, large rooms and free Wi-Fi, it's a popular budget choice. Located outside the city walls, it has free parking too. A bus to the centre stops outside the hotel.

Novo Hotel Rossi

Clean, cheap and with free bicycle hire, this hotel is just a short stroll from Verona's train station. While some rooms are compact, they all come with satellite TVs, air-conditioning and Wi-Fi. The breakfast buffet is excellent too. Buses run frequently to the city centre if you don't fancy the 20-minute walk.

Hotel Aurora

The relaxed ambience and friendly staff make guests feel at home here, while the lovely terrace overlooking the city’s main square, the Piazza delle Erbe, shows Italy at its finest. Not only does this 3-star choice have a superb location, it has 18 comfortable, air-conditioned rooms with satellite TV too.

Hotel Torcolo

This friendly hotel in an old palazzo has a prime location just a few steps away from the Arena. Run by two affable sisters, it is a favourite with the Opera crowd. The high-ceilinged rooms are furnished with wrought iron and antique beds, and all come with air-conditioning and satellite TV.