People tend to come to Verona because of Romeo and Juliet. Others just pass through the airport before grabbing their hire-car for a week in the Dolomites (with the odd lake or two thrown in on the way). Not that there’s anything wrong with either, but you’re missing out on an absolute gem of an Italian city if you do.
Here’s my guide to spending a couple of days solo in Verona if you’d rather not join a tour group, plan an itinerary like it’s a military campaign, or split that bottle of delicious Valpolicella with anyone else.
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Table of Contents
About Verona
Verona is the largest city in the region of Veneto in northern Italy, close to Lake Garda, and about half way between Brescia and Padua
Three of William Shakespeare’s plays are set in Verona: Romeo and Juliet, The Taming of the Shrew and The Two Gentlemen of Veronabut it’s the first of these that drives a chunk of Verona’s tourist industry. Because nothing says culture like queueing with coachloads of day-tripping tourists outside a balcony that was bolted onto a building in the 1930s. For day-tripping tourists.
And imagine doing that and not even stopping to have a proper drink, a plate of duck pasta, or to hear one note of Puccini in a genuine Roman amphitheatre.
Getting to Verona
Verona has its own airport (Verona Villafranca Airport. Also known as Valerio Catullo Airport. Not to be confused with Villafranca the town in Spain, specially once you’ve bought your unrefundable plane tickets and have a total freak out that you might now be flying to the wrong country. Like I did. Maybe.) There are connections from major European hubs. Cabs to town are plentiful, and cost around EUR40.
It’s also a straightforward train journey from Venice (about 75 minutes) or Milan (around 90 minutes), and so a couple of days in Verona is an optional add-on to either city. Verona Porta Nuova Station is about a 20 minute walk from the main tourist area, but has a busy cab rank just outside
Getting around Verona
Verona is compact. I walked the length of it in a single hot, clammy, humid August morning, even with stops for occasional emergency cafe shakarato and cake (“that coffee was corrected, wasn’t it? With sambuca? Thought so”). At the heart of town is the compact Giardini Vittorio Emanuele II and P.za Bra adjacent to the arena. The mainline station is about a 20 minute walk due south (honestly, in summer heat, don’t walk this. Grab a local bus or taxi). A little further north is Piazza dell Erbe with street market and lots of mainstream shops, and winding around the place is the River Adige. If you want to get about by local bus you can find info about routes, timetables and how to buy tickets here from the official ATV website.
Where to stay in Verona
Vista Verona: if you have deep pockets, recently won the lottery, or your elderly sugar daddy has just developed a serious heart condition, then this is the place for you. Oozing luxury and bed pillows, the Vista Verona has a spa, a library, and comes with a rooftop bar that has spectacular rooftop views and cocktail menu to match. (“Knew it! THAT’s why he’s recommending this place”)
- Click here to book directly on the Vista Verona website
- Click here to view Vista Verona on Google Maps
NH Collection Palazzo Verona: The hotel is part of the NH chain, and is located inside a 14th century building. It has 70 modern rooms, which are clean, sleek and functional. There’s also a pretty decent restaurant, a courtyard, and bar in the lobby, but because of its location you’ll probably end up spending more time and money one of the many neighbouring watering holes. (“Projecting much?”). As a 5 star hotel though, this is a good contender for a short break. It’s in the ZTL car-restricted area so you’ll have to lug your suitcase and hat boxes yourself the short distance from the nearest taxi drop-off.
- Click here to book directly on the NH Collection Verona website
- Click here to view NH Collection Palazzo Verona on Google Maps
Romantic Apartments Verona: This is where I stayed, and you’d be hard-pressed for a better location if you’re here for the arena. It’s literally a few meters from where the opera sets are placed when not in use, before they are craned each day onto the stage. Apartments are all on the first floor (there’s a lift) and are clean, spacious, well equipped, and have next-level aircon. Mine even had a hot tub bath in the bedroom, which was a great place to luxuriate while drinking the complimentary wine waiting for me (“were you ever sober during this trip? Seriously!”)
Guide to the Arena di Verona and how to make the most of an outdoorsy night at the opera
The Verona Arena has been putting on a decent spectacle since roughly 30AD. Eat that, La Scala! But since then we’ve moved on from lions and gladiators to jilted lovers and dramatic arias. For me it ranks as possibly the most awesome place to experience jaw-dropping opera in the outdoors. The mixture of Roman amphitheatre acoustics, a football-pitch sized stage, and the dramatic Arena backdrop make every night of Italian operatic drama truly unforgettable.
My advice for a first time visitor (or opera newbie)
- Pick the right opera: my recommendations are Aida (volcanos, pyramids, elephants, and a 20 foot gold-covered bust of Tutankhamen for starters), Turandot (coz nessun dorma as well as troops of Chinese dancers), La Boheme (tunes, people. Tunes!) or Tosca (love, death and drama out the wazoo). I went specifically to catch one of the last ever performances of the Franco Zeffirelli production of Turandot, and let’s just say I was blown away (“you blubbed through most of it, didn’t you, you old romantic”)
- Book ahead: popular productions sell out early. The further ahead you book, the better chance you have of nabbing a decent seat. And where you sit matters!
- Pick seats carefully: If you have mobility issues, best avoid anything on a terrace. The steps are unforgiving, even for me, and I have the agility of a baby mountain goat (“since when?”). Also, the further back you are, the more likely you are to miss some of the singers’ nuances. Even though the acoustics are great, because there’s no roof, you do lose some clarity in the terraces.
- Bring layers and a fan: stone amphitheatres hold the day’s heat beautifully and lose it just as fast once the sun’s gone, so it can get a little chilly. But if it’s a hot muggy evening then bring something to cool your sweaty self with. I picked up a cheap lacy fan from a street vendor outside and she saved my evening.
- Bring something cushy for your tooshy: bring something comfy to sit on, or buy something from your fan vendor. The seats can be hard, and you don’t want a sore butt before the fat lady gets to sing.
- Plan tactical pee-pees: Performances typically start around 9pm and run late, and it’s not easy to slip in and out mid-act to have a tinkle. Wee when you can, they rarely allow people to rejoin their seats mid-act.
Learning to drink Like a Veronese
Verona is most famous for 2 alcoholic drinks:
- Amarone della Valpolicella. Made from grapes which have been allowed to laze about for 3 to 4 months on drying racks, this local red wine is full bodied, packs a punch, and takes no prisoners. So drink with caution, and don’t say I didn’t warn you (“hmmm sounds like someone has had a run in with this wine, and lost?”). If you want something less MMA in your wine glass, I’d suggest trying a local Valpolicella Classico, or if white is your thing, try a Lugana.
- Spritz. No, Verona is not to blame for starting this awful craze for bunging anything weird in a glass with prosecco and then diluting the absolute last bit joy out of it with fizzy water. That nonsense all started in the 1800s when occupying Austrian soldiers couldn’t handle the brutally strong local wines, so asked to have them watered down, or “spritzed” (spritz is German for cat wee. Or something) That said, a good Aperol Spritz is delicious, as is the grandpappy of all adult spritzes, the negorini sbagliato and both are delicious thirst-quenchers in hot weather, and also on Wednesdays. (“Yup, he’s off the wagon again, isn’t he?”)
When ordering drinks at a bar, you’ll also get an accompanying selection of crisps, nuts, olives or other assorted snacky-bits with your drink. These are salty for a reason.
But what about non-alcoholic drinks, I hear you say. (“You might be on the wrong site TBH, but carry on…”) My favourite summer take on the iced coffee is the cafe shakerato, basically an iced coffee made in a cocktail shaker. (“Do you hear yourself?”). For extra Italian oomph you can ask to have it corrected with grappa or sambuca.
A guide on where to have a drink in Verona
Here’s a few suggestions, but honestly you’ll struggle to find somewhere that disappoints
- On the square. Be a tourist, and pick a seat in any one of the many bars that line the length of the P’za Bra overlooking the Arena. If it’s hot, pick one with misting sprays – you’ll thank me later.
- Dal Zovo Cantina & Bistrot – Corso Cavour is next door to the Castelvecchio Museum on the river. It has a great selection of both cocktails & local wines, and the food is delicious. Lots of air-conditioned indoor seating too, so you can escape the summer heat
What to eat in Verona
In summary, pasta (with duck) polenta (with horse), gelato (because Italy and summer is HOT), tiramisu, red wine risotto and risini (sweet custardy rice cakes).
Regional dishes worth seeking out:
- Pastissada de caval This is a slow-braised horse-meat stew served on a pile of polenta. Very Veronese, and absolutely not for the squeamish (or vegetarian)
- Bigoli. This a thick, chewy pasta, a bit like at spaghetti, and often served with duck or anchovy sauce
- Risotto all’Amarone A risotto made with the local Amarone red wine and usually served as a sharing dish in restaurants. But as “serves 2” is just a suggestion, knock yourself out – it’s worth it
- Although mostly likely invented in the 1950s in Trento tiramisu is on almost every restaurant menu across the Veneto region, and for good reason. It’s delicious. Order one for starter, and then have a second one for desert.
A guide on where to eat out in Verona
- La Loggia Verona Ristorante upmarket joint with seating both indoors in the swanky restaurant, and also outdoors in a courtyard terrace. Great location for lunch.
- Portoni Caffè no-nonsense espresso bar, with friendly staff, great coffee, and unpretentious yet delicious bites of food on offer. Good mid morning coffee stop.
Bistro con Amore Vini e Cucina friendly, unpretentious neighbourhood restaurant, Great local dishes, and some of the most delicious tiramisu I had on my trip