Top 10 things to do in Verona

Verona is most commonly associated with Romeo and Juliet, and as a consequence romance, and many people think there is little more to the city that this.  However, this is a beautiful city, rich with stunning architecture, beautiful piazzas, and the warm glow of the dusty pastel coloured houses light up the city.  Compact enough to explore in a day, but with an abundance of restaurants and cafes as well as impressive historical monuments, it is better to while away a few days here and embrace the relaxed pace of life the Veronese love. Here is my personal top ten of things to do in Verona.

 

Watch the sunset from Castel San Pietro

 

Crossing the Ponte Pietra, the oldest bridge in Verona, away from the old town, is a hill upon which sits a beautiful castle casting its presence over the city. If you’re feeling lazy you can trundle your way to the top using the funicular, or if you’re feeling more energized, tackle the steps that are lined with beautiful pastel pink and yellow buildings, up to the Castel San Pietro which is surrounded by stunning viewing points from which you can see across the city.  To add even more atmosphere to the experience, stop off for a glass of wine at ‘Re Teodorico‘ (open daily 12-12), a restaurant/bar just below the castle, with a beautiful terrace offering spectacular views. Arrive in the sunshine, sit back and watch the pink sunset cast its light over the rooftops, then wait for the darkness to set in and let the twinkling lights of the city cast their spell over you.

 

 

Wander around the Giardini Giusti

 

Stunning landscaped gardens tucked down a side street across the river from the old town, which means out of season you’ll get them to yourself, an incredible experience. Cypress trees predominate, creating a delicious heady scent as you walk around, and the beautifully manicured hedge mazes offer a small but perfectly formed example of an Italian Renaissance garden. Built on a flat, but climbing up a hill towards the back, you can wander upwards along tiny paths and find yourself under a small covered portico looking out across Verona. Entrance is €7 open daily 9-7pm winter, 9-8pm summer. Via Giardino Giusti, 2, 37121 Verona

 

Dine at Café Carducci

 

Across the river, slightly out of the touristic centre and near the Giardini Giusti, is this fantastic restaurant, ‘Café Carducci’, that is a must when visiting Verona. Open for lunch, afternoon cakes or dinner, the service is impeccable and the food delicious. Decorated in an old world style with round tables and white tablecloths, it feels like going back in time. The old-fashioned fabric lampshades hanging all over the walls create an ambient glow underneath the arched brick ceiling and over the beautiful, patterned floor tiles. Waiters are dressed in black with crisp white aprons, and the kitchen area is a small open space behind the bar with just one chef preparing all the meals using fresh ingredients plucked out of a deli space packed full of cheese, ham and fresh pasta. The menu is reasonably priced with a good selection of wines by the bottle and by the glass. Booking essential. Via Giosuè Carducci, 12 Open daily 8-3pm/5-11pm closed Sunday T: +39 045 803 0604

 

See an exhibition at the Amo museum

 

Great art museum offering a wide range of interesting exhibitions; many are often contemporary art which can be a welcome break from all the historical attractions. The current Botero exhibition has been extended until mid-April, and offers a fascinating and beautifully curated exploration of this Columbian artist. Exaggerated body forms and vivid colours that exude an exquisite light create fascinating portraits that bring to mind Alice in Wonderland meets folk art meets magic realism. Sometimes unsettling, sometimes beautiful, it is an exhibition worth visiting.  Previous exhibitions have included Picasso and Toulouse Lautrec, so if you are a contemporary art fan it is worth checking out what they are currently showing.  Via Abramo Massalongo, 7 Open daily 9.30-7.30, Monday 2.30-7.30  Entrance €12

 

 

Visit the arena, preferably to see an opera.

 

I visited the arena out of season on a cold, wet and windy day and it gave pause for reflection. Wandering around the empty passages listening to the rain dripping on the old stone conjured up far too evocatively what this masterpiece of architecture was originally intended for. Small doorways leading down into the arena and the general feeling of doom brought all too clearly to mind the gladiators and the suffering that must have happened here. However, every summer from late June to September there is the Opera Festival here, when the Arena becomes home to an amazing array of opera, theatre and dance. Under the sun and the summer starlit sky with the breathtaking costumes and spectacular performers in front of you, I can imagine the general feeling is somewhat more enchanting and magical.

Enjoy a cocktail in Archivio

 

This cute little cocktail bar is central but down a side street so it escapes the masses, which is just as well as it’s so small you’d be lucky to fit more than ten people in the bar area! However, there is also a small seating space at the back, and of course in the summer months, as per tradition, everyone just spills out onto the street outside. The bar staff are all knowledgeable and willing to chat to you about a suitable cocktail for your tastes, and the bar area itself is jam-packed full of various spirits and bitters. This place has a great vibe and is definitely worth a look. If you’re there during the day, make sure to stop off at ‘Winefriends‘, a wine shop opposite. They’ve a good selection of local wines and the staff are really helpful. I experimented with a Veneto Pinot Noir, not something I had ever tried and it turned out to be delicious. Via Rosa, 3c Open daily 8am-midnight, Sunday 11am-midnight.

Marvel at all the balconies and fabulous buildings

 

Controversially, I’ve omitted suggesting the most famous balcony in Verona, ‘Juliet’s balcony’, synonymous with the legend of Romeo and Juliet. Hordes of tourists all year round queue to take selfies from the balcony, or couples attach a padlock to a gate and declare their love for each other. It is Verona’s main attraction and yet its least interesting. Instead, I suggest just wandering the streets, especially those away from the touristic hub or those that span out from Piazza Signori, and take in all the beautiful street signs, the stunning pastel buildings that light up the city, and marvel at how many other balconies exist and how incredibly beautiful they all are. Surely that beats joining a long queue to view some graffiti and battle against all the selfie sticks.

 

Step inside the Cathedral

 

Italian cathedrals are often impressive, jaw-dropping buildings that form the central axis of a city. In Verona however, the cathedral’s exterior is quite a modest affair and if you’re not looking for it you could miss it, as it is slightly away from Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza Bra. However, the exterior is still beautiful, guarded by a beautiful angelic statue to the front, and the inconspicuous entrance at the back houses an absolutely stunning interior. First built in 1117, the interior is actually Gothic in style due to later renovations, but its opulent decor also includes stunning Renaissance frescoes filling the arched ceilings. The three aisles are marked by gothic columns carved from rich red Veronese marble, and there is even a painting by Titian. Entrance €3,  Piazza vescovado, Open daily 8.30-6, Sunday 12-6.

Stay at the Gabbia D’oro

 

Verona is the city of romance, and if you’re looking to make your visit truly special then a night in this sumptuous 5* hotel is a must. Old-fashioned decor prevails, so you definitely have to be a fan of old world whimsy, but if you are then this place is for you. Plush red velvet couches fill the lounge area, and the conservatory is filled full of patterned fabrics and cushion covered garden couches, perfect for sitting back in and enjoying some afternoon tea, or in the summer you can enjoy a drink in their small internal courtyard garden. Bedrooms carry on the old-fashioned theme with quaint furnishings and traditional fabrics. The hidden jewel is the bathrooms, with roll-top baths perfect for a long soak after a day of sightseeing. One even has a lion’s head above it, and water actually comes out of its mouth to fill the bath. Pure decadence. Corso Porta Borsari, 4  www.hotelgabbiadoro.it

 

Drink some Amarone or a Spritz

 

You can’t visit Verona without trying the local wine, Amarone. A full-bodied wine with overt notes of raisin and dried fruit due to the production method, which involves fermenting the wine using dried grapes that concentrate the flavours and yet produce a dry wine. However, this is a strong, heavy wine and should really be drunk only with food, and in general the restaurants offer better examples of this wine than the wine bars. Unfortunately, the simpler local wine Valpollicella is nothing exciting, and I find its fruitiness overwhelming and slightly unpalatable.

Therefore, more often that not you will see people drinking a Spritz, a drink that originated in this region. A bright orange, bitter drink made from Prosecco, Aperol and a dash of soda water, it is an acquired taste but needs to be tried. I used to think it was a summer drink as it comes on ice, but in this region you will find people drinking it all year long, sometimes even before midday! The beauty is you don’t have to find a really good wine bar, as pretty much everyone here will make a good Spritz, which means sitting back with a Spritz and some nibbles in a café, and people watching on Piazza delle Erbe, is popular with both tourists and locals alike.