My Italian travel saga continues because this weekend I visited Verona! Only 2 hours away from me by train, it's a city I had to go to as it's beautiful and has a lot of history attached to it.
It took me about 20 minutes to walk from the Verona train station to the historic section of Verona, Città Antica. Here you'll find Piazza Bra, which is the largest piazza in Verona. It is lined with colorful buildings, restaurants, and cafés.
Centro storico, the entrance of the historic center of Verona.
The Verona Arena is right next to the plaza. It was built in 30 AD and is now a music venue where you can see different opera and musical performances.
In ancient times, many spectacles took place here, like duels between gladiators and hunts, during which men battled ferocious and exotic animals from faraway places. During the Middle Ages, the original function of the amphitheater was lost and it was perceived as a labyrinth whose construction was attributed to some by demonic powers.
During the Modern Age, other events were held here including races, ascents in hot-air balloons, circus performances, and hunts. Since the 20th century, the amphitheater has been devoted to concerts and summer seasons of opera.
After touring the opera, I made my way to Juliet's house from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The house dates back to the 13th century and the balcony dates back to the 20th century. It was once inhabited by the Cappello family, a name so similar to the name of Juliet's family, the Capulets (Cappelletti), that the house became her family home in everyone's imagination which now gives a great boost to Verona's tourist industry. You can also enter the house which houses a small museum about Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet as well as genuine furnishings from the 16th and 17th centuries.
The courtyard boasts a statue of Juliet and you can rub her right breast for good luck in love and fertility. Thousands of people cram into the square everyday to see this balcony and have their picture taken with Juliette. This was a short visit, but I still had fun watching the crowds of people. It's certainly a tourist trap and goes to show what lengths people will go to for love.
The walls beneath the house are completely covered by graffiti scribbles and notes from people asking for guidance in love. You can also put a letter in Juliet's mailbox asking for advice concerning your love life.
Juliet's house is right next to the Piazza delle Erbe, the oldest square in Verona. It used to be the town's forum during the Roman Empire.
There was a big market so I was able to do a little shopping and look at some local products.
From the Piazza delle Erbe, I made my way to the Basilica of San Zeno. When walking there, I saw the Castel Vecchio Bridge, or Scaliger Bridge (Ponte di Castelvecchio, Ponte Scaligero). This is a fortified bridge over the Adige River and its segmental arch featured the largest span in the world at the time of its construction.
The Basilica of San Zeno is about a 20 minute walk from the historic part of Verona and it is definitely worth a visit as its one of the most beautiful Romanesque churches in Italy. The church is dedicated to the patron saint of Verona, San Zeno. On the upper façade is a rose window, in the shape of a Wheel of Fortune, the work of one Brioloto, and one of the earliest examples in the Romanesque architecture. The outer rim of the window is decorated by six figures representing the vacillations of human life.
The cloister was built in the tenth century and repeatedly renovated: the current one dates back to the early fourteenth century. All around the cloister are sepulchral monuments, many of them coming from other churches.
The main chapel of the church includes the famous Triptych by Andrea Mantegna, a masterpiece renaissance painting showing a sacred conversation between the enthroned Virgin and the saints.
The church also has many frescoes on its walls as well as a polychrome marble statue of San Zeno. San Zeno, of African origin, was the eighth bishop of the city of Verona (from about 362 to 380 AD). This image of the patron saint was originally in a high position, perhaps above the keystone of the Romanesque triumphal arch.
The Bronze Doors are precious creations resulting from the assembly of 48 different bronze panels with different dates and cultural contexts. The panels of the left wing mainly represent episodes from the New Testament and panels of the right wing show scenes from the Old Testament.
The crypt in the church is also worth a visit because it is the location of the wedding in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.
The last activity I did in Verona was climb the Torre dei Lamberti, an 84 m tower. Construction of the tower started in 1172 and in May 1403 the top of the tower was struck by lightning. Restoration took 16 years.
At the top of the tower I was able to see a beautiful, panoramic view of Verona. The quickest way to the top is with the elevator but you can also take the stairs.
At the top of the Torre dei Lamberti
I found this statue of Dante Alighieri in the piazza near the Torre dei Lamberti. Dante arrived in Verona in the spring of 1304, and he remained until late winter. At the time, he was 39 years old and already sentenced to death when he was exiled from his homeland of Florence. In Verona he sought peace to cultivate his studies but also a prince who could help him in the battle against the Black Guelphs controlling his home city and who would share his political ideal of restoring peace and order to Italy.
Statue of Dante Alighieri
And that's it for my time in Verona! It's a lovely city, and I'm happy I was able to go on such a beautiful day. It's not as popular as Venice or Florence, but it should be as it is gorgeous and offers plenty of interesting sights to explore. I didn't try the wine that Verona is famous for, Amarone (the queen of Valpolicella), but it's supposed to be great. So if you go, make sure to give it a sip!
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