An amazing trip in fair Verona

Verona is one of the most important city of Italy because of its artistic heritage and its annual shows and operas in the Arena. It is on the Adige River in Veneto and it is one of the seven capitals of the region. It is the third largest city in the northeast of Italy.

Two of William Shakespeare‘s plays are set in Verona: Romeo and Juliet and The Two Gentlemen of Verona. This made Verona one of the most touristic destinations in Italy.

In this e-book we will guide you in Verona, an amazing city, to visit the most unique places!

Our experience started in the morning and was a Shakespeare’s tour with a guide, who is really suggested!

After lunch, to make the trip more engaging, our teachers organised a ”treasure hunt”. There were different tasks such as “go to the Arena and try to deal something with a stranger” and after that we had to head back to “Piazza delle Erbe” and complete another task. But our favourite one was when we had to take a picture with a stranger near the Arena and we found a Dutch boy with whom we took a picture all together. The amazing thing is that the boy took a photo with his phone as well as a memory of his trip in Verona!

Even though you won’t have this possibility, it was just to show you that there are many ways to visit a new place…find yours and you will remain positively surprised!

During your trip in Verona, you can’t miss:

• Piazza Bra
• The Arena
• Porta Borsari
• Castelvecchio’s museum
• Arche Scaligere
• Cangrande’s tomb
• Piazza delle Erbe
• Basilica di San Zeno
• Romeo’s house
• Juliet’s house

Some of them are inspired by Shakespeare‘s novel and deserve a special visit to admire places which literally have made the history! Others, instead, just need a stop-off to see typical places which cannot be missed in your trip!

This visit in Verona starts from Piazza Bra (Bra’s square), one of the most famous square in the city, where you will see the Arena.

The Arena was built more than 2000 years ago and it still conserves its beauty even after a huge earthquake!

Made by 43 concentric steps, it was used for gladiators’ conflicts and still nowadays, you can feel that atmosphere even from outside.

⚠️Attention: you might stay wordless once you enter the Arena!⚠️

Have a look at this very short clip to understand the Arena’s majesty: Arena’s view

Next step is Porta Borsari. This monument was built during the Roman age and still conserves the harmony typical from that years, where proportions and balance dominated above all!

Another curious reason to visit Porta Borsari is that only one side of the monument is decorated.

Even though it could appear simple and elementary outside, the Museo di Castelvecchio (Castelvecchio’s museum) must be seen inside. And, if you do not have the possibility to arrange a short visit in the museum, please just admire the Cangrande‘s statue and all the typical architectonic elements which cover the whole building.

Related to the Castelvecchio’s museum, there are Arche Scaligere. Situated in the city centre, these two monuments were used to contain Scaligeri’s important members’ tombs.

The Scaligeri was a really important family in Verona and this is why such huge monuments were built for it.

A prominent celebrity in Verona was Cangrande. His tomb is exactly near the Arche Scaligere!

Cangrande became the leader of the Ghibellini’s family; he was a politician, a patron, but also one of Dante Alighieri’s friend!

This is Piazza delle erbe (Erbs’ square), which really must be seen while you are in Verona.

In the centre of it there is a big fountain, but please have a look at the near old-style-buildings as well!

An important building you can’t miss in your tour in Verona is the Basilica di San Zeno (San Zeno’s cathedral).

This romanic church was dedicated to the 8th Verona’s bishop, San Zeno, whose statue is inside. The sculpture is really typical and shows the saint laughing!

Also, in this cathedral you will see a masterpiece by Andrea Mantegna, an incredible Italian painter. His altarpiece is famous all over the world and it dates back to the XV century!

So please don’t miss a detail in Basilica!

In Verona, as it was the place where “Romeo and Juliet” was set, you can find both Romeo and Juliet’s houses.

This is Montecchi’s house, in the same street of Arche Scaligere. Not very far from Juliet’s home and decorated with the classical merlons, this building was probably Romeo’s house.

Nowadays the internal courtyard is a private property but you are anyway allowed to visit the rest of the house!

A few steps from Piazza delle Erbe, you can find Juliet’s house. The building has the typical medieval style and greets tourists and visitors in a big courtyard, exactly in front of the entrance. Here, the garden hosts Juliet’s statue and some legends reports that by touching her body you will get lucky!

Anyway, looking around you will see the balcony but not everyone knows that is has not always existed: it was built only after an important restoration!

Since you are in Verona, take a moment to have a look also inside the house (it costs 1€) and admire how it is decorated, a style which evokes the old times!

Tap on the next page to look at a few pictures of the house 😉

via Commaful

via Commaful

A jump in the past

to remember an incredible writer…

Dante Alighieri had been living in Verona for seven months and in its comedy we can find several references to this place. For example, he writes about Montagues and Capulets:

”Vieni a veder Montecchi e Cappelletti,

(come and see Montagues and Capulets,)

Monaldi e Filippeschi, uom sanza cura:

(Monaldi and Filippeschi, heedless men:)

color già tristi, e questi con sospetti!”

(These dreading ill which those e’en now besets!)

Many people believe that Romeo and Juliet’s story might have happened when Dante was alive and his verses could prove it…

A jump in the future

…and one of the most famous Italian director!

Gian Franco Corsi, known as Franco Zeffirelli, was one of the most famous Italian director and, among others, gave his own interpretation of the novel by Shakespeare in the film “Romeo and Juliet”, in 1968.

Tap here to watch a short clip from this incredible film by an incredible director!

Enjoy your stay in Verona!

We really hope you will use this guide to organise your next trip to Verona and to have a clear perspective of which places you must visit there!

by Giovanni Berni, Matilde Dugoni, Matteo Galliera and Cecilia Sidoli 😉