We love the city of Verona with its ancient ruins, medieval streets and fun atmosphere, and rarely pass up an opportunity to visit. However, Verona has become a place that many people recommend as a day trip destination from Venice rather than somewhere to visit in its own right, and we think this is just wrong!
Here are our top reasons why you need to make Verona more than just a day trip:
1. Take the time to fully explore Verona, Italy
The historic city center of Verona is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognized in 2000 because of the way each layer of history has been well preserved. Stunning architectural details, beautiful open spaces, and a policy of maintaining the city’s unique heritage make Verona, Italy, a truly special place. So why would you want to rush around for one day in Verona and miss most of it?
What to see when you visit Verona
Our perfect Verona itinerary would start with a day walking around the city. Begin in Piazza Bra, which surrounds the Arena di Verona, which is filled with cafes and restaurants. A number of palaces and grand buildings from the 15th and 18th centuries are here as well, so take your time to walk around and admire the different styles on display.
From Piazza Bra head deeper into the old city, aiming for Piazza delle Erbe. Originally the ancient Roman forum, it is now the location of an outdoor market. While the loud, bustling market will grab your attention, make sure to stop and look at the buildings that line the edge of the piazza. From the 12th century Palazzo della Ragione (Verona’s original town hall) to the 16th century Mazzanti terraced houses with colorful frescoes, there’s a lot to see!
Off Piazza delle Erbe, you can see Piazza dei Signori and then climb the steps of Torre dei Lamberti for incredible views of Verona. Just beyond Piazza dei Signori are the five Gothic funerary monuments of the Scaliger family, who ruled the city in the 13th and 14th centuries.
A few minutes walk away is the famous balcony of the Casa di Giulietta. While “Juliet’s house” is nothing of the sort, and there isn’t much to see inside, you have to go and see it. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet put Verona on the map, but the balcony was only added around a hundred years ago.
This is just a taste of what Verona has to offer. You can join us for a more in-depth exploration of the historic center and old town area if you’d like to learn more!
2. Visit some of Verona’s sites and museums
After spending time exploring the city, now you can dive in and visit some of the top Verona attractions without feeling like you have to rush around.
Verona Arena
The Arena di Verona is an ancient Roman amphitheater, which was built before the Colosseum in Rome and is one of the best preserved anywhere in the world. It is the fourth largest in Italy and because of conservation efforts that started all the way back in the 16th century, is still used for performances today.
You can visit the arena even when the summer opera festival is on, climbing the steps up to the highest levels. This is the most popular site in Verona so if you stay in the city, you can avoid the day trippers by going first thing or late in the day.
Castelvecchio Museum
Housed in a 14th-century medieval castle on the river, this museum is fascinating.
The collection tells the story of Verona through the ages, and at the same time you can explore the castle. It was renovated after World War II but a lot of the original features have been preserved.
Make sure to leave time to walk along the castle walls as well.
Archeological Museum
Located across the river Adige, the archeological museum is only about 15 minutes on foot from Piazza delle Erbe – Verona is a very walkable city.
The main attraction here are the ruins of the ancient Roman theater. Verona had both an amphitheater and a theater, indicating the size of the ancient city. The museum allows you to explore the ruins as well as see various finds from ancient times.
Castel San Pietro
Further up the hill from the Archeological museum, you can visit the Castel San Pietro. This isn’t actually a castle, but was built to match Verona’s existing architecture in the 1800’s.
One of the best places to watch the sunset is to take the funicular or walk up the steps to the piazza in front of the castle. From here, you can look out over the Adige river towards the old town. Use the Torre dei Lamberti as an orientation landmark!
3. Relax and enjoy a slower pace
If you do Verona, Italy as a day trip, you will be thinking about train times, entrance to the Verona Arena or tour bookings. This means you will miss out on one of the great things about the city – how much slower things move.
Locals will tell you to relax and enjoy your coffee or spritz rather than rushing on to the next thing. Service in local restaurants is unhurried, allowing you to enjoy your food. Join the evening passeggiata around Piazza Bra or take a walk along the river before or after dinner.
Take a cooking class and learn new recipes before tasting your food over a leisurely lunch. These simple pleasures are much harder to enjoy if you have limited time, so give yourself the option of taking it slowly!
4. Use Verona as a base to explore Northern Italy
While Venice is undeniably stunning, using it as a base to explore is not ideal, especially if you want to go places that are further west.
Verona is a far better place to have as your home location, with great connections by train or road if you have a rental car. Here are some of our favorite places to see that you can easily reach from Verona:
- Sirmione and Lake Garda – the town of Sirmione is one of the more popular spots on the beautiful Lake Garda, located on a peninsula jutting out into the lake. There’s a medieval castle and ancient Roman ruins for history buffs or relax in the lake water before a delicious meal.
- Mantua – for more Shakespeare fans, Mantua is referenced in several of his plays. The ancient city has been at the heart of many historic events and is a great place to explore. Don’t miss the Ducal Palace and Basilica di Sant’Andrea
- Padua – heading back towards Venice is the city of Padua, yet another Shakespeare setting (the Taming of the Shrew was set here). Home to one of the world’s oldest universities and the unrivalled Scrovegni Chapel, Padua has a lot to offer visitors.
- Soave – wine fans will be very happy in the town of Soave. The region is home to the white wine by the same name, and the town is a fun place as well. Located on a hilltop in the Veneto region, the town is topped by a large medieval castle and has plenty of shops, restaurants and bars where you can taste Soave wines.
So, is Verona worth visiting for longer than a day? Yes, in our opinion, absolutely! We know that day trips are sometimes the only option but if you can, plan to spend at least a few days here and really soak up everything Verona has to offer.
Need help planning your perfect Verona trip? Contact us today and let us show you why we love this city so much!