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I really enjoyed Verona, but Juliet’s House (Casa di Giulietta) was the mother of all tourist traps. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet takes place in Verona during the 1300s, and the city has definitely capitalized on the popularity of the fictional lovers.
Opportunity Knocks
In the mid-1930s, the city identified a 13th century home owned by the Cappello family which also happens to be located on Via Cappello. Cappello is close enough to Juliet’s family name, Capulet, and that was enough for the city to stumble upon a phenomenal marketing opportunity. They restored the home, added a 14th century-style balcony, and branded it Juliet’s House.
The House
The house, which is about a block from Piazza delle Erbe in the UNESCO World Heritage listed city, is entered through an arch which contains thousands of love notes scribbled onto the walls.
When you enter the courtyard, it’s a total circus. During our visit, it was jam packed with people trying to get a photo of the balcony. Sadly, some of them believe that Romeo and Juliet actually existed. Verona, you’ve created a monster!
Visiting
If you’ve got €6 to waste spend (as of August 2023), you can actually enter the house and walk around. Or better yet, if you’ve purchased a Verona Card, you get free entry. Thankfully we had a Verona Card because I would have been disgusted with myself if I had consciously made a decision to pay for admission. The house is open daily from June through September and closed Mondays the rest of the year.
Juliet’s House
Inside the entrance, you can see a bronze statue of Juliet. Climb up the stairs and you can visit the balcony to see the chaos below. Don’t forget to take the ultimate touristy photo with your significant other!
That’s the high point of a visit because the rest of the house is underwhelming at best. There are a few pieces of artwork on the walls, period furniture and costumes, and there was also one interactive exhibit. It’s a waste of time and money.
If you absolutely must see Juliet’s House, walk into the courtyard, look up, take a photo if you must, then turn around and leave. Don’t bother going inside.
Romeo’s House
Not surprisingly, a couple blocks away and next to the Scaliger Tombs, you can find Romeo’s House (Casa di Romeo). The best part about it is that it’s just a medieval house. It’s privately owned and occupied so you can’t enter.
Why is it Romeo’s house? Because the Montecchi family (close enough to Romeo’s family name, Montague) lived in the vicinity. Let’s hope Verona doesn’t plan to purchase the house and turn it into another cash cow tourist trap.
