Verona is an intriguing destination for lovers of history, architecture, and romantics. It is, after all, the home of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Verona is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
My Posts on Verona
Areas:
Attractions:
- Basilica of St. Anastasia
- Castelvecchio
- Duomo of Verona
- Juliet’s House (Casa di Giulietta)
Introduction to Verona
Verona is synonymous with Romeo and Juliet, and this northern Italian city is a great getaway for both romantics and history lovers. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Verona is rich in Roman ruins as well as buildings from the Middle Ages and Renaissance.
The history of Verona dates back well before 300 BC when it became a Roman city. It was an important crossroads in ancient times. It changed hands many times, most notably to the Goths and Lombards, before growing in power under the Della Scala (Scaligeri) noble family. They ruled from 1308 to 1387. Venice took over in 1405 and ruled until 1797. The Austrians acquired the city and held it until 1866, except for a brief period from 1805 to 1814 under Napoleon. Verona then became part of a united Italy.
Getting to Verona
We arrived in Verona by train at Porta Nuova Railway Station. It’s one of the busiest in the country and serves destinations such as Milan, Venice, Florence, Turin, Rome, and Naples, as well as the nearby cities of Mantua, Vicenza, and Padua.
Another train station, Porta Vescova, sits to the east of the city. It used to be the main railway station but now only serves Vicenza, Padua, and Venice.
Villafranca Airport (VRN), also known as Valerio Catullo Airport, is 10 kilometers southwest of the city center. It serves several destinations throughout both Italy and Europe.
Getting Around Verona
Verona is a very walkable city if you’re staying in the historic city center. We only had to use taxis to and from the train station and when we wandered to the Giusti Garden, which was quite far from our hotel.
Verona Card
The Verona Card is a good investment if you plan on visiting the attractions in town. It costs €27 for a 24-hour pass and €32 for 48 hours (as of May 2025), allowing free entry to several of the best attractions, reduced entry to others, and free bus travel.
We bought a 24-hour pass and were able to save a good amount of money. Among the places we visited with the Verona Card were the Verona Arena, the Duomo, the Basilica of St. Anastasia, Lamberti Tower, the Archaeological Museum and Roman Theatre, and Juliet’s House. We also got reduced entry to the Giusti Garden.
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Where to Stay in Verona
There are plenty of options for accommodation in Verona. As far as location, try to stay as close to the historic city center as possible to make it easier to get around.
Gallery Room
We stayed four nights at Gallery Room, a small suite hotel in a historical building just a few minutes walk from Piazza Brà. The hotel includes breakfast, which was served in a building across the street, and has a wonderful spa with a sauna, jacuzzi, and more.
Our room was comfortable and spacious with a nice bathroom. We really enjoyed our stay and felt at home by the time we had to check out. The price was more than reasonable.
Where to Eat in Verona
Verona has a good selection of restaurants to choose from. We had some delicious meals there. The only problem is that it’s a very touristy city which means you’ll probably run into lots of places with higher prices and lower quality food.
Pizza Doge
The first lunch we had in Verona was at Pizza Doge. It’s located on Via Roma near Castelvecchio. We stopped there for a quick bite and it was excellent. It’s a small place with friendly service and a good choice of pizza and more.
Liston 12
On Christmas Day, we had lunch at Liston 12. It’s located on the Liston on Piazza Brà and has outdoor seating with good views of the Roman arena. It’s definitely touristy but has a great setting. We shared a plate of spaghetti aglio e olio and finished if off with a dessert and coffee. Service wasn’t the greatest but the food was decent.
Bistrot Mamma Mia
This place on the Liston is a joke. We sat down at a mostly empty Bistrot Mamma Mia and the servers didn’t even acknowledge us. The people two tables away had no issues. We ended up leaving after 15 minutes of no service whatsoever.
Istanbul Döner Kebab
We wandered off for a döner from Istanbul Döner Kebab, just south of Piazza Pradaval along Corso Porta Nuova. As far as the food, it was delicious and very close to what I could get in Turkey. Also, it was nice to chat in Turkish with the staff from Istanbul. It helped me realize I remembered more Turkish than I thought!
Accademia Caffè
We found Accademia Caffè on Via Roma around the corner from Piazza Brà. The food was surprisingly very good. I had eggplant parmigiana while Marisol had a spaghetti dish. We also shared a selection of meats and cheeses.
Ristorante Scaligero (Permanently Closed)
Our final dinner in town was our favorite meal. We wanted something local to Verona and were recommended to try Ristorante Scaligero. It was completely empty when we entered which got us a little worried but it turned out to be a good experience.
We started with a tabla of cheese served with honey and walnuts, which was a great way to start our meal.
As a main course, I had the tortelloni filled with porcini mushrooms and ricotta while Marisol had gnocchi with Monte Baldo cheese. Both were excellent and we would have been happy to try other things off the menu.
Pretto (Permanently Closed)
Finally, if you have a sweet tooth, look no further than Pretto. This small chain offers a good selection of creamy gelato made with natural ingredients. It’s a little pricier than we expected but it was delicious. We visited the store on Piazza delle Erbe.
