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I really enjoyed Verona, but Juliet’s House (Casa di Giulietta) is the mother of all tourist traps. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet takes place in Verona during the 14th century, and the city has definitely capitalized on the popularity of the fictional lovers.
Introduction to Juliet’s House
The story begins in the late 18th and early 19th century, when European travelers started visiting a house at #23 on Via Cappello. It appeared in documents for the first time in 1351 and was owned by the heirs of Antonio 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. In 1905, the city purchased the home. Antonio Avena (1882-1967) restored it between 1939 and 1940, added a balcony using 14th century elements, and branded it “Juliet’s House”. The interior was redesigned and furnished in the early 1970s, and it finally opened to the public on June 1, 1973. Out of all of the incredible historic sites and museums in Verona, Juliet’s House is the most visited in the city.
Visiting Juliet’s House
If you’ve got cash to waste spend, you can actually enter the house and walk around. Admission is €12 for adults, €9 for seniors age 65+, €3 for visitors age 18-25, and free for kids under 18 or holders of a Verona Card (as of May 2025). 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 except Mondays. Check the official website for more info.
Courtyard
The courtyard of the house, which is about a block from Piazza delle Erbe in the UNESCO World Heritage listed city, is entered through an arched corridor containing thousands of love notes scribbled onto the walls.
Once 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 believed that Romeo and Juliet actually existed. Shakespeare (Verona?), you’ve created a monster!
Inside the House
Just inside the entrance, there’s a bronze statue of Juliet made by Nereo Costantini (1905-1969) in 1969. Climb up the stairs and you can visit the balcony to witness 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 three main rooms. The balcony room is adapted from the 1823 painting The Last Kiss of Romeo and Juliet by Francesco Hayez (1791-1882). The ballroom contains a Renaissance fireplace and a fragment of a 14th century painting.
In the bedroom is the bed from the 1968 film Romeo and Juliet by Franco Zeffirelli (1923-2019) as well as sculptures and paintings dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries. There was also one interactive exhibit, and you’ll also find costumes used in the film.
Personally, I believe 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 next to the Scaliger Tombs, you can find Romeo’s House (Casa di Romeo). The best thing about it is the beautiful 14th century façade. It’s privately owned and occupied so you can’t enter.
Why is it Romeo’s house? Because the Montecchi family (the Italian version of his family name, Montague) actually existed and lived in the vicinity. Let’s hope Verona doesn’t plan to purchase the house and turn it into another cash cow tourist trap.
