Verona is nestled in the foothills of the Dolomite Alps in northeastern Italy, not far from Lake Garda, the largest lake in the country. Even before the ancient Roman era, people lived here.

We suggest starting your walk with one of the city’s most ancient and grand structures – the ancient Roman amphitheater – Arena di Verona, located on the city’s main square – Piazza Bra.

On this map we marked only the 5 very top attractions of Verona. Of course, there are many more. But only you know what will interest you. So build your own walking route through the city – on the interactive map. Add places to favorites, spread them across several days of your trip, and sync the resulting guide with the free Ever.Travel mobile app. Read more about how it works in our overview.

Once, this was an arena for gladiatorial fights and all kinds of performances. The amphitheater has been excellently preserved, which is why performances and concerts are held here every summer. You can often see famous opera productions here: “Aida,” “La Traviata,” “Romeo and Juliet”; celebrity concerts and festivals. During the day, the gates of the amphitheater are open for tours. Be sure to visit this place, because it remembers many, many eras. And from the upper tiers of the arena, there is an excellent view of Piazza Bra and the nearby buildings.

In the evening, it is pleasant to sit on a bench or in one of the cozy little restaurants near the amphitheater, which is illuminated by bright lights. And if you love opera, we recommend buying tickets in advance on the amphitheater’s official website.

To move smoothly into the medieval era, you only need to walk a couple of blocks from the amphitheater and pass under the arch of the gates of Castelvecchio Castle. It was built by the Scaliger dynasty, which ruled Verona for more than a hundred years from 1262 to 1387. This family, although famous for its bloodthirstiness, had a very strong influence on Verona’s present-day appearance. Moreover, the Scaliger era left a vivid mark not only in architecture, but also in the development of painting, literature, and education in Verona. Castelvecchio Castle now houses a museum with a rich collection of medieval sculpture and painting.

Adjoining the castle is the famous Scaliger Bridge across the Adige River. Notice how its stone battlements strikingly resemble the walls of the Moscow Kremlin. We also recommend looking at the Scaliger Bridge at night – the lighting makes the structure seem weightless, and the castle walls are reflected in the waters of the river.

The next stop in our guide to Verona is Piazza delle Erbe – Herb Square. It is located on the site of the ancient forum and is a place of pilgrimage for tourists. And there is an explanation for that – on Piazza delle Erbe, you can see a true mixing of different layers of time. In the northern part of the square, the remains of ancient Roman walls have survived. The Scaliger family left its medieval imprint by building the Casa dei Mercanti and the Torre del Gardello (clock tower). The Venetian era installed a column topped with a statue of the winged lion – the symbol of the city under whose rule Verona was for about 400 years.

Rising above all this splendor is the Lamberti Tower – the tallest building in Verona. At its top you will see two bells, each of which had a specific function: “Rengo” announced meetings of the city council and called people to war, while “Marangona” warned the townspeople about fires. At the top of the Lamberti Tower there is an observation deck from which Verona lies before you like the palm of your hand, and no guide is needed :)

During the rule of the Scaligers, the famous Italian poet Dante Alighieri lived in Verona. His statue can be seen quite nearby – in the center of Piazza dei Signori.

Of course, it is better to come to Verona not for one day, but for two or three. You can “rush through” all the city’s attractions in just a couple of hours, but to enjoy its enchanting medieval spirit, it is better to stay a little longer. And a well-chosen hotel can play an important role in these impressions. Booking.com offers hundreds of options, among which you can surely choose one that will provide a worthy accompaniment to Verona.

And now, let’s also visit the city’s main attraction – Juliet’s House. True, you should not be enchanted by the sad story and the romantic aura surrounding the famous tragedy. In Verona, this house has turned from a place of pilgrimage for lovers into a crowd of vandals who want by any means to leave a memory of themselves on the vaults of the arch leading to Juliet’s House. This building really once belonged to the Dal Capello family, but in 1907 the municipality bought it from the impoverished prototypes of the family of the main heroine of Shakespeare’s tragedy and turned it into the main lure for tourists.

In the courtyard there is a statue of Juliet, whose breast has been polished to a shine by the hands of those who dream of finding their love. And above her is the balcony from which Juliet supposedly once whispered in the night with Romeo, who was in love with her.

You should not expect any special romantic mood in this place – the images of the famous heroes have for many years served as an object of tourist speculation in Verona.

But you will certainly like the city itself for other reasons – it is so cozy to walk along the narrow streets here, look into medieval courtyards, simply touch the ancient walls that breathe history, that there will be no room left for disappointment over lost illusions.

And at the end of our tour, we suggest walking across Ponte Pietra and climbing St. Peter’s Hill – San Pietro. At its top there is another castle that bears the name of the same saint. We left this place for last because climbing the stairs uphill is rather tiring, and those who do not want to exert themselves should stay on the bank of the Adige River and admire the hill and the embankments from below.

But the most curious and sturdy tourists should still climb to the top of the hill. Because it offers the most breathtaking view of Verona!

You will be able to take a detailed look at how the Adige River flows and washes the old part of the city with its waters, and you will see all the streets and cathedrals, houses and towers from a bird’s-eye view. Believe us, you will be overwhelmed with delight and rewarded for the small effort it takes to climb St. Peter’s Hill. And finally, you will fall irrevocably in love with this beautiful romantic city!

So, shall we see these places with our own eyes? ;) Add a couple more attractions to them from our map or plan the trip right away in the mobile app.