The city that inspired the young Shakespeare to write the most tragic love story of all time still preserves a remarkable number of monuments from antiquity, the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, combining plenty of romance, unparalleled beauty and rich culture.
Famous for wonderful sparkling wines such as Prosecco, the province of Veneto, which includes Verona, is located in the north-eastern part of Italy. Built in a magnificent landscape, harmoniously following the curving course of the Adige river, the entire old town of Verona is one of the 55 Italian sites on the UNESCO heritage list.
Significant traces of its wondrous past remain to this day, reflecting the city’s long history of 2,000 years. Wherever you look, its surviving architecture and urban fabric fascinate you. Verona’s extraordinary coherence and unimaginable degree of homogeneity make it one of the most beautiful cities in Italy – a city in the shade of terracotta, full of romantic squares and the unique architecture that characterises all those wonderful Italian cities that never disappoint the visitor.
Undoubtedly one of the most famous spots in Verona is Juliet’s house dating back to the 13th century. Here, romance seems to defeat reality and suddenly the fictional heroes of the world’s greatest love story seem to be all too real. The fact that the Capello family actually lived in this very house further blurs the fine line between reality and fiction. This is why Juliet’s house is one of the world’s most romantic spots, attracting countless visitors every year.
The house is a great example of Gothic architecture and houses a museum dedicated to the eponymous protagonist of Shakespeare’s play. The covered doorway which you must cross to visit the medieval house is full of post-its, love notes and handwritten letters. Entrance to the courtyard – where Juliet’s statue is located – is free, but to climb up to the infamous balcony – which is actually a later addition to keep Shakespeare’s story alive.
Verona’s main shopping square, around which many of its famous attractions are clustered, is located in the heart of the historic centre. Little Travellers visited Piazza Delle Erbe – or as it translates into Greek ‘square of the herbs’ – which is located where the Roman Forum dominated during the Roman Empire and is surrounded by magnificent medieval buildings and towers. Even the fountain in the centre of the square dates back to the 14th century, while the Roman statue that adorns it dates back to 380 AD.
Piazza Delle Erbe used to have an open-air market with handmade products, but now most of the stalls sell tourist souvenirs. The square, which covers an area of around 5,000 square metres, has a vaguely elongated shape, somewhat reminiscent of Piazza Navona in Rome, and is a tribute to the wealth of Verona’s merchants. You can easily spend a whole day right here, enjoying the beautiful scenery with a great coffee or a cool glass of Prosecco.
On the north side of Piazza delle Erbe is the Torre dei Lamberti, an 84-metre-high tower built between the twelfth and fifteenth centuries that offers a magnificent view of the entire old town. You can climb the 368 steps of the tower or you can take the elevator to reach the top.
Built on San Pietro Hill overlooking the Adige River, the Roman Theatre and the Archaeological Museum are easily accessible via the Ponte Pietra, a picturesque stone bridge that crosses the river. In summer, the 1st-century Roman theatre hosts open-air performances, while the museum – housed in the former convent of St. Jerome – houses Roman mosaics, Etruscan and Roman bronze sculptures and Roman inscriptions. Both attractions are open seven days a week.
65 Arkadias st.,
115 27 Athens, Greece
Phone: +30 6936 952113
Email: info@littletravellers.gr
One Response
Awesome place to visit!