Fair Verona, every bit as romantic as one could hope.  A small, yet affluent town situated on the Adige River in the Veneto region, Verona was immortalised in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.  There are many attractions in Verona, and the town has seen an increase in tourism with low cost carriers using nearby airports to service the region.  Located near Lake Garda, it is a popular day trip or stopover en route to Venice.  Ancient Roman buildings stand side by side with Medieval, Renaissance and Venetian Gothic palaces in this UNESCO World Heritage city. 

See:

• Piazza Bra – Flanked by numerous cafés, bars, restaurants, the Arena, and the Town Hall, this sprawling square is often the first image of Verona for visitors. 
• Piazza delle Erbe – Filled with souvenir shops and a colourful market, this romantic square was the site of the Roman forum, and is surrounded by magnificent buildings.  The statue in the central fountain is an Ancient Roman original incorporated into the sculpture built around the 14th century.
• Ponte Pietra – Originally built by the Ancient Romans, this bridge has been restored and reconstructed throughout the centuries, repairing the damage of wars and floods.  Its archway is a popular spot for wedding photos. 
• San Zeno Maggiore – One of Verona’s numerous churches worth visiting, this one is considered one of the world’s finest examples of Romanesque architecture.

Experience:

• Opera at the Roman Arena – Remarkably intact after many damaging earthquakes, the Roman amphitheatre, the 3rd largest in Italy, is still used to stage opera performances in summer months. 
• Castelvecchio – Now an art museum with a good collection of Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance paintings, and Roman relics.

• Romeo & Juliet – Considering the characters of William Shakespeare’s play are fictional, it is rather amazing that tourists can visit Juliet’s house, and climb onto that infamous balcony.  More startling perhaps are the tombs of the star-crossed lovers.

Secrets of the City: