In this small cozy town, the passions of Romeo and Juliet were burning, and in many ways the sights of Verona owe their world fame to them. The fourth most visited city in Italy, it is still not as full of tourists as Rome, Milan or Florence. For those who do not yet know what to see in Verona, we offer a list of its main notable places.
What to see in Verona first of all
It is difficult to list the main sights of Verona briefly. There are a lot of legends and interesting stories associated with each of them, which will be expertly told by the guides in Verona, taking you through the most famous places.
1. Juliet’s House
The famous courtyard of the house with a balcony, where Romeo confessed his love to Juliet
Here is this house with a balcony, from which Juliet looked at her beloved Romeo. However, it is forbidden to go out on it, but here you can perform a number of superstitious rituals (kiss under the balcony, touch the right breast of the statue of Juliet), which will help your loved ones to always be together. Skeptical tourists leave incredulous reviews about the authenticity of this house, but the family coat of arms on the facade confirms its belonging to the famous Veronese family.
Official website: https://casadigiulietta.comune .verona.it
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2. Juliet’s Tomb
Juliet’s tomb is an empty sarcophagus without a lid made of red marble in the crypt of the Franciscan monastery
When thinking about what to see in Verona in 1 day, make sure to plan a visit here. The stone tomb is located on the territory of the monastery of San Francesco. Whether it is a remodel, as some claim, or indeed this place is historical, one can only guess. The tomb stands in the temple crypt and looks chipped in many places: the girls, believing in omens, try to chip off and take with them pieces of marble as a souvenir.
3. Romeo’s House
The house of the Nogarola family of the XIV century – the hero of Shakespeare’s play Romeo Dimitris Kamaras
Bring back the story of medieval love from your trip! According to legend, an ardent lover lived in a beautiful building of medieval architecture with jagged brick walls. Despite all the requests of the local municipality, the owners of the house refused to sell it to the city, so it was not possible to make a museum out of it. And, if not for the inconspicuous plaque, it is quite possible to pass by without guessing about the historical value of the building.
Official website: https://www.turismoverona.eu
4. Piazza Bra
Flower tents during the Saturday market in Piazza Bra
The main square of the city, notable for its different architecture on each of its sides, has 4 entrances. In the center there is a fountain, sitting near which you can admire the surrounding beauty. The best sights of Verona, statues, plaques, monuments are located in the district. There are many restaurants and shops around for those who want to have a snack or shop.
5. Arena di Verona
Arena di Verona in Piazza Bra at night
Despite the wars and natural disasters, the amphitheater has been surprisingly well preserved. It is this place that Goethe mentioned in his tragedy Faust. Any trip to Verona should not do without visiting this grandiose pink marble building. Today, opera and theater productions come from everywhere to listen to world-class performers.
Official website: https://www.arena.it
See the beautiful places of Verona in this wonderful video!
6. Piazza della Signoria
Monument to Dante Alighieri on the background of the palaces of the medieval Piazza della Signoria in Verona
If you don’t know where to go in Verona, come to Piazza della Signoria. The brilliant works of the Renaissance are collected here. Here you lose your head with delight, seeing Cellini’s Perseus, Michelangelo’s David, Donatello’s Judith, realizing that it was in this square that the Holy Inquisition burned ardent opponents of the church. However, all the sculptures on the square are just copies, except for Cellini’s work. This place is also extremely interesting from an architectural point of view.
Official website: https://www.turismoverona.eu
7. Piazza delle Erbe or “grass square”
View of the Verona Madonna Fountain and the Lamberti Tower in Piazza delle Erbe
Next to the previous one there is a Grass Square, where the Verona market is located. Contrary to the name, literally everything is sold here, from groceries to souvenirs. The prices here are quite high, designed for frivolous tourists. Standing in the center, you can admire the architecture of the buildings standing around the perimeter.
8. The Gavi Arch
The Arch of Gavi is an ancient Roman triumphal arch in the city of Verona
The arch has changed its historical place and, after reconstruction, is located on the banks of the Adige River. The purpose of the original was to honor members of the noble Gavi family, in the Middle Ages the arch was part of the fortress wall and served as a gate. The bases for the columns are stone blocks, the facade and interior walls are decorated with floral ornaments.
Official website: https://www.tourism .verona.it
9. Verona Cathedral
The white marble facade of the Verona Cathedral in the small Piazza Duomo
The first basilica of one of the oldest cathedrals in Verona was built in the IV century. Today, fragments of the original masonry have been preserved in the interior, and the dimensions of the cathedral are almost identical to the original ones. Inside, the building is richly decorated with carvings, stucco, and red marble. In the chapels you can see works of art from the Renaissance and Baroque periods.
10. Basilica of San Zeno Maggiore
The Basilica of San Zeno Maggiore with a 72-meter bell tower and a nearby tower of the XIII century
The basilica is of both historical and religious interest. The relics of the city’s first bishop, St. Zeno of Veronica, rest here. The building is built in the Romanesque style and looks quite modest. The fantasy of the author of the project was fully embodied in the Gothic portal and interior decoration. There are good hotels in Verona near the basilica.
11. The Basilica of Santa Anastasia
The Altar of Saint Vincent Ferrer Didier Descouens
–Altare_di_san_Vincenzo_Ferreri.jpg) Designed by two Dominican monks, the basilica has a luxurious Gothic portal. The entrance doors are decorated with bas-reliefs with biblical scenes. Due to unfinished construction work, the upper part of the facade remained unpainted. The interior, on the contrary, is an example of cultural and historical heritage. The frescoed altar, the mosaic stone floor, the most beautiful chapels are able to capture the imagination of even the most sophisticated tourists.
12. Church of San Lorenzo
The central nave of the Church of San Lorenzo in Verona Hermann Hammer
The fact that the original appearance of the temple has been modified more than once does not detract from its historical and cultural significance. Many excursions in Verona consider this object to be a valuable point in tourist routes. Most of the members of the Medici family are buried here, once the basilica was their family church. Externally, the structure does not look too attractive, but the luxury of the interior design cannot be expressed in words, it needs to be seen firsthand.
13. Scaliger Arches
Scaligero Arches – tombs of three rulers of Verona from the Scaligero family in the XIII—XIV centuries
A monumental complex of Gothic tombstones in the center of Verona with the graves of members of the Scaliger dynasty. The complex of arches is enclosed by an openwork lattice resembling lace, which allows you to view the tombs from the street. If desired, you can go inside. Despite the fact that several craftsmen had a hand in creating the tombstones, the complex looks like a single architectural ensemble, in which each arch is magnificent in its own way.
14. The Maffei Palace
The Maffei Palace in Piazza delle Erbe at night
Built on ancient Roman ruins, the palace receives the best recommendations from tourists for the beauty of the structure. The first floor is formed by 5 arcades, windows, balconies and bas-reliefs on the cornices of the building are impressive. The main striking detail of the interior is a spiral staircase rising from the basement to the roof, notable for the lack of supports.
15. Castelvecchio Castle
View of the Castelvecchio fortress from the side of the Adige River in Verona
There are interesting places in Verona, once in which you feel like you are in the ancient Middle Ages. The castle looks like a defensive structure, initially it performed just such a function. The museum on site has an extensive collection of sculptures and paintings by Veronese masters. In addition to visiting the museum, the tour includes visits to towers and courtyards, fragments of city walls. The architectural design of the bridge leading to the city directly from the castle is interesting.
16. Porta Borsari
Porta Borsari is a partially preserved ancient gate of the Roman Empire period
What to see in Verona for connoisseurs of ancient architecture? Another evidence that Verona once needed protection is the Porta Borsari gate. They were built in the first century and were part of a defensive wall. Since they were assigned the role of the main entrance, the gates were lavishly decorated, and the whole building looked quite impressive with them. Only the facade, arranged in three tiers, with two entrances covered with arches, has survived to this day.
Official website: https://www.tourism .verona.it
17. Porta Leonie
Part of the facade and the base of the Porta Leoni Lo Scaligero towers
Another ancient city gate, of which only half of the inner facade and tower bases remain. Today it is a small fragment of ancient ruins that suddenly appears in front of the eye in a pedestrian zone. Alas, time has swallowed up the beautiful decorations that once adorned them, but they have not lost their architectural value.
Official website: https://www.veronissima.com
18. Porta Nuova
The facade of the monumental city gate of Porta Nuova from the city side
The gate, built in the 16th century, is another landmark of Verona. In the XVIII century. 2 arches were added to them for passage, and artillery pieces were installed on the flat roof. At the same time, the lion of St. Mark, which decorated the gate, was replaced by a sculptural ensemble of two griffins with a double-headed eagle between them, which, however, was later scraped off the stone. It is here that the historical Verona originates, from here it is recommended to start exploring the city.
19. Lamberti Tower
View of the tallest city building – the Lamberti Tower from the Erbe Square in Verona
We will advise you what to visit in Verona to enjoy a panoramic bird’s-eye view. The Lamberti Tower is the tallest in Verona, it has not always been like this. Over the centuries, it was completed, and from different materials, which is clearly visible now: the bell tower is made of marble, the medieval part is made of brick, and the base is made of a mixture of tuff and brick. From the observation deck at an altitude of 84 m, the historical part of the city is well visible.
Official website: https://torredeilamberti.it
20. Roman Theatre
A modern view of the Roman Theater on the hillside of Castel San Pietro in Verona
The structure of the theater dates back to the I century. Today, its well-preserved ruins are accessible to tourists. There is a river nearby, so the theater was repeatedly destroyed by floods. In the early Middle Ages, it was covered with earth and revived in the first half of the XIX century, as a result of archaeological excavations. Arcades, an amphitheater, and a staircase have been preserved almost in their original form. Performances of the summer opera season take place on the big stage.
The sights of Verona: What else to visit in Verona?
Looking at the sights of Verona with photos with names and descriptions, you realize that a couple of days will be enough to fall in love with this fabulous town.
21. Archaeological Museum
Archaeological Museum on the hill in the building of the former monastery of St. Gerolamo next to the Roman Theater
The medieval collections of the museum, founded in 1023, are exhibited in the former monastery of St. Gerolamo. It contains a large number of valuable exhibits found during the excavations of the archaeological museum. Tourist reviews mention mosaics depicting the battle of gladiators, amazing antique sculptures and interesting artifacts.
22. The Ponte Pietra Bridge
The Roman arch bridge of Ponte Pietra over the Adige River in Verona
This arched stone bridge, the only one in the city, is a famous landmark of Italy and has been preserved to this day almost in its original form. The changes affected the coating of the bridge: marble, which was originally used, was eventually replaced with red brick and other materials. Great photos are being taken here.
23. Scaliger Bridge
The 16th century Scaliger Bridge in Verona over the Adige River at sunset
Built in the 14th century, the bridge connects the shore of the Adige with the castle of Castelvecchio. It consists of three spans and is interesting for its original appearance. The surface of the central part is covered with red brick, like the main attractions of Verona during the Scaligerian period, the lower one is made of white marble.
24. Giusti’s Garden
Antique statues in the Giusti Castle landscape park on the hilly slopes of Verona
The tourist rating of this facility is low, because it is located far from the popular places of Verona. But if you are tired of the hustle and bustle and the flow of greedy guests of the garden, you should come here. In the lower part of the garden there are antique sculptures made of white marble, a cave of stalactites, an alley of cypresses, a maze of boxwood, stone baths and a fountain made of red marble. From the observation deck of the upper garden, you will see a wonderful panorama of Verona.
Official website: https://giardinogiusti.com
25. Lake Garda
Panorama of the surroundings of Lake Garda, lying at the foot of the Alps
A freshwater lake with emerald-hued water stretches between the rocks, on the territory of three provinces: Verona, Trentino and Brescia. Thanks to the well-thought-out infrastructure, the shores of the lake are always full of tourists. Here you can enjoy the picturesque scenery, arriving for a day, or check into a hotel, having a good beach holiday.
The tourist verdict is unequivocal: if you are eager to get a romantic experience, then it’s definitely time for you to go to Verona! Read also about the sights of Milan and be inspired to travel further in Italy.