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VERONA, THE CITY OF ROMEO AND JULIET

Famous for Shakespeare’s tragedy, this Scaligero city is renowned throughout the world for its monuments. Not far from the city, Lake Garda, the Lessinia mountains and Monte Baldo are just some of the attractions offered by the area.

The Christmas’ Star and the Arena on the background (foto Regione Veneto)
Juliet’s Balcony

History

Situated where the Adige valley meets the Po plain, at the crossroads of the Via Augusta with the Via Gallica and Via Postumia, Verona was a strategic trading centre which experienced considerable cultural and artistic development. It boasts an intense history over the centuries, starting from its Roman origins and passing through the medieval, Romanesque, gothic and renaissance eras. Renowned all over the world for monuments dating back to all the historic periods mentioned, it is also remembered as the city of lovers: Shakespeare set the tragic story of Romeo and Juliet here and there are tangible signs of the story in Verona, such as Juliet’s house, with its characteristic balcony, her tomb, the setting for the romantic tragedy, and Romeo’s house. Today Verona, situated at the crossroads of the main Brennero and Serenissima communications routes, has become an important city with a wide range of tourist facilities, in addition to industrial and commercial activities.

The city and its monuments

What is striking in Verona is the extraordinary abundance of art, history and culture concentrated in a single city and available to the visitor. The Roman remains, with the Arena, the Gavi arch, Ponte Pietra, Porta dei Borsari, Porta dei Leoni and the Roman theatre, should not be missed. With around 1900 years of history, the Arena is one of the most prominent monuments: constructed in the 1st century AD, it stood outside the city walls and was used for spectacles and contests. Since 1913 the Arena has been the most famous open-air theatre on the international scene and today has one of the most prestigious opera seasons in the world. The Duomo and the church of San Zeno Maggiore, masterpieces of Romanesque art, are worth visiting, while the elegant Loggia del Consiglio and the buildings and doors by the Verona architect Michele Sanmicheli are just some examples of artefacts dating back to the renaissance era, which was particularly prosperous in Verona. To conclude, there is the Civic Museum of Castelvecchio, which contains an important collection of paintings and sculptures from Veneto from the early Middle Ages up to the 18th century.

The geographical area

There are many towns of interest in the province, such as Soave, Negrar, Lazise, Villafranca, Valeggio sul Mincio and Malcesine, each with its own villas, castle and walls, offering precious and evocative examples of Veneto and Italian art and set in natural landscapes of unparalleled charm. There are an equally large number of natural attractions, such as Lake Garda, the Lessini mountains and the Valpolicella area, famous all over the world for its wines. While the Lessinia nature park, established with the scope of safeguarding the important naturalistic, environmental, historic and ethnic heritage of the Verona area, also contains important prehistoric remains, such as the Veja bridge, Lake Garda is known throughout the world for its tourist accommodation and facilities. The delicate equilibrium of winds and thermal currents makes this place an ideal site for sailing sports, hang-gliding and paragliding, set against the magnificent natural background with its brilliant azure blue and bright green hues. To complement all this, there is the opportunity to enjoy wholesome typical dishes, served in picturesque corners of the landscape, enhanced by elegant country residences and artistic treasures.