Verona
Don't miss...
Highlights
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Elbow your way through the crowd to Juliet's balcony (fictional, yes, but it's pretty fun to say you've seen it!)
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Stroll through the PIazza delle Erbe and its daytime market
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Marvel at the amphitheater, built in the 1st century A.D., that is now home to the famous opera
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Wander around the Castelvecchio
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Walk through the Porta Borsari, an ancient Roman gate that has been embedded into the modern city buildings
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From lakeshore to inland plains
"Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life;
Whose misadventur’d piteous overthrows
Do with their death bury their parents’ strife."
~William Shakespeare, "Romeo and Juliet"
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The historic city of Verona, home to Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet," and a UNESCO World Heritage Site (one of 51 in the country) was founded in the 1st century B.C. Today, visitors can still see evidence of its varied history, including the Roman period, Middle Ages, and Renaissance.
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Our local guide, Valeria, took us on an introductory stroll through the old town, including the Castelvecchio, several piazzas, and the Amphitheatre Arena with the opera sets stored out in the open plaza when the amphitheater is used for other events. After making the obligatory stop at "Juliet's balcony," we were back on the bus heading for the Italian alps.
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Lesson #2:
Beware the pigeons
When touring the cities, don’t lean up against an outdoor wall with a ledge or windowsill above you. Pigeons love to sit on those ledges and compete for the best aim, “Score! Got another one. One more feather point for me!”