Things to Do in Verona, Italy
On our recent trip to Northern Italy, we picked Verona as one of our stops (after Como and before Bologna and Milan). The city might be famous for Romero & Juliet, but it should be more well known as a great city to visit – just the right mix of history and modernity. We stay at an AirBnB quite close to Piazza Brà (with the colosseum) and fell in love with the city. So here is our list of things to do in Verona (as well as the best restaurants to try)!
Things to Do in Verona
Verona actually has a long history that’s surprisingly well-preserved considering it’s centrality to so many groups and governments and it’s heavy bombing during WWII. In the central district, where the river bends to offer great protection, you can see monuments and remnants from antiquity through the medieval period, the Renaissance period, and all they way through today.
Verona Walking Tour
One of the best decisions we made (thanks, husband) was to take a walking tour. We met in the morning and was a part of a group of about 12 (actually just 3 families). We wandered around the outskirts of the old town area, seeing sights and getting lots of local details. It was a great way to situate ourself in the city, learn more about its history, and gave us someone to ask questions. We generally like walking tours and this one was great!
Piazza Brà
Visit Piazza Brà with the colosseum, lunch spots, and benches are some trees and green to enjoy. Grab a spritz, order some pizza, and just enjoy the beauty!
Piazza Erbe
Piazza Erbe is where all the markets used to be. Now the piazza is filled with booths of mostly tourist goods, but it’s a beautiful place to visit. Be sure to look up at the architecture where you can see old paintings and reliefs on the building with adorable balconies.
Shopping in Verona
The luxury shopping is just off Piazza Brà on Via Giuseppe Mazzini, but I had fun wandering down Corsica Port Borsari. After the big name stores, there are Italian ateliers.
Chiesa di Sant’Anastasia
The Chiesa di Sant’Anastasia is absolutely worth a visit. Each chapel has its own story and art, including engraved terracotta tiles, painting, statues, and so much more. It’s positively beautiful!
Walk Along the Adige
Take a walk along the river Adige which bends around the old part of the city. Take any of the bridges out of the old town to walk along the waterfront! Did you know the Adige is the second longest river in Italy?
Museo di Castelvecchio
Visit the Museo di Castelvecchio – the old castle home of the Scaliger family. There is a museum of art (which any architect will love as it was designed by Carlo Scarpa). We enjoyed the annex of the museum, featuring the history of art before, during, and after WWII and the reign of Fascism.
Juliet’s Balcony
One of the famous things to do in Verona is to visit Juliet’s Balcony. We didn’t do this. There was a long line; I’m not a huge Shakespeare fan (he’s fine, just no obsession over here); and it’s really just a balcony.
And fun fact. If you look down at the stones along the streets, you’re likely to see vague outlines of fossils from when the stones were taken from the river!
Best Restaurants in Verona
Great pizza at Demos – an unassuming sidewalk cafe, but the pizza was great!
Gelateria Savoie Verona is the famous Gelato spot in town and it’s good! My husband thinks Gelateria Verona near Porto Borsari is better. So you can try both and let us know!
Caffè Rialto across the pedestrian-road from Gelateria Verona is a nice spot for coffee, tea, and a morsel. And also perfect for a Spritz later in the day!
Locanda degli Scaligeri is a great spot to enjoy the local fare. I had the brasato all’amarone – beef braised in Amazon wine. It’s a traditional, local dish that’s yummy (think Italian pot roast). The dish I had here was my favorite of them all.
Osteria il Ciottolo was a walk-in find, but we enjoyed our dinner there quite a bit – simple, local foods made well!
Hosteria il Punto Rosa was a fun little spot with two stories. All food and drinks are ordered on a tablet (I’m so old-fashion, by the way), but the food was good and the ambiance was adorable!
Traveling to Italy? You’ll need your Italy packing list for sure. Depending on your itinerary, you’ll want to see where to stay in Milan, things to do in Lake Como, and things to do in Bologna!
