Roman ruins and fine wine in the underrated alternative to Venice
Skip the crowds of Venice and make a beeline instead for Verona, the city of Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers.
Go now
Summer means opera in Verona, where spectacles in the Arena (1) – the city’s Roman amphitheatre – showcase one of the most remarkable ancient buildings still surviving. This year’s programme begins on June 22 and includes Carmen and Aida. It runs until Sept 1 (arena.it). Connections from the UK come courtesy of BA (britishairways.com), easyJet (easyjet.com), Ryanair (ryanair.com), Jet2 (jet2.com), Flybe (flybe.com), Transavia (transavia.com), Ernest (flyernest.com), Neos (neosair.com) and Alitalia (alitalia.com).
City guide: Verona
Stay here
The Hotel Due Torri (2) is an elegant haven close to the Arena. Doubles from around €250 (￡220) including breakfast. Contemporary blends with classic in the Grand Hotel des Arts (3) which is also well placed for the Arena. Double rooms with breakfast begin at around €175.
Walk here
With the Arena behind you in Piazza Brà, head along Via Anfiteatro (4). The popular, though not necessarily authentic, House of Juliet is on the left in Via Cappello (5), which continues on to the magnificent, adjoining squares of Piazza Erbe and Piazza dei Signori (6), the hubs of medieval Veronese commerce. Head north-west, past the church of Sant’Anastasia (7) with Pisanello’s fresco of St George and the Princess, to the café-filled bend in the river Adige and the city’s oldest bridge, the Ponte di Pietra.
See this
If you see one church in Verona, make it San Zeno (basilicasanzeno.it) (8). Verona has an official cathedral but it hardly gets a look-in compared with this basilica dedicated to the city’s patron saint.
Try this
Scale the 12th-century Torre dei Lamberti (9) in Piazza delle Erbe for a 360-degree view over the city’s historic centre. If you don’t feel you can cope with the stairs, there’s a glass lift to whisk you up the 275ft (84m) structure. (torredeilamberti.it/en, €8).
Shop here
Via Mazzini (10) and Corso Porta Borsari (11) cater to the whims of the most dedicated shopaholic. Designer Simone Villa has his Riot Clothing Space shop on Via dei Filippini: clothes for men and women, plus accessories and objects, all in dazzling hues (riot-clothing-space.com).
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Drink here
Osteria del Bugiardo (buglioni.it/osteria) (12) on Corso Porta Borsari serves wines from the owner’s Valpolicella vineyard, plus other tipples and snacks. A glass of wine starts at €2.50.
Eat here
Osteria Sottoriva under the arches on Via Sottoriva (0039 045 8014323) (13) serves Veronese specialities (think meat) and seriously good wine. Expect to pay around €30 per person.
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Off the map
For a change of scenery, head west to Lake Garda. Impossibly picturesque on a peninsula thrusting into the lake, Sirmione is a 20-minute train ride (€4.45) from Verona.