Customer Service Representative Rebecca joined us on our Grand Tour of Europe, where she fell in love with the city of Verona. Even as a theater junkie and fan of Shakespeare, Rebecca found that there was more to Verona than just Romeo and Juliet—read on for her insider tips!
Verona is my new favorite city in Italy. Our Tour Director happened to be from Verona, so while the rest of the group stayed close to our wonderful local guide, I hung back to walk with him and hear a few stories of what it was like growing up in this amazing town.
Upon arrival, our group was led across the Scaliger Bridge (also called the Castelvecchio Bridge) over the beautiful Adige River. While the guide went over some details about the architecture, our Tour Director told me how he used to play hide-and-seek with his friends in the segmented arches.
Our next surprise was the Piazza Brà, one of the largest squares in Europe. Filled with beautiful restaurants featuring Italy’s iconic outdoor seating, it offers a spectacular view of the Arena di Verona, a theater that looks like a miniature (and better preserved) version of the Colosseum. Enjoying a glass of wine here in my free time had me wishing I could stay forever!
On our way from the main square to Juliet’s House, we walked along the pink limestone pedestrian road. The designer boutiques were great for window shopping, but our Tour Director pointed out something even more interesting. The limestone, which was taken from the Sant’Ambrogio di Valpolicella area, has fossilized imprints of sea creatures’ shells—you can actually see them in the stone. When he was little, he used to play a game where you would get points for spotting the shells while you walked. The bigger the fossil, the more points you got! The picture above shows the biggest one I found.
Finally, we arrived at the Casa di Giulietta, famous as the balcony setting in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Most people took a picture with the statue of Juliet in the small courtyard while others took a moment to write a note on the walls in the alleyway. I chose to spend the 5 euros to go out onto the balcony for a photo!
For me, Verona was the perfect mix of sightseeing attractions and the genuine Italian lifestyle, all in a small city. I can’t wait to go back!
Have you ever been on a Verona tour? What was your favorite part? Let us know on Facebook.
