By rail
Verona Porta Nuova, ~1 h 15 min from Milan
Europe · Italy
Verona, Italy
Romeo, Juliet and a Roman arena
Getting there
By air
Verona (VRN), ~12 km
Best time to visit
June to August for opera in the Arena; April to May
Don't miss
The Verona Arena
Juliet's House
The Piazza delle Erbe
Castelvecchio
Things to do
Opera in the Arena
Juliet's balcony
A day at Lake Garda
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Hoppend · CC0
What to pack
Comfortable shoes
A quieter corner
Castel San Pietro's view over the river
Questions travellers ask
When can I see opera in the Verona Arena?
June to August is when there's opera in the Arena. April to May is also a good time to visit; bring comfortable shoes.
What's worth seeing in Verona?
The Verona Arena, Juliet's House, the Piazza delle Erbe and Castelvecchio. For a view over the river, head up to Castel San Pietro.
Can I do a day trip to Lake Garda from Verona?
Yes, you can spend a day at Lake Garda. Back in town, order risotto all'Amarone.
Is Verona reachable by train from Milan?
Yes, Verona Porta Nuova is about 1 hour 15 minutes from Milan. Verona (VRN) airport is about 12 km out.
About Verona
- Riverside
Where it is
Verona is a city in the Veneto region of north-east Italy, set on a loop of the Adige river where it leaves the Alpine foothills, a short distance east of Lake Garda.
History
A Roman colony from 89 BC, Verona gained its great amphitheatre, the Arena, in the 1st century AD, and was later a residence of the Ostrogothic king Theodoric the Great. The della Scala family made it a powerful city in the 13th and 14th centuries, Venice ruled it from 1405 to 1797, and after Austrian rule Verona joined Italy in 1866; in 2026 the Arena hosted the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics.
People
Veronese speak Italian and the Venetian dialect. The hills to the north produce Valpolicella and Amarone wines, celebrated each spring at the Vinitaly wine fair, and the city is the home of pandoro, the star-shaped Christmas cake.
Known for
- The Roman Arena and its summer opera
- Juliet's House and balcony
- The Piazza delle Erbe
- Castelvecchio and its bridge
- Valpolicella and Amarone wines
Did you know?
The Arena's summer opera festival began in 1913 with a performance of Verdi's Aida, marking the centenary of the composer's birth.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.