Verona must be the most romantic city in the world. I mean, forget Paris, forget Venice; Verona is the ultimate couple’s destination. From Juliet’s balcony to golden hour by the river, every moment felt like a scene from a romance movie.
Here’s everything we got up to during our 5 days in Verona, Italy:
Day 1: Mini-Colosseum and Beautiful Bridges
After a short train ride from Munich we arrived in Verona, aka the most romantic city we’ve ever stepped foot in. Paris, who?
We dropped our bags at our apartment (our first full apartment stay of the trip!) and headed straight for the Verona Arena. Yep, it looks just like a mini-Colosseum. Fun fact: the Verona Arena was actually built 50 years before the Colosseum in Rome. It dates all the way back to 30 AD and still hosts concerts, even two thousand years later. Absolutely unreal.
From there, we wandered over the Castelvecchio Bridge just in time for golden hour. From there we watched the sun set on the Adige River.
We then headed back to our apartment where Connor treated me with some homemade pasta and a glass of red wine, a perfect introduction to Italy!
Pro Tip: If you’re walking Verona, pay attention to wear you are stepping. Those Cobblestones Streets are not for the weak (I may or may not have twisted my ankle a time or two).
Day 2: Our Juliet Day
We started our second day in Verona by visiting Chiesa di San Fermo. The is a beautiful striped cathedral in the middle of Old Town Verona. From there, we made our way to one of Verona’s most iconic spots: Casa di Giulietta. For those who don’t know Romeo and Juliet, the famous Shakespeare play, was set right here in Verona. The famous balcony scene supposedly takes place at this very house (well… kind of. The balcony was added in the 1930s, but we’re rolling with the romance). People from all over the world come to leave love notes on the walls or rub the bronze statue of Juliet for a little extra luck in love. This is also the home to the Juliet Club, where a team of volunteers reads and responds to thousands of letters sent to Juliet every year. This was so cool to see in person, however I must say, there were so many people!
Later, we headed to Piazza Delle Erbe, a vibrant and picturesque square. We people watched for a while before heading back to our apartment for some more pasta followed by local strawberries dipped in melted chocolate. So good! Easily the best strawberries we’ve ever had.
Pro Tip: Get to the grocery stores early! The markets here are not big by any means. They have a limited supply. Go early in the day to ensure you can snag the beautiful strawberries before they run out!
Day 3: Ancient Ruins and Verona Views
We kicked off the day with a visit to the Chiesa di Santa Anastasia, which quickly became our favorite church in Verona. The painted ceiling was beyond magical. We then made our way to explore some of Verona’s ancient city ruins. These ruins were tucked just below the surface of the modern city. There was something so incredible about walking past the same stones that people stepped on over a thousand years ago.
From there, we set out for a bit of a workout as we made our way to Castel San Pietro, a castle that sits on a hill overlooking the entire city. The stairs were no joke, but the view was 100% worth it. (We’re starting to realize that every castle on this trip requires a major hike to reach.) If you’re looking for a picture-perfect place in Verona, this is where you need to go.
Dinner was another amazing meal back at the apartment: pasta, wine, and a little background music (courtesy of Chef Connor). We felt like true Veronese, exploring in the day, and enjoying home-cooked pasta in the evening. Bellissimo!
Pro Tip: Learning a few key Italian words can be a lifesaver. Most people speak English, but it’s always good to know how to ask for water or where the bathroom is; especially when you’re in a pinch!
Day 4: Gardens and City Lights
Our final full day started at the Ponte Pietra bridge as we made our way back up to Castel San Pietro. Both the bridge and the castle offered incredible views of the river and the city. From the castle, we wandered to Giardino Giusti, a romantic renaissance garden. For the first time all trip, it finally felt like spring. The weather was warm, and we spotted our first flowers of the season!
After the garden, we visited Chiesa di San Giorgio in Braida, another stunning riverside church with beautiful views of the Ponte Pietra. As the sun began to set, we crossed the bridge once more and hiked back up to the castle to enjoy our last moments in Verona. It truly felt like we were living in our very own Italian romcom. We took in the glowing city lights one last time before finally heading back to our apartment for the night.
Pro Tip: Watch movies based in the places you’re visiting! Almost every night, we watched something set in Verona. It was so fun spotting places we had just explored. Our favorite for this trip was Love in the Villa on Netflix.
Day 5: Leaving Verona
We packed our bags slowly and made our way to the park overlooking the Verona Arena, where we reluctantly said goodbye to this incredible city. Then, we hopped on our train to our next destination: Venice, Italy. As excited as we were for Venice, leaving Verona felt like leaving behind an incredibly special place. This was, without a doubt, the most romantic destination we’ve experienced.
Would we go back? In a heartbeat. And next time, we’ll stay longer!
Overall: 10/10
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