3. Juliet’s Balcony and the letters of love tradition
You’ve read the play, maybe watched the movie, but standing beneath Juliet’s balcony is something else entirely. At Casa di Giulietta (Juliet’s House), the walls are covered in notes and initials, declarations of love from every corner of the world.
There’s a bronze statue of Juliet in the courtyard: legend says touching the statue brings luck in love. And inside the house, a small museum offers costumes, period pieces, and the famous bed from Franco Zeffirelli’s 1968 film.
More touching still? Verona’s real-life Juliet’s Secretaries read and respond to thousands of handwritten letters every year. Because in this city, romance is taken seriously.
4. A slow stroll through Piazza delle Erbe
Piazza delle Erbe is now Verona’s most atmospheric square: a vibrant mix of open-air cafés, elegant palazzi, and a daily market that fills the center with stalls selling flowers, souvenirs, and local crafts.
Most visitors pause to admire the frescoed Mazzanti Houses, but climbing the Torre dei Lamberti (Lamberti Tower) is among the most iconic things to do in Verona: it rewards you with sweeping views of terracotta rooftops, bell towers, and the winding Adige.
5. The Scaliger Tombs’ lace-cut stone
Just beyond Piazza dei Signori, a small enclosure of soaring pinnacles rises above street level: the Scaliger Tombs, known in Italian as the Arche Scaligere. This is the final resting place of Verona’s powerful Scaligeri family, who ruled the city in the 13th and 14th centuries.
Five elaborate Gothic canopies, each crowned by an equestrian statue, shelter the stone sarcophagi below. Carved from alternating bands of Verona limestone and white marble, the decoration is so intricate it resembles lacework.
6. Riverside walks along the Adige
The Adige River winds gracefully through Verona, offering peaceful views and a slower rhythm. Riverbank paths between Ponte Pietra (Stone Bridge) and Ponte Scaligero (Scaliger Bridge) trace its curves, perfect for a reflective stroll.
The scene often feels like a painting: morning mist softens the outlines, sunset casts a rose-gold hue across the water, and by dusk, the river shimmers in twilight stillness.
7. Across the Scaligero Bridge to Castelvecchio
Red-bricked and dramatic, the Scaligero Bridge looks like it belongs in a medieval tale. Built in the 14th century by Cangrande II della Scala as an escape route from Castelvecchio, it leads straight to the heart of one of Verona’s most impressive historical landmarks.
Castelvecchio, the fortress of the powerful Scaligeri family, now houses the Castelvecchio Museum, designed by renowned architect Carlo Scarpa. The collection spans medieval to Renaissance art, including sculptures, paintings, frescoes, and ancient weapons.
8. Verona’s Roman Theater and Archaeological Museum
Carved into the hillside just across the Ponte Pietra, the Roman Theater (Teatro Romano) is one of Verona’s most ancient sites, dating back to the 1st century BC. With its original semicircular cavea and stage remnants still intact, the theater offers a glimpse into Roman civic life and dramatic arts.
Right beside it, the Archaeological Museum is housed in a former monastery and holds a rich collection of Roman artifacts: mosaics, inscriptions, sculptures, tools, and everyday objects that bring ancient Verona into focus.
9. The Basilica of San Zeno Maggiore
Slightly off the usual path, the Basilica of San Zeno Maggiore is a Romanesque masterpiece: calm, majestic, and rich in detail. Built between the 10th and 12th centuries, its striped stone facade, adorned with a rose window and carved portals, sets a tone of solemn grandeur.
Inside, the church holds Andrea Mantegna’s San Zeno Altarpiece, a luminous early Renaissance work that draws immediate attention. The bronze doors, decorated with 48 detailed relief panels from the 12th century, depict scenes from the Bible and daily life with quiet intricacy.
Just below, the crypt, where the body of Saint Zeno, Verona’s patron saint, rests, offers a tranquil, almost timeless atmosphere. According to popular legend, it may have inspired the setting of Romeo and Juliet’s secret wedding in Shakespeare’s play.
10. Palazzo Maffei Gallery’s eclectic collection
Art lovers shouldn’t miss Palazzo Maffei Gallery. Set within an elegant baroque palace in Piazza delle Erbe, this collection spans from classical to contemporary pieces. Room after room reveals Picasso, Magritte and the neoclassical grace of Canova: an unexpected gem in Verona’s historic heart.
11. Giardino Giusti’s sculpted calm
Hidden in the Veronetta district, Giardino Giusti is a Renaissance garden of symmetry, statues, and whispering cypress trees. There’s a hedge maze, fountains, and winding paths that lead to a secluded viewpoint above the city.
It’s a place where poets and composers once came to dream, Goethe wandered here, Mozart too, and, as a result, many visitors linger longer than planned.
12. Santuario della Madonna di Lourdes
Perched atop Colle San Leonardo, the Santuario della Madonna di Lourdes offers quiet contemplation and sweeping views of Verona’s skyline. Originally a WWII military fort, the site was transformed in the 1950s into a sanctuary dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
Less visited than other landmarks, it’s a peaceful retreat with a striking white statue of the Madonna, surrounded by greenery. Inside the church, simple interiors invite silence and reflection. It’s a hidden gem where serenity meets scenery, ideal for travelers seeking a moment of peace and a panoramic reward.
13. Taste the flavors of Veronese cuisine
Savoring the local cuisine is one of the most authentic things to do in Verona. Each bite tells a story of land, tradition, and identity.
Highlights often include:
- Risotto all’Amarone: a luxurious risotto cooked slowly with Amarone della Valpolicella wine, renowned for its deep flavor and ruby-red hue.
- Pastissada de caval: a historic Veronese dish, traditionally made with horse meat marinated in red wine, onions, cloves, and spices, then slowly braised until incredibly tender. It’s typically served with creamy polenta (a soft cornmeal dish that’s a staple in Northern Italian cuisine) offering a taste of Verona’s rustic culinary heritage.
- Lesso con pearà: a beloved winter dish featuring tender boiled meats served with pearà, a peppery bread sauce enriched with bone marrow and cheese.
- Risotto al tastasal: a rustic risotto made with seasoned minced pork, originally used to test the flavor of sausage meat.
- Bigoli con l’anatra: thick, spaghetti-like pasta paired with a flavorful duck ragù. This dish is a staple in Veronese homes and osterias, offering a taste of the region’s rustic charm.
- Luccio alla gardesana: a specialty from the nearby Lake Garda area, this dish features pike fish cooked in a savory sauce of anchovies, capers, and olive oil, typically served with polenta.
Pair these dishes with a robust Valpolicella Ripasso or a sweet Recioto, and take your time. In Verona, meals are more than sustenance: they’re a celebration of life, memory, and connection.
14. Valpolicella’s hills and cellars
Just beyond Verona, the Valpolicella wine region offers rolling hills, stone villages, and some of the most iconic wines in Italy.
Guided tastings at local wineries take place just steps from the aging barrels, where Amarone, Ripasso, and Recioto are poured amid the cellar’s cool air. Many estates feel lifted from a Renaissance painting, framed by manicured gardens, frescoed halls, and wide vineyard views.
15. Sunset light from Castel San Pietro
For Verona’s best panoramic view, Castel San Pietro crowns the hillside above Ponte Pietra. From here, the rooftops glow in golden light, the Adige winds below, and a hush settles over the whole city.
Built on the site of a Roman fortress and later transformed into an Austrian military barracks in the 19th century, the site has long watched over Verona. Whether you choose to climb the panoramic staircase or ride the funicular, the journey up rewards you with the city stretching out beneath you, bathed in soft twilight.
Today, the castle itself is closed to the public, but the terrace in front has become a beloved gathering spot. As the sun sets, locals and travelers linger on the stone steps with a drink in hand, some in quiet awe, others sharing stories. It’s a simple ritual that feels like Verona itself is pausing for a moment.
16. Verona After Dark
When evening falls, Verona softens. The lights grow warm, the crowds fade, and the city seems to exhale.
Locals linger in Piazza dei Signori with wine glasses in hand. Street musicians fill the night air with music. Lovers walk slowly beneath the arches. It’s not loud or flashy, just softly magical. Even the Arena glows from within, as opera rises into the night.
Things to do in Verona, in the quiet moments
Verona unfolds slowly, in stone steps worn smooth, in whispered love letters, in the hush of twilight over the river. It’s grand yet intimate, legendary yet lived-in.
Maybe you’ll be drawn by the magic of a night at the Verona Opera Festival, by the sweeping views from Torre dei Lamberti, or by a guided Verona tour that lets you discover the city’s quieter side at your own pace. However you explore it, Verona leaves its mark. Softly, without asking for attention.
From the iconic to the intimate, the things to do in Verona linger in your heart long after you leave: it’s Verona’s subtle beauty that will follow you home.
