Verona Extension: Beyond Romeo & Juliet

In the collective imagination, Verona is the city background of the tragic love story between Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare’s tragedy made the fortune of this city that attracts hundreds of tourists thanks to a sort of “romantic tourism.” But Verona’s beauty doesn’t end with the Juliet balcony, on the contrary. Verona is full of artistic and cultural histories, all this in a city that maintains a suggestive atmosphere made of alleys, squares and traditional Italian food.

Verona is a beautiful city located along the Adige River – the same river that flows from the Dolomites. The dainty stone balcony at the 14th-century Casa di Giulietta is a magnet for lovers (and Shakespeare fans), and visiting romantics alternatively scrawl heart-rending graffiti in the charming courtyard, smooch on the balcony, or rub their hands across Juliet’s statue’s bosom for luck in love. But Verona is not solely about Shakespeare (although two more of his plays are set here – The Two Gentlemen of Verona and The Taming of the Shrew). Verona is known as piccola Roma, or little Rome, for its importance in imperial times, and today is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Under the marble streets lie ruins of the Roman Empire. In fact, one of the streets itself is an open archaeological site – Porta Leoni – a 1st century BC ruin of what was once part of the Roman city gate, where the original street foundations can be seen a few feet below the present street level through glassed-in viewing windows. A 1st century Roman theater is built into a hill overlooking the river, and outdoor summer performances are still held there. And Piazza delle Erbe, the former Roman Forum, today is a wonderful open air market surrounded by historic buildings with frescoes and peppered with sculptures. Perhaps most notably, Verona is home to the imposing 2,000-year-old Arena, the third largest coliseum in Italy, and one of the best-preserved ancient structures of its kind where gladiatorial contests and other public spectacles were once held. Today, important classical concerts, opera, and modern music events are performed, ranging from Sting to Aida, with an opera stage that is the largest in the world.

• Visit Verona, the 'City of Love' renowned for the tragic events of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet
• Enjoy a performance at the opera at Verona’s famous Arena, the best preserved coliseum in the world
• Walk along the marble sidewalks of this ancient city, exploring the wealth of Roman ruins