A two or even three day trip to Verona is ideal for a tranquil and relaxing break away, but if you are running short on time, all the must-see sights of Verona can be ticked off in an interesting, but hectic, day.
Verona Travel Booking Resources
These are my favourite companies to use when I travel.
• Search cheap flights with Skyscanner.
• Find the best deals on hotels on Booking.com.
• Get reliable travel insurance through World Nomads.
• Book sightseeing tours & attraction tickets on GetYourGuide or Viator.
Verona Perfect Day Itinerary
Here is a guided city tour to get all the major destinations in a single day. Are you ready? Let’s go.
Morning
You need to start your day in the central square, which is where the Arena di Verona is located. Similar to Rome’s Colosseum, this imposing landmark is a sight to behold, having been built around 30 AD and being able to seat 30,000 spectators.
Pay the €6 to get in, and trust us when we say it’s worth it. Walk through the stone corridors, sensing what gladiators of ages gone by must have felt like and emerge into the light, where rows of stone seats await. In some ways, this structure is more impressive than Rome’s, purely because it still resembles a Roman amphitheatre.
Once you have explored here, head up Via Maria Todeschini and when you reach the end, at the T-junction, you should see the Porta dei Borsari in front of you. This ‘gate to the city’ is a piece of history in otherwise commercial surroundings, a gem worth discovering. Take a picture of this white-stone landmark and do not go through the gate itself, but take the opposite direction on the Corso Cavour.
A few minutes’ walk will take you to the mighty Castelvecchio, but be sure to look to your right as you will see the Gavi Arch, a white arch that was built by the Gavia family during the 1st century AD.
Once you cross the moat, you will be able to walk around this red-brick castle freely, so give yourself enough time to admire its architecture and stunning bridge, the latter of which boasts some amazing viewing platforms overlooking the Adige river. The site is also home to the Castelvecchio Museum, but unless you’re a fan of modern art, you can give this a miss.
Churches, Churches and More Churches
Verona has four main churches, all of which can be entered via the ‘four church pass’ for about €6. The first one is the striking San Zeno Maggiore Church, which can be accessed if you walk through Arsenale Park, turn left and then cross the river. You will be taken aback by its red-and-white striped exterior and stunning rose-window resemblant, and as you walk inside, its divine courtyard is a breathtaking mix of terracotta, florals and drooping olive trees. Walk around the magnificent church, looking out for the row of statues depicting disciples, its eerie crypt down below and the ‘smiling’ statue of St Zeno on the left of the altar.
Once you are done here, retrace your steps over the bridge you just came across, and merge left and continue straight, until you hit a T-junction at Viale Nino Bixio. Here turn right and cross the river, and to your left you should stumble upon your second church: Verona Duomo. This is the main cathedral of the city and it not only boasts intricately designed exteriors but it features ruins of the previous two paleo-Christian churches that had been on the same site before being destroyed in an earthquake in 1117.
Carry on down the Via Duomo and you will see the third church on the left. Sant’Anastasia is more of an art gallery than a place of worship, and a simple glance at the dizzying roof should prove this theory. The site displays a wide variety of works by Pisanello, including the iconic fresco of St George and the Princess, and be sure to look out for the two font stoups of two hunchback figures and the popular funerary monument to Cortesia Serego.
On a side note, if you head northwards from here and cross the river, you’ll be facing the Teatro Romano. The amphitheatre itself is impressive, albeit just a smaller version of the Arena, but it’s the ruins surrounding it that offer fantastic views of Verona.
The final church is San Fermo, which is ahead of you if you keep following the river along. You can see history, literally, peeling off here, as hidden frescoes beneath white plaster emerge to create something truly spectacular. Take the steps down two flights and you will see the original underground church – a haunting experience indeed.
Finish Off in the Square
Cross the river again, back into the heart of the action and you’ll find yourself passing Casa de Juliet. See this iconic balcony, said to have inspired Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, and then continue onwards to Piazza del Erbe.
Here, you will encounter markets selling anything from fruit and vegetables to clothes and souvenirs, the mighty Torre dei Lamberti that you can climb up for the highest views in the city, the Alice in Wonderland-esque Scaliger Tombs, and what remains of the historic palace with its beautiful exterior staircase.
Finally, walk along the Via Mazzini for a bit of late-afternoon shopping. All the brands, such as Gucci, H&M and L’Occitane, are here, so if there was ever a chance to burn a hole in your wallet, this is it.
This road will take you back to the Arena. And there you have it. Verona done in a day – phew.
We highly recommend to learn some basic Italian phrases before visiting Verona, not everyone speak English and it will make your experience here more fun.
