Romantic Verona, Italy

In my dreams, I had imagined Italy with outdoor eating spaces, a street musician in the background, and the sounds of water fountains and street markets. Here it is. I was right. VERONA.

What is Verona, known for? For starters, it has the third biggest amphitheater in Italy after the Coliseum in Rome and the arena in Capua.  The Verona Arena was built in the first century.  It is still in use today for grand opera performances. 

The city is Italy at its finest boasting romance, the backdrop that inspired Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, and The House of Juliet where the real life Cappello family once lived. Juliet's balcony is a touristy circus of cross-eyed lovers, graffiti, and many predictable selfies of people rubbing Juliet’s bronze breast with hopes to find love within the year. 

People may think that Paris and Venice are the obvious cities of love, but there are volunteers that run the Juliet Club and their job is to respond to letters that simply say to “Juliet, Verona, Italy."  Although romantic fiction made this city a household name, it does have actual history.  Ancient Romans felt that Verona was the perfect stop before crossing the Alps.  

You can visit Verona on a day trip from Venice or Milan.  No matter where you walk, you will definitely end up at Piazza delle Erbe, the main market square that dates back to Roman times.  Today, the locals gather here for excellent food, spritz drinks, bread, and olives.  Verona has more affordable prices than nearby Venice.  Many tourists actually decide to stay in Verona and later venture out to Venice.

Verona is a snapshot of everything you expect Italy to be.  No matter where your eyes turn to, you will notice couples holding hands, a guy riding his bike with bread carried under his arm, and the newlyweds getting their photos taken amongst the curious crowds.  

To summarize a day well spent, visit the following:

Arena

Juliet’s House

For the record, she wasn't home.  Just my luck!!!

Piazza Erbe

Visit UNESCO Historical Center

Enjoy all the delicious food and gelati possible:

My lunch in Verona. NAPOLI pizza. 7 Euros for pizza.  House wine 4 Euros. 

Olives, capers, anchovies, fresh tomatoes and oregano.

What more reasons do you need to visit this beautiful city?  It’s so exquisite that I had friends and family think that I photoshopped this picture! The only special effect added were the letters “Our World.”  The rest is unfiltered and pure Italian perfection.