The Best 32 Things To Do In Verona: The city of Romeo & Juliet

Verona is the city of romance, of Romeo & Juliet, and of numerous historical buildings. The city is dotted with UNESCO World Heritage Sites including one of the best preserved Roman amphitheaters and many other archaeological sites. This medieval town is full of gorgeous squares and palaces ripe for exploring.

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The majority of things to see and do in Verona are located on the historical center. It is worth getting lost and just soak in into the colorful buildings, beautiful storefronts, gorgeous shutters, and narrow cobblestone streets. In this guide we will be sharing the highlights of the best things to do in Verona in one, two or three days.

Verona without a doubt is a hidden gems in Northern Italy. It is often overlooked by travelers but the amount of things to do in Verona will blow your mind.

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How long should I stay in Verona?

Verona is the perfect weekend getaway or even day trip from Milan, Venice, Bologna, or even Florence. You can easily spend a day or two exploring the museums, archeological sites and many churches. In this guide we will share all the best things to do in and what to see in Verona.

Map of things to see in Verona:

A list of what to do in Verona: 

1. Roman Arena in the Piazza Bra

The Verona Arena is located at the Piazza Bra, the largest piazza in Italy. It was built in the first century AD, Verona’s Roman amphitheater became a famous open-air opera house for 30,000 people. It was the eighth biggest amphitheater in the Roman empire. Many famous gladiators once battled and hunts of dangerous exotic animals here. Without a doubt, The Verona Arena is a must see in Verona.

The Verona Arena is open Tuesday through Sunday from 8:30 AM to 7:30 PM and Monday from 1:30 PM to 7:30 PM.  Tickets are €10 per person.

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2. Piazza Bra

A beautiful square with more than a few notable palaces such as the Palazzo Barbieri, the nineteenth century neoclassical City Hall as the seat of the municipal government. Then, the majestic Gran Guardia Palace with its elegant steps; on the west side of the square ‘Portoni della Bra’, the entrance of the square and a gateway comprised of a pentagonal tower, imposing Romanesque arches and a clock.

In the northern part of the square lies the ‘Liston’, a series of restaurants for the Veronese walk with three ‘Palaces on Liston’, and a prestigious 16th-century Honorij Guastaverza Palace, once home to Silvia Cartoni Verza’s literary salon.

3. Casa di Giulietta (Juliet’s House) 

Some argue the entrance fee is not worth to enter Juliet’s house since it is almost empty with only a few exhibits. But visiting Verona and not entering the courtyard to take a selfie with the bronze statue of Juliet, or snapping a photo of Juliet’s balcony where Romeo promised his beloved Juliet eternal love in Shakespeare’s famous tragedy would be a misstake. An interesting sight is also the walls of the house filled up with 2 meters high with love notes.

Juliet’s House is open Tuesday through Sunday from 8:30 AM to 7:30 PM and Monday from 1:30 PM to 7:30 PM. Tickets are €6 per person and €1 on the 1st Sunday of the month. Entry to the famous courtyard is free.

➳ Tip: Visit the Juliet’s House as early as possible to avoid the crowds.

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4. Juliet’s Tomb & Frescos Museum

If Romeo and Juliet sparkled your interest in Verona in the first place, then you might want to visit a small and dark crypt beneath the former convent of San Francesco al Corso monastery, where in a red sarcophagus is said  Juliet has been buried. Additionally, enjoy the Frescos Museum, home to many beautiful frescoes of Verona

Juliet’s House is open Tuesday through Sunday from 8:30 AM to 7:30 PM and Monday from 1:45 PM to 7:30 PM. Tickets are €6 per person and €1 on the 1st Sunday of the month.

5. Casa di Romeo (Romeo House)

Romeo’s House is a private house so it is not open to the public, but on the facade of a medieval structure you can read the famous words: ‘Oh Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?’ ‘Tut! I have lost myself; I am not here.’

6. Crypt of the Basilica Maggiore

The crypt is thought to be where Romeo & Juliet got married and is open to visitors.

7. Castelvecchio Museum

On the banks of Adige river is situated Castelvecchio, a medieval edifice from the 14th century with accompanying bridge Ponte Scaligero. It was built as a means to defend the Verona people from intruders. The museum consists of 29 rooms with paintings, sculptures, and armors dating from the year 1300 to 1700.

The Castelvecchio museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 8:30 AM to 7:30 PM and Monday from 1:30 PM to 7:30 PM. Tickets are €6 per person.

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8. Piazza dei Signori

The Piazza dei Signori used to be the centre of power in Verona. Today it is a square surrounded by a series of Renaissance palaces of which most are closed to the public with a statue of Dante Alighieri in the center, who was granted a refuge in Verona after he was exiled from Florence.

Palaces you can admire here, if not from inside, then from the outside are the Palazzo della Ragione and Cortile Mercato Vecchio, the Palazzo del Capitano and Palazzo del Governo, the Loggia del Consiglio and the Domus Nova. Here are also situated Gothic funerary monuments of the Della Scala family known as the Scaligeri Graves.

9. Santa Maria Antica & the Scaligeri Tombs

Santa Maria Antica is a Romanesque church dating from the 12th century which acted as the private chapel of Verona’s ruling Scaligeri family. The Scaligeri family once lorded over Verona from the 13th to the late 14th century. The Santa Maria Antica Church is located beside their family cemetery with Scaliger Tombs, a group of five Gothic stone-carved funerary monuments from the 14th century.

10. Lodge of Consiglio

Considered to be one of the most beautiful Northern Italy’s Renaissance Palaces, Lodge of Consiglio is neoclassical in design built in the second half of the 15th century meant to be the meeting-place of the town council. Today it is the seat of the Provincial Administration.

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11. Palazzo della Ragione & the Achille Forti Gallery of Modern Art

Palazzo della Ragione, once a political center of Verona, is open to the public and houses the Achille Forti Gallery of Modern Art with sculptures and paintings by influential Italian artists from 1840 to 1940. Some of the works presented are ones from Francesco Hayez, Giorgio Morandi, and Umberto Boccioni.

The palace is also known for its “Scala della Ragione” (Reason Stairs), an amazing gothic stair-case that held up to law-courts situated here two centuries ago. It now graces the Cortile del Mercato Vecchio or old market square dating back to the 15th century. Domus Nova which closes the circle of palaces of Piazza dei Signori, once the house of the judges, is connected to Palazzo della Ragione with an arch.

It is open from June to September on Tuesday to Sunday from 11AM to 7PM. From October to May it is open Tuesday to Friday from 10AM to 6PM and Saturday, Sunday and festivals from 11AM to 7PM.

Tickets to the Achille Forti Gallery of Modern Art are €4 per person. 

12. Verona Cathedral

The Verona Cathedral is a 12th-century Romanesque cathedral with lavish 16th- to 17th-century frescoed interior and a Canonical Museum with religious and archaeological materials.

Tickets for the Verona Cathedral are €2.50 per person and it is open with the following hours:

• • March to October: Monday to Saturday from 10AM to 5:30 PM. Sunday and festivals from 1:30 PM to 5:30 PM.

• • November to February: Monday to Saturday from 10AM to 1PM and 1PM to 5PM. Sunday and festivals from 1:30 PM to 5:30 PM.

13. Piazza delle Erbe

Every street of Verona leads to beautiful Piazza Erbe, an old Roman forum framed by many palaces. The center of the square is graced by Madonna Verona Fountain built in the 14th century to celebrate the building of the aqueduct supplying Verona with water from Avesa’s Low River.

There is also a Capital called “Tribuna” once used to proclaim the Lord’s and the Podestà of the city. The capital was also used as a meter for the merchants to come to an agreement.

14. The best view in Verona from the Torre dei Lamberti

Once the symbols of wealth, Verona was full of tower-residences, with only a few remaining today. Lamberti tower is Verona’s tallest tower at the height of 84 meters. The tower houses two bells, the Rengo and the Marangona. Built in 1172 this tower was once a residence of the Lamberti family.  

The Marangona chimed signaling the end of the working day for the artisans (marangon) and in case of fire, whereas the Rengo called for  the Town Council and citizens of Verona in times of war. The bells today ring during funerals.

You can climb the tower by stairs or lift and enjoy an outstanding panoramic view of Verona. The tower is open daily from 8:30 AM to 7:30 PM. Tickets to the Achille Forti Gallery of Modern Art and the Torre dei Lamberti are €8 per person.

15. Gardello Tower

On the left side of Piazza Erbe is situated another famous Verona’s tower, Gardello Tower. It is also called the “Torre delle Ore” (Tower of the hours) as a reminder of the first bell-clock of the town.

16. Maffei Palace 

On the right of Gardello Tower is situated extravagant baroque three-floor building, the Maffei Palace with the upper part of the façade graced by the representation of six divinities: Hercules, Jupiter, Venus, Mercury, Apollo, and Minerva. 

17. Visit the Giusti Gardens

Giusti Gardens are said to be one of the most peaceful and beautiful places in Verona and even Italy. The garden was originally planted in 1580 and it is a must see in Verona.

18. Arco della Costa

On the eastern side of Piazza delle Erbe lies the Arco della Costa leading to Piazza dei Signori. It is actually a footbridge connecting the Domus Nova to the Palazzo della Ragione. Underneath the arch hangs a rib bone of a whale with a legend that says the bone will fall when a just person (or one who has never told a lie) walks beneath it.

19. Domus Mercatorum

Located at Piazza delle Erbe, in the middle ages this edifice was a home to merchants guild and today is home to the Banca Popolare di Verona. The first building was made out of wood until the order of Alberto I della Scala in 1301 to be rebuilt in stone.

20. Ponte Pietra

Ponte Pietra is the oldest bridge in Verona and it is located in one of the most panoramic areas of Verona. The original bridge is argued to have been built in 89 AD, since then it has undergone quite a few reconstructions, with the last one being in 1959, following the destruction of the bridge in 1945. Taking a stroll across the Ponte Pietra is one of the best things to do in Verona.

21. Basilica of San Zeno

The Basilica of San Zeno is dedicated to the eighth bishop of Verona Zeno. It is praised as one of the masterpieces of Romanesque art in Italy. Its most notable features are the large rose window called the “Wheel of Fortune”, the marble bas-reliefs on either side of the porch, the famous bronze doors, the bell-tower and the Abbey Tower.

The Basilica of San Zeno is open Monday through Saturday from 8:30 AM to 6PM and Sunday from 8:30AM to 6PM. Tickets €2 per person.

22. The Basilica of Saint Anastasia

The Basilica of Saint Anastasia is the most important gothic style religious monument in Verona whose construction started around 1290 and lasted a century, supported by the Scala family. It features works of Italian masters such as Pietro da Forlezza, Cattaneo, Michele da Firenze, Liberale da Verona, Girolamo dai Libri, Giolfino, Pisanello, and many others.  

The Basilica of Saint Anastasia is open Monday through Saturday from 9AM to 6PM and Sunday from 1PM to 6PM. Tickets are €2.50 per person.

23. Basilica di San Lorenzo

This Romanesque church built in the 12th century on top of a previous early Christian church of the 5th century is characterized by two towers covering cylindrical staircases that led to galleries reserved for women (matronei).  

24. Chiesa di San Fermo

Most likely, one of the most beautiful temples in Verona dating from 11th century. Its outstanding features include four naves in the lower church and the upper church graced by amazing ribbed vault wooden ceiling as well as stunning 14^th and 15^th century frescoes.

The Chiesa di San Fermo is open Monday through Saturday from 9AM to 6PM and Sunday from 1PM to 6PM. Tickets are €2.50 per person.

25. Giardino Giusti

Across the river from the Verona center is Giardino Giusti, a magnificent example of Renaissance landscaping named after the Giusti family that opened the garden to the public in 1591. The legend has it that lovers who find each other in the gardens’ small labyrinth are destined to stay together.

The Giardino Giusti is open daily from April to September from 9AM to 8PM and from October to March from 9AM to 7PM. Tickets are €7 per person.

26. Roman Theatre & Archaeological Museum 

Built against the hill towards the end of the 1st century BC, the Roman theatre in Verona hosts a number of musical concerts and shows during the summer. The accompanying Archeological Museum full of important artifacts and finds offers a glimpse into Verona’s Roman past.

The Roman Theatre & Archaeological Museum are open Tuesday through Sunday from 8:30 AM to 7:30 PM and Monday from­ 1:30 PM to 7:30 PM. Tickets are €4 per person and €1 on the 1st Sunday of the month.

27. Santi Apostoli

Santi Apostoli, and the adjacent small church of the Sante Teuteria e Tosca is an ancient Roman Catholic church that has undergone many reconstructions since it was consecrated in 751 on an earlier fifth-century structure. The most notable remaining feature of the original Romanesque architecture is the bell tower with six bells still ringing Veronese bellringing art, a style of ringing church bells that developed around Verona.

Santi Apostoli is open daily from 8AM to 12PM and 3:30 PM to 7:30 PM. Entrance is free.

28. Porta Leoni

Porta Leoni is one of the oldest Roman remains in Verona testifying to the very birth of the Roman city. You can only see it from the outside.

29. Porta Nuova

Porta Nuova is a monumental southern gateway to the city designed in the first half of the 16th century with a great view of towers and mountains in the background.

30. Porta Borsari

Called Porta Jovia in the days of the empire by the nearby temple dedicated to Juppiter Lustralis it was only later named Porta Borsari because it was the point of tax payment for travelers entering and leaving the city. Initially, Porta Borsari was a fort with look-out towers and a courtyard guarded by troops of soldiers.

31. Arco dei Gavia

Arco dei Gavia is an arch built in 1st century AD by the noble Roman family Gavia. In the Middle Ages the city’s council used it as an entrance gate. The arch was removed to the Arena until the rebuilding that took place in 1932–that rebuilt arch, made with the same stones as the original.

32. Enjoy the View from Castel San Pietro

Strategically positioned on a hill, Giangaleazzo Visconti built Castel San Pietro in 1398. It was blown up in 1801 by French soldiers and 1840 the Austrians demolished the remains and began in 1851 the construction of barracks-fortress which is still visible.

The building is not open to the public because it is ruined by neglect over time but the site is popular for overlooking the Roman Theatre and Stone Bridge where you can enjoy a great 180-degree view overlooking Verona. It is by far one of the most spectacular viewpoints in Verona and a must-see location in Verona. You can get to the viewpoint by foot or by car. The Castel San Pietro is one of the very best things to see in Verona.

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