VERONA
TRAVEL  IDEAS

Otels hope you enjoy the following Travel Ideas
from travel writer Douglas Lucius
Best wishes on your next trip!
 

Verona
 
By Douglas Lucius
Copyright © Otels, 2006




Verona is an ancient town with its own mini coliseum. Its historic center lies within a distinctive hairpin turn of the Adige River, below the hills that rise north of town.  It is a pleasant town to wander in, past Romanesque, Gothic and Venetian architectural treats. Verona was glorious under the Scaligere, the ruling family of medieval times. But above all, Verona was home to Romeo and Juliet, and you can visit their homes today.
 

  
Getting There

Verona is about halfway between Milan and Venice.  Trains depart at least once an hour from either of these cities, reaching Verona in about 2 – 2.5 hours, often stopping in Bergamo and Vicenza, both wonderful northern towns. The largest lake in Italy, Lago Garda, is less than one-half hour west of Verona. Rail links to Bologna, the next major city to the south, are less frequent.
  
The A4 Autostrada highway also links Verona with Venice and Milan, but also takes one through the art center of Padua to the west of Venice. The A22 connects drivers with Modena and Bologna to the south, and to Trent, Bolzano and the Austrian Tyrol to the north.
 
Aeroporto Vallerio Catullo is in Villafranca, a little to the west of Verona.
 

 
Orientation

Verona’s historic center is on a hairpin bend in the river.  Piazza Erbe lies on the north side of town, with Piazza Dei Signori and Arche delle Scaligere nearby. The Cathedral (Duomo) is to the west of Piazza Erbe and north a bit.  Basilica di Sant’ Anastasia also lies to the north of Piazza Erbe on the Via Anastasia.

Running south from Piazza Erbe is a popular and pleasant pedestrian street, Via Mazzini.  A stroll there offers high-end shoppers just about everything they might want. The southern end of Via Mazzini opens into the Arena (Verona’s version of the coliseum in Rome) and Piazza Bra. The south end of Piazza Bra ends at a large gate with a classical clock. (You will find the Tourism information center east of the clock gate and south of the Arena.) Further on the south side is the Corso Porta Nuova, a modern avenue with many hotels and shops ending at a large building which masks Verona's main train station, "Stazione Porta Nuova".

Attractions

Verona offers some interesting art, but it is above all a place to stroll and relax.  First the strolling attractions, then the artistic ones...

Verona’s chief claim to fame in the popular imagination is as the hometown of Romeo and Juliet. Just east of the Piazza Erbe lies Juliet’s house, and you can stroll through the courtyard and gaze up at her balcony, just as Romeo did. (But you may have to wait with a large crowd surrounding the entrance.)

Then there is the Arena, also called the Anfiteatro, a small version of the coliseum in Rome. It is a major landmark to the side of the popular Piazza Bra. One cannot normally enter the Arena just to see the site, but opera events held nightly inside the Amphiteatro are among the town’s main draws.

The Piazza Erbe has fountains and monuments, and the most popular bars and cafes in town. The Via Mazzini to the south links it to the Amphiteatro and Piazza Bra. Piazza Bra has even more restaurants and bars. East of the Piazza Erbe is an interesting street cut open to reveal Roman ruins below.

Verona has many churches built in the 12^th and 13^th century, in an unusual style combining Romanesque and certain elements from Gothic and Venetian design. A 5-Euro ticket provides entrance to the most important ones.

Basilica di Sant’ Anastasia is the favorite attraction amongst most Veronese. It boasts a beautiful design with floral details, and some great frescoes. The paintings include works by Pisanello and Liberale di Verona. With a little luck, you may find a choral recital in progress.

The Cathedral (Duomo) displays a Titian and a more appealing painting by Liberale di Verona. To one viewer's eye, the architecture of this church however is an unhappy mélange of different styles.

More popular churches include the serene Basilica Di San Zeno (to the west of the historic center, past a bend in the river), San Lorenzo (just north of Castel Vecchio), and San Fermo (southeast of Piazza Erbe, next to the Pone Navi bridge.)

The Castel San Pietro offers the perfect view of town and a sensational photo opportunity. This palace lies across the river from the northern-most part of the old town. Starting across the street from the Ponte Pietra bridge, you can reach the palace by a short hike up many flights of stairs.

The Castel Vechio is a curious building that is fun to wander around in, and for children to crawl upon. To get to the castle, walk south from the west end of Piazza Erbe, down the Ponte Borsari, and walk through the pristine Roman gates.

Hotels (for more detailed info on Verona Hotels, please return to VeronaHotels.com)

Verona is a popular tourism center with many 5- and 4-star hotels in or near the historic center. Hotel prices here tend to be quite expensive, often double the cost of less popular Italian cities.  There are two 5-star hotels in Verona:

The Hotel Gabbia D’Oro is a sumptuous (some might say overdone) 5-star / 4-star hotel at the west end of Piazza Erbe, in the historic center. The downstairs lounge winds through many salons and hallways.  It serves tea, snacks and drinks. The bedrooms are quite lavish.
 
The Due Torre Hotel Baglioni on Piazza Anastasia lies on the north side of the historic center. It is a grand affair with a great restaurant. It is more expensive than the Gabbia D'Oro.
 
There are two major 4-star hotels in the historic center:

Hotel Accademia offers a very comfortable and sensible setting, downstairs lounge, and a good location. The rooms are simpler than those of its competitors in the 4-star range, but it is perfectly adequate. The prices are bit on the high side, however. 

The Hotel Colomba d’Oro is an attractive 4-star hotel, on a quiet street a block behind Piazza Bra and the Arena. Though not quite as luxurious as the Academia, it is considerably less expensive, and might just be the best deal in town.

The Hotel Giberti is a 4-star closer to the railway station. That’s not a particularly ideal location, and the hotel is probably more modern than most tourists are seeking in Verona. On the other hand, the rooms are quite large and the rates are about half those of the other 4-stars just mentioned. This hotel might be a good choice for someone on business, especially if attending an event at the International Exhibition Hall nearby.

There are not many 3-star hotels in the historic center. Hotel Bologna on the Piazetta Scalette Rubiani 3, just a one-minute walk from the Piazza Bra (the Amphitheatre), is an attractive hotel, but can be a bit pricey.

Hotel Milano, just north of the Arena on the Via Tre Marchetti, offers a good location for opera buffs. It is a simple 3-star hotel, but its prices may represent less value than the Hotel Bologna.

Restaurants

As a major tourist center, Verona offers all the classic Italian dishes. This city, and the Veneto region as a whole, is very proud of its risotto.

The 12 Apostles – “12 Apostoli” – is considered the town’s best restaurant, and has a price to match. It stands on Corticella San Marco, south of Piazza Erbe.

Ristorante da Rana, on Piazza Bra (across from the Amphiteatre) serves good food in an elegant setting, and is another expensive restaurant offering good value. La Fontanina near the Ponte Petra specializes in fish and meat, and is similar in quality, setting, price and value.

Osteria al Duomo on the corner of Via Duomo and Via Pigna (a few short blocks east of the cathedral) is exceptional in its original recipes and unusual ingredients, cosy and humble in its décor, and pleasant and down-to-earth in its service. Prices are quite reasonable. The food is a bit far-out – spaghetti with donkey sauces is their crowd-pleaser – but it escapes nouvelle cuisine’s pretentiousness.

Trattoria Duca around the corner from the Arche di Scaligere is perhaps the town’s best value and a favorite amongst locals.

Locanda ai Tre Santi on Via S Alessio, Hostaria La Vechia Fontanina on Piazetta Chiavica, and La Pigna on Via Pigna are all in the historic center, and are described by some as being very good without being too expensive. Giulietta e Romeo on the Via Anastasia (south of the Anastasia church, north of Piazza Erbe) makes traditional Veronese specialties, including risotto, and is also economical. 

Two more restaurants – Trattoria Trota on the Via Trota; and Trattoria All Isolo on the Piazza Isolo – are both a bit north of Piaza di Signori. They serve local specialties, and offer some of the best bargains in Verona.
 
   
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