Beyond the Balcony: Top 10 In & Around Verona

As the 4th most popular tourist destination in Italy, Juliet's balcony attracts many people to the city of Verona. But stay a week or so, (gasp!) unpack, and get to know more of what Verona and its surrounding region have to offer. 

In Verona

1 -  See an outdoor opera at the Roman amphitheater(photo below), a guaranteed once-in-a-lifetime experience.

2 -  Yes, go look at the darn balcony, rub the statue of Juliet, and proclaim your love on the graffiti wall (try to ignore all the bandaids and gum). For a mere 1000 Euros you can also get married on Juliet's balcony.

3 -  Walk across one of Italy's best bridges, the historic Scaligero bridge which had the longest span in the world at the time it was built.

Day trips by train

4 -  Less than a 30 minute train ride from Verona, the small city of Vicenza is home to Palladio's Villa Rotunda and the impressive Teatro Olimpico.

5 -  The gorgeous city of Padua (Padova in Italian) is less than an hour away by train, and is often overlooked because nearby Venice gets all the attention. It's worth spending a day: just soak up the university-town atmosphere, and don't miss the Scrovegni chapel. Padova is one of my favorite cities in Italy.

6 -  Take the train an hour north into the mountains to visit the lesser-known city of Trento (photo below).

Day trips by car

7 -  Visit Lake Garda for the beaches or the Gardaland amusement park, ideal if you're traveling with kids. Stop for a spa treatment in the pretty town Sirmione and admire its castle.

8 -  Spend a day wine-tasting: you're in red wine (Valpolicella and Amarone) country here, and very close to where the white sparkling Prosecco is produced.

9 - Explore the countryside of the Veneto, including the towns of Bassano del Grappa and Asolo. If you like sculpture or the sculptor Antonio Canova in particular, visit the Gipsoteca Canoviana.

10 - Take the train south to explore the city of Mantua (Mantova in Italian), one of Italy's prettiest cities, and voted the "most livable" city in Italy in 2005 by the country's eco-movement the Legambiente. The photo below is of the Piazza Sordello, Mantova's main square.

The Italy Beyond the Obvious sample itinerary covers 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, and 9 above, plus a stop in Pavia. Nights are spent in Milan, Verona, Asolo and finally Venice. Feel free to use the itinerary if it suits your travel interests and pace.

Photos of Verona's clock tower and arena by Sanjay

Photo of Trento by amerune

Photo of Piazza Sordello in Mantova from Wikipedia