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Verona in Northern Italy always seems to play second fiddle to its more famous neighbor, Venice. It really shouldn’t, though, because while Verona may not have canals, it does have plenty of interesting monuments and some that totally outdo the ones in the waterlogged city.
The entire city of Verona has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since the year 2000, so that goes to show just how exceptionally unique and special it is. The city has occupied an area on the banks of the Adige River since before the times of the ancient Romans. Not so much is known about the first inhabitants of Verona, but the Romans who followed them certainly left their mark.
The majority of what the Romans built in the city is still intact even after an 18th-century invasion by Napoleon Bonaparte, occupation by the Austrians, the Italian War of Independence, and invasion by Nazi troops during WW2.
In all fairness, while none of the above historical incidents caused much damage, that wasn’t the case when the city suffered a major earthquake in the early 12th century. Many of the buildings that were damaged were thoughtfully restored, but unless you have a very discerning eye, it’s impossible to notice.
Check out our reasons to visit Verona, and we’re sure you’ll be planning a trip in no time. When you arrive in this beautiful city, make sure you visit a Bounce luggage locker before you start exploring. It will make things so much easier on yourself!
Table of Contents
Reasons To Go To Verona
To Peruse The Architecture
The architecture in Verona is so outstanding that you’ll wander the city streets boggle-eyed. You don’t need to be a major fan of architecture or be in the know about old buildings and monuments to appreciate what this city has to offer; it really speaks for itself.
Walk through the arches and into Centro Storico, the historic center, and if it weren’t for the vehicles and the modern clothes of the pedestrians, you could be forgiven for believing you’d walked through a time portal. As you explore, guaranteed, you’ll spend more time looking up than you will looking where you’re walking.
To Investigate Its Classic Literary Connections
Romeo and Juliet is quite possibly one of the most famous love stories of all time. The tragic drama between the young lovers written by Shakespeare sometime during the late 16th century takes place in Verona.
Why Shakespeare chose this particular Italian city as the setting for his play or whether he’d even been to Verona at any time is unknown. Verona has, over the years, taken the fictional story to heart, and you can now visit several locations mentioned in the Shakespearean play. Whether Romeo or Juliet was ever here is a question no one will ever be able to answer.
To Use It As A Base For Day Trips
Verona is within easy traveling distance of other fantastic cities and natural attractions in the north of Italy. It can also work out to be more economical to stay in Verona than, say, Venice or Milan, so that’s a win-win situation all around. Stay in Verona, and you’ll be able to visit the following places without too much trouble at all:
Venice
Venice, the city of canals on Italy’s northeast coast, is just an hour and a half train ride from Verona. There are more than 70 trains a day departing from Verona’s Porta Nuova Station, which will get you to the Santa Lucia Station in the heart of the city. A one-way train ticket from Verona to Venice costs about the same as a couple of coffees, so unless you spend a fortune in Venice, it’s a cheap day out.
Milan
No self-respecting fashionista could be in northern Italy without visiting the Italian capital of fashion, Milan, at least once. It’s easy enough to get from Verona to Milan by train, although it does take a little longer than getting to Venice.
The average train journey from Verona to Milan is around two hours, as long as you take one of the direct high-speed trains. Once in Milan, you’ll have a leisurely 20-minute walk from Central Station to Via Montenapoleone, where you can shop until you’re bankrupt in the high-end designer boutiques.
Peschiera del Garda
When you’ve had enough of big city vibes, one of the best day trips you can take from Verona is to Peschiera del Garda. Peschiera del Garda is a small town right on the tip of the southern shore of Lake Garda. It’s a town with everything, including historic monuments, a picturesque harbor, and beaches.
A train ride from Verona to Peschiera del Garda takes just 15 minutes and definitely won’t leave you out of pocket very much. What it will leave you with are some great memories and fantastic photos for your social media.
Regional Natural Park of Lessinia
When you’re tired of too much architecture and history and need to hike through open countryside, head out of Verona and aim for the Regional Natural Park of Lessinia. The park covers thousands of acres, so you’ll need to target a specific spot if you’re going to have a great day out.
One super spot to check out is the Park of the Waterfalls near Breonio. There you’ll be able to hike through a forested landscape with lots of unusual rock formations and numerous waterfalls. You can catch a train from Verona to Breonio, but for this escape, a rental car is much better.
Conclusion
Now you know the reasons for visiting Verona, there’s really no excuse for not starting to plan your stay there. In truth, Verona is a beautiful city with fantastic architecture and interesting connections to Shakespeare. They’re not the only reasons for visiting, though. Verona truly is one of the best cities to use as a base if you want to go exploring in northern Italy, and that’s something everyone should be aware of.
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