10/06/2026
“Touch Juliet’s left breast and your love life will blossom.”
Verona’s most famous characters are undoubtedly Romeo and Juliet from Shakespeare’s play, even though they are fictional characters. Casa di Giulietta, Juliet’s House, is certainly the city’s most popular tourist attraction, even though the place is made up, because that’s what the story is about. The balcony and Juliet statue attract millions of tourists to the city every year, but we skipped touching the statue.
Instead, we focused on exploring the old town, which is compact and easy to walk around for a first-time visitor. Like Venice, Verona is a city of history, architecture and art. No matter which piazza or street you turn, you will see Roman columns, colorful shutters, small bistros and old paintings. Incredibly beautiful.
Verona is located in northern Italy, 160 km west of Milan, just over an hour from Venice. The center is dominated by the magnificent Roman arena, where the famous Verona Opera Festival is held in June. Verona has a complex history and the old city is surrounded by a nearly 10 km long wall. We got a tip from the hotel to walk to the other side of the Adige River and admire the city skyline from the outside. The best places for lunch were found on the eastern side of the center, on the side streets.
I have to mention also our beautiful hotel, which was in the best location next to the Arena. Hotel Bologna was cozy and the staff was friendly. The restaurant Locanda 4 Cuochi (Via Alberto Mario 12) was an excellent place to have dinner and met all expectations. We also sat on the street terrace of the old wine bar opposite the hotel in the evening. It felt like the whole neighborhood from the apartments above the bar came to have a glass of wine during the evening. In Italian style, there was plenty of talking and waving of hands, people were happy and lively. What an atmosphere on a warm summer night!
