Verona
To the west of Padua is the city of Verona, which Shakespeare made famous in his tragedy Romeo and Juliet. Verona is home to some 250,000 people, roughly the same population as Padua. It dates to at least 550 B.C. and, like its neighboring areas, fell to Napoleonic and then Austrian rule before becoming part of Italy in the late 1800s. The entire city was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000 because of the sheer number of monuments from antiquity, Medieval times, and the Renaissance. It also is noted as an exceptional example of a military stronghold.
Verona Arena
The amphitheater in Verona was completed around 30 A.D. and is the third largest in Italy (behind the Colosseum in Rome and the amphitheater at Capua). It reportedly once held 20,000 to 25,000 spectators at a time, and the interior is largely intact even though the exterior was badly damaged by an earthquake in 1117. Today, the arena seats about 15,000 spectators both on stone steps around the perimeter and in modern, padded chairs on the main level.
Depending on when you visit, you might catch an event here — anything from operas to fairs and ballets. Such events tend to take place between June and August. You can check the schedule for your travel dates at
Casa di Giulietta
Don't let the spelling of Giulietta throw you off; that's how Shakespeare's fictional character Juliet Capulet was known in some early editions of his Romeo and Juliet tragedy. Casa di Giulietta, or “Juliet's House,” is the site of what is said to be the inspiration for the balcony scene (you remember the words: “What light through yonder window breaks?”). That's unprovable, of course, but it doesn't stop tourists from paying a few euros apiece to take a look.
Question
Is opera the only kind of music performed at Verona Arena? No — rockers sometimes take the stage, too. Patrons of the past have been able to sit on the stone steps (wearing Roman-style togas, if they so chose) and listen to everyone from The Who to Kiss and Pearl Jam.
The house is right near the city's main shopping street, Via G Mazzini, so can make for a nice diversion from buying souvenirs even if you don't believe the hype.
Basilica di San Zeno
Though the original church on this site dates to 380 A.D., the large, well-known church as it stands today was completed in the late fourteenth century after being rebuilt following the great earthquake of 1117. The church is known for its Romanesque architecture, its bronze entrance doors (which can only be viewed well from inside), and its Andrea Mantegna triptych (an artwork divided into three pieces) known as the San Zeno Altarpiece. If you plan to visit this church, be prepared to walk a bit. It's outside the city center.
