Following Romeo & Juliet in Verona

Located in the North of Italy, Verona is a well-known tourist city, second only to the charming and beautiful Venice. When mentioning Verona, people often think of the image of an ancient city with tiled roofs and lime-walled houses marked by time, and it is also a city of love because this is the homeland of a romantic but tearful love story.Romeo & Julietby the great playwright William Shakespeare.

But Verona also has many other interesting landscapes besides Juliet's pretty balcony. With its winding, deserted alleys, its wrought iron balconies like silk, its window frames full of tiny red and purple flowers, or its bridge across the Adige River on the hillside planted with cypress trees rustling in the early morning breeze, this ancient and beautiful city is an ideal destination for you to explore the Veneto region, northern Italy or you can take a day trip because it is not far from Venice. Therefore, Verona is relatively crowded with tourists, especially during peak seasons like summer. However, compared to Venice, Verona is still much quieter and more deserted.

The historic city of Verona was founded in the 1st century BC and flourished under the rule of the Scaliger family in the 13th and 14th centuries, and was part of the Republic of Venice from the 15th to the 18th centuries. Verona has preserved many monuments from the Antiquity, the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, and represents an outstanding example of a military stronghold. As a result, the city was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.

Some of the city's main attractions are the Roman Forum (Arena di Verona) located in the heart of the city's historic center, Giardino Giusti - a garden with mysterious and fascinating caves and mazes, Piazza delle Erbe - an ancient Roman Square, which was once a gathering place and held many important events of the city in ancient times, today it is an extremely busy and bustling outdoor market, especially the fresh fruit market, Lamberti Tower - where you can climb to see the whole view of Verona city, some beautiful ancient churches and cathedrals such as San Zeno Maggiore built in the 12th century with special Verona stones that shine with sparkling gold, the ancient castle Castelvecchio, once the residence of the Scala family, now a museum displaying many valuable antiques such as paintings, statues and many precious jewelry. And of course, Juliet's house cannot be missed.

Shakespeare never actually states where Juliet's house is, but anyone who has spent time watching the play or is a fan of the great playwright knows that he chose the Italian city of Verona as the setting for this romantic love story. At the time the play was performed, the ancient building in Italy called Casa di Giulietta continuously received thousands of fan letters because of its appearance that looked exactly like the story of Romeo and Juliet, and immediately became a magnet attracting the attention of many tourists from near and far.

Casa di Giulietta was built in the 12th century and was owned by the Capello family (similar to the Capuletti family in the play). In 1667, the Capellos sold the house to another family to use as a hotel. In 1907, it was auctioned off and the city government bought it to create a museum. It wasn't until 1936 that city officials really took an interest in the house, when George Cukor made the filmRomeo & Juliet. There was a renewed interest in Shakespeare's work and the building was restored and renovated to become a tourist attraction. Even the balcony where the lovers met was added in the 1930s.

Later, Casa di Giulietta was opened for visitors to have a romantic experience like the two main characters in the play. The building is located in the city center, near Piazza delle Erbe. With its ancient appearance, mixed with poetic romance, this building has become an ideal stop for fans of the immortal play who want to experience "Juliet's house in real life" for themselves, or couples who want to have a new experience when traveling to Verona.

Visitors to this ancient building in Italy can also leave love letters for Juliet by writing directly on the walls in the courtyard or writing a note to stick on the wall. Over time, the wall has been covered with small pieces of paper, where couples send their love messages, and there will be a non-profit Juliet club responsible for answering these letters in her name.

In addition, if you want to immerse yourself in the space of the play, do not forget to visit the famous balcony, look down the wall full of green vines, imagine the handsome Romeo waving his hand below the yard like in Shakespeare's classic work. In addition, Casa di Giulietta also offers visitors the opportunity to stay overnight in the impressive room space. The bedrooms are decorated in a medieval theme, the most prominent is Letto di Giulietta - Juliet's bed - only serving couples.

In the small courtyard of the house, you will see a bronze statue of Juliet with one breast worn away. According to the experience of tourists, if you rub your hand on the right breast of the statue, luck in love will come to you, or you will meet your true love in life. No one can verify whether it is true or not, but tourists, whether old or young, when coming here try to take a souvenir photo with this statue, and do not forget to rub the statue's breast. Many people have called this the luckiest breast in Europe.

Although the house is not the actual setting for Romeo and Juliet's love story, with what the city government created and Shakespeare's influence, many visitors say they still feel like they are living in this heartbreaking love story when they step into Casa di Giulietta.

And if a romantic love story isn’t enough to entice you to Verona, you might want to think again after enjoying a famous opera inside the vast Roman Colosseum on a hot summer night. While here, don’t forget to stop by Via G Mazzini to buy a Yugoslavian man’s bas-relief of a ballerina, buy fragrant soaps from the small shops as souvenirs, or stroll down Piazza Bra to watch tourists and locals eat chocolates and freshly baked fruitcakes from the surrounding pasticceria.

Especially if you are a wine lover, Verona is located in the famous Valpolicella wine region and you will have the opportunity to taste different wines in restaurants around the city, or you can spend a day exploring the wineries in the area. The cuisine in Verona is also extremely rich, especially horse meat dishes - a specialty of Verona. However, if you are not used to eating strange dishes, you should skip dishes with words like "caval" or "cavallo". In addition, Verona has countless delicious cakes and ice creams for you to choose from.

For an authentic Italian dining experience in Verona, there is perhaps no better place than breakfast at Caffe Borsari, where you can enjoy a pastry and sip a smooth, milky cappuccino under the tiny flower trellises by the window. Or a dinner at Caffe Monte Baldo, with fresh clams mixed with minced pork and herbs, stuffed in three-finger-sized green clam shells, fried eggplant polpette and mortadella on toast, served with golden polenta made from fresh corn puree mixed with butter and spices only known to Italians, both fragrant and chewy, sipping with white wine is wonderful. And sometimes you don't even need to go to a fancy restaurant, you can sit down at the foot of a bridge in the blazing sun and have a very Italian lunch, just a ham sandwich bought from a street food stall or a slice of pizza wrapped in brown paper, the edges crispy but the middle soft and chewy thanks to the fresh cheese layered on top of bright red pepperoni and thinly sliced ​​olives.

Verona is arguably one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Italy with its historical, cultural, artistic relics, unique architectural works and especially the legendary love story of Romeo and Juliet. Coming here, you can stroll along the old town with houses with flower-filled balconies, stroll along the Adige River beside the towering walls or visit Porta Borsari, the oldest city gate and immerse yourself in the romantic flavor of an immortal love with sweet, shimmering cups of cappuccino.

More information

Trip:If you are traveling by train, Verona is about 1.5 hours from Milan and just over 1 hour from Venice. If you want to explore the wine regions or the nearby lakes, consider renting a car for more convenience. You should ask the hotel staff in advance about the parking area, as parking in the historic center is quite complicated.

Cuisine:Verona is famous for its specialties such as pandoro (a traditional sweet cake sprinkled with powdered sugar and chilled, popular at Christmas and New Year), tortelli di zucca (thinly sliced ​​pasta cooked with pumpkin, mustard, cheese, nutmeg, butter and sage), tortellini di valeggio (pasta stuffed with a mixture of meat, vegetables, bread and wine, served with beef broth)... The regions surrounding Verona produce many types of wine that are popular around the world, the most famous of which are Valpolicella and Bardolina.

Featured destinations:Roman Arena (Arena di Verona), Verona Cathedral (Verona Cathedral), Piazza delle Erbe Square, Juliette's house, San Zeno Maggiore Basilica...

Note:

• Many attractions and restaurants in Verona are usually closed on Mondays, while most attractions and museums have free admission on the first Sunday of each month.
• Verona is a small city and etiquette is highly valued. You should greet locals and shopkeepers with a smile, thank them and say goodbye before leaving.
• Piazza delle Erbe is the most famous square in Verona because of its grandeur and splendor. However, most of the goods sold at the outdoor market here are of poor quality and overpriced. If this is your first stop in Verona, be aware that you can find better deals elsewhere.

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