VERONA, Italy Walking Tour 🇮🇹 | Explore the City of Lovers and Opera Festival

VERONA, Italy Walking Tour 🇮🇹 | Explore the City of Lovers and Opera Festival

Hi there! Welcome to Verona, the city of Romeo and Juliet. Today, we’ll take a walk through the streets of this magical city and look at some of Verona’s most important landmarks. Along the way, I’ll share background stories, historical context, and useful travel tips in case you want to visit Verona yourself. Let’s make this walk as interactive as possible. If you have any questions along the way, feel free to drop them in the comments. We’ve started our walk near the Castelvecchio, which sits on the other side of the Adige River. The fortress was built in the 1350s by the Scaliger family. They were a powerful noble family who ruled over Verona from the late 13th century until 1387. Connecting the Castelvecchio to the other side of the Adige is this long brick-and-stone bridge, the Ponte Scaligero. It was a fortified crossing of the Adige, as you can tell from its swallowtail merlons (those pointed battlements). These swallowtail merlons are a Scaliger trademark and help you spot their work across Verona and the surrounding areas. The bridge originally stood for centuries until 1945, when retreating German troops blew it up. After the war, local masons and architects carefully recovered and re-laid many of the original stones. We’re now literally walking on stones that returned from the river to reconnect the city to its past. Today the fortress houses the Castelvecchio Museum. The museum’s collection ranges from medieval sculpture to Renaissance painting. It’s worth a visit, but I would personally only do so if you stay in Verona for more than a day… We’ll now head to what I would say is Verona’s most important square: Piazza Bra. Here on the right, you can normally see the Portoni della Bra, a pair of grand arches crowned by a wonderful clock. Unfortunately, they’re now covered up in scaffolding. These medieval gate arches were once part of the city walls, the place where travelers entered Verona. The gate’s name “Bra” comes from the word “braida,” referring to an open grassy field or meadow. It tells us that this was once a wide-open field outside the walls. In later times, the open field became Piazza Bra, where we are now. Cafés line the edges, people stroll and sit, and the whole place hums with daily life. If you’re into people-watching, then this is the best spot. Just order an Aperol at one of the bars and enjoy. Dominating the piazza is the Arena di Verona. This Roman amphitheater was built around AD 30 and is one of the world’s most complete ancient arenas. Imagine a crowd of up to 30,000 people once pressing into those stone steps for games and spectacles. Talking about spectacles, in 1913 the Arena hosted an open-air performance of Verdi’s Aida… …to celebrate Verdi’s centenary. It was this event that launched the Arena Opera Festival, which you can still enjoy every year from June to September. Enormous sets, powerful choruses, and the Arena’s natural acoustics create a unique theatrical experience. I personally try to attend one of the operas every year and have seen some really spectacular performances. Throughout the duration of the Opera Festival, all the enormous sets are stored outside the Arena on Piazza Bra. What you see here are mostly parts of the opera I’m going to see tomorrow: Rigoletto. Over there you can see the top of a crane. It lifts the décor of the previous show out of the Arena and then lowers in the new one. It seems there’s not much going on at the moment, but it’s interesting to watch the preparations for a while. Another thing worth noting about the Arena is that the inner ring is remarkably intact. But if you walk around the structure, you’ll notice there is only one surviving fragment of the outer ring. A major earthquake in 1117 almost completely destroyed the once-massive outer ring. This surviving part is known locally as the “ala,” meaning “wing.” It’s right over there. We’re now stepping off the square and onto Via Mazzini. This street is a true shopper’s paradise. Here you can find both big brands and more affordable chains. Usually there are a lot of people, so let’s just walk and look around. So many people… But I’m afraid we’re going to be surrounded by even more people at the next place we’re heading to. We’re almost at the end of the street. Over there is Piazza delle Erbe and the Torre dei Lamberti. We will go there shortly, but first, let’s have a look at one of Verona’s most famous landmarks… …Juliet’s house, and of course the balcony where Romeo and Juliet… …declared their love for one another in Shakespeare’s love story. Often there’s a line to get in, but now it looks like we can just enter. The entrance passageway leads to this small inner courtyard. If you want, you can enter the house (for a small fee) to pose on the balcony and have your picture taken. Over there stands a bronze statue of Juliet. Legend holds that you’ll be lucky in love if you touch the right breast of the statue. Upon leaving the courtyard, pay attention to the wall on the right, full of notes. They’re all little love letters left there by couples. We now step into Piazza delle Erbe. This square sits on the site of the ancient Roman forum… …so for two thousand years this has been the commercial and social heart of Verona. The name Piazza delle Erbe means “square of herbs.” It owes its name to the many spices sold on the piazza during the Middle Ages. Today the square still serves as the stage of a daily market… …but as you can see, the herbs made way for stalls selling souvenirs and clothes. The northern side of Piazza delle Erbe is characterized by the presence of the Case dei Mazzanti. This series of houses has cafés on the ground floor and residential apartments above. Their facades are covered with beautiful frescoes. The frescoes depict mythological and allegorical scenes and are still in excellent condition. At the square’s center stands the medieval fountain built in 1368. It’s topped with a Roman statue often nicknamed “Madonna Verona.” The fountain is a classic example of the reuse of ancient stone: a Roman statue set on a medieval fountain. After these stalls, look up to the left. You’ll see an arch with a giant rib bone hanging underneath. Some say it’s the rib bone of a whale or a monster, but no one knows what it’s doing up there… Folktale says it will fall on the first person who’s never told a lie. As you can see, so far…it’s secure. This is the Lamberti Tower. Construction began in 1172 at the request of the Lamberti family. Typical for that era was the use of brick alternating with tuff. This is still visible in the lower part of the building, which at the time was only 37 meters high. In 1403 lightning struck the top of the tower. It was not until the second half of the 15th century that the building was restored and enlarged. These different time periods can be seen when looking at the Torre dei Lamberti, as it is split into several distinct sections. From here, next to the statue of Dante Alighieri, you can have another look at the Torre dei Lamberti. On a clear day, I recommend you visit the tower and enjoy the stunning views over Verona. Now, remember the Scaliger family I told you about at the beginning of our walk? Up ahead are the Scaliger Tombs, a series of funerary monuments built by the family. One of the tombs is placed above the entrance to the church of Santa Maria Antiqua. It’s the tomb of the most prominent member of the family, Cangrande I della Scala. The other tombs sit in a small, iron-gated courtyard which you can enter for a small fee. From the outside, we can see part of the tombs of Mastino II and Cansignorio della Scala. The Gothic architecture with ornate canopies, sculpted figures, and surmounting equestrian statues… …makes them true masterpieces. Let’s continue our walk. Over there is the Basilica di Sant’Anastasia. Its facade is unfinished, except for a majestic Gothic mullioned doorway that leads to a large interior. Inside it’s possible to admire paintings and frescoes by famous masters of Veronese painting and beyond. Among the works, you’ll find what is considered Pisanello’s masterpiece, Saint George and the Princess. I really love all those tiny details on the facades. We’ve made it to the last church of this walk, Verona’s Duomo. In fact, the Duomo is not a single isolated building but a compact complex: cathedral, baptistery, and cloister. We can’t go inside because there’s a funeral going on at the moment… …but there is one painting inside the cathedral I want to mention. It’s the Assumption of the Virgin hanging in the left transept. This wonderful painting is the work of the famous Venetian painter Tiziano Vecellio, or Titian. Now, let’s take a stroll along the water’s edge. Verona is cut in two by Italy’s second-longest river, the Adige. It flows some 400 kilometers, from high in the Alps to the Adriatic. Throughout Verona’s history, the Adige played a crucial part in the city’s defenses… …and was the most important transportation and trading route. Unfortunately, many times in history, the nature of the river flow also caused dangerous floods… …bringing disaster to the city. The most significant of all was the great flood of 1882. At various points in the city, you can find markings that show how high the water rose during this devastating flood. A walk along the Adige can be the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of Piazza Bra and Via Mazzini. It’s a perfect opportunity to admire the various bridges of Verona, each with its own story to tell. And speaking of bridges, over there is the oldest bridge that connects the two banks of the Adige. It’s the Ponte Pietra, and it is the only bridge remaining from the Roman era. The bridge is around 100 meters long and has five arches. It has been damaged and rebuilt more than once. As you can see, the arches are of different lengths. This perfectly reflects the bridge’s history, as it has a Roman, a Scaliger, and a Venetian portion. Each was erected with the techniques of its respective era. Two of Ponte Pietra’s arches (the white stone arches) are made of original Roman material. The brick arches date from the Middle Ages. Towards the end of World War II, four arches were blown up by retreating German troops. Similar to the Ponte Scaligero we crossed earlier. In 1957 the Ponte Pietra was restored to its former glory using original stones recovered from the river. Okay. It’s time to head to our last stop for today. To get there, we need to do some climbing. We’re going to make our way up the hill on the eastern bank of the Adige. Up there is Castel San Pietro, a castle built in the 14th century as a means of fortification for the city. The castle is not open to the public, but we’re going there for the views. Because from up there, you can experience the most fantastic views over the Adige and the historic center of Verona. The best time is actually around sunset, so we’re a bit too early… …but I promise the views are still wonderful. There are quite a few steps… …if you don’t feel like walking your way up, there’s also a funicular. In about a minute and a half, the funicular will take you to the top. We’re halfway, but let’s see the view from here. Almost at the top. What did I tell you? It’s wonderful, right? From up here you can see many of the landmarks we visited today. The Torre dei Lamberti, the bell towers of the Basilica di Sant’Anastasia and the Duomo… …and in front of us is the Ponte Pietra. There’s one last spot a bit higher up, right where the funicular stops. Here it is. I hope you enjoyed our walk and got a real sense of what Verona is like. If you want more info about Verona or anywhere else in Italy, just reach out or check out italynotes.com! See you in my next video!

Join me for an immersive Verona walking tour. In this virtual walk, filmed on September 5th, 2025, we’ll explore landmarks that define this iconic city in the Veneto region. Among them are Piazza Bra with the Arena di Verona and the famous balcony of Romeo and Juliet. Besides that, we’ll have a peaceful walk along the Adige River and after that enjoy some amazing views of the city.

This Verona 4K walk doubles as a travel guide, full of cultural highlights. Along the way, I’ll share stories about Verona’s past. You’ll also get practical travel tips and plenty of interesting facts.

Whether you’re looking for what to see in Verona Italy, planning your own city walk, in the mood to relive past adventures, this walking tour brings the spirit of Verona straight to you. By the end, you’ll know exactly what to do in Verona and how to make the most of your visit.

Of course, this walking tour is also perfect for anyone searching for travel vlogs without talking or enjoying walking tours for treadmill walks.

For more travel tips, hidden gems, and guides, visit: https://www.italynotes.com

*Video timeline links*
0:00 – Intro
0:01:20 – Castelvecchio & Ponte Scaligero
0:10:53 – Portoni della Bra
0:11:16 – Piazza Bra
0:12:50 – Arena di Verona
0:18:12 – Via Mazzini
0:25:04 – Juliet’s House
0:28:11 – Piazza delle Erbe
0:30:16 – Case dei Mazzanti
0:32:35 – Torre dei Lamberti
0:34:35 – Scaliger Tombs
0:39:02 – Basilica di Sant’Anastasia
0:44:44 – Duomo di Verona
0:50:10 – Walk along the Adige River
0:59:36 – Ponte Pietra
1:03:25 – Panoramic Point (Castel San Pietro)

*More walking videos*
Palermo: https://youtu.be/yMOSyZzPE8A
Catania: https://youtu.be/EQNMYkrV3dI
Gubbio: https://youtu.be/63i7cgV-IYs

*Relevant links*
More about Verona: https://www.italynotes.com/stories/verona (coming soon)
More about the Arena di Verona: https://www.italynotes.com/stories/arena-di-verona (coming soon)
More about Juliet’s House: https://www.italynotes.com/stories/juliets-balcony (coming soon)
More about Veneto: https://www.italynotes.com/stories/veneto

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Email: info@italynotes.com
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*Disclaimer*
This video, or any part of it, may not be used or reproduced without prior written permission from LetsWalkItaly or Italynotes. If you appear in the video and would like your image removed, please contact me.

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