Verona

Verona is a magical city in northern Italy where art, history and culture combine to give you wonderful memories. Home of Romeo and Juliet, it is known all over the world as a city to fall in love with.

A surreal atmosphere, adrenaline-pumping attractions and an attention to detail that makes the experience feel like a fantasy adventure: we’re talking about Gardaland Resort, which, more than an amusement park, is an icon, a true guarantee of spectacular attractions and something new every year. Not far from the town of Peschiera del Garda, on the southern shore of the lake, it is Europe's eighth largest park by number of visitors, covering 545,000 square metres and offering 30 attractions spread out across ten themed areas: the problem, as you might have already guessed, is not what to do, but what to do first!

You've bought your ticket for an evening at the Arena and, while waiting for the performance, you've decided to enjoy a relaxing day in Verona. So, what should you do before entering the Amphitheatre and experiencing the magic of opera under the stars? By reading our suggestions you will surely find the options that best suit you.

But what are the most romantic destinations to answer "Yes" to that fateful question, or to spend wonderful days basking in love? From Verona to Lake Como, to Venice, Tuscany, Campania, Sicily and Sardinia: here are all the most beautiful destinations for an Italian style getaway for two.

There is a long cycle route that joins together the Trentino and Veneto tracks and, following the banks of the rivers Adige, Bacchiglione and Brenta, passes through the cities of Verona, Vicenza, Padua and Venice. Are you ready? It starts at Lake Garda, with a route that meanders along mostly asphalted roads alternating with pleasant dirt tracks, and offers plenty of potential excursions, steeped in history and tradition.

Incastonata nelle braccia dolci del fiume Adige, Verona è molto più di un palcoscenico shakespeariano e sorprende per la sua anima elegante, da Piazza delle Erbe alla magica atmosfera delle vie del centro fino alla Casa di Giulietta e l’imponente Arena, che racconta storie di epoca romana. Ma Verona non è solo passato. È una città vibrante e vivace, dove l’arte, il paesaggio e le tradizioni enogastronomiche danzano insieme tra le viuzze medievali costellate di enoteche e osterie. In occasione del Vinitaly, ti portiamo alla scoperta del suo ricco patrimonio enogastronomico tra strade del vino, passeggiate nelle dolci colline della provincia, scorci mozzafiato e ricette della tradizione da assaporare.

The Scaliger castle, known as Castelvecchio, was built by Cangrande II della Scala in 1354, on the right bank of the Adige, incorporating the communal walls, the Porta del Morbio and the church of San Martino in Acquaro. The castle is composed of two fortified wings around the battlemented bridge, built to control the entrance and exit of the ancient urban ring road connected to the route toward Trento. The two functional sections were the rectangular-plan military stronghold used for troop accommodation and the fortified residence, connected to the keep tower, completed in 1376. The castle became the seat of the Civic Museum in 1926 on the initiative of Antonio Avena, and was furnished in a Neo-medieval style, becoming an important example of organic connection between architectural space and exhibition function. In 1945, the retreating German troops blew up the Castelvecchio bridge, which was rebuilt in the postwar period by superintendent Pietro Gazzola. In 1958, the new director Licisco Magagnato commissioned architect Carlo Scarpa to design a contemporary museum layout. The result, internationally recognized, enhances the dialogue between container and content, recalling the language of artists like Klee, Mondrian, and Burri. The exhibition route unfolds through interior rooms and courtyards, including early medieval relics, a significant collection of 14th-century sculptures with masterpieces by the Master of Santa Anastasia, Scaliger goldsmith works, and pieces by Pisanello, Crivelli, Bellini, Mantegna, Caroto, and Veronese.

Piazza Erbe largely coincides with the forum of the Roman city, situated between the main urban streets, namely the decumanus maximus (Corso Santa Anastasia) and the cardo maximus (Via Cappello). The forum had as its backdrop the large building of the Capitolium, where today stands the 18th-century Palazzo Maffei (the ancient ruins can be seen in the undergrounds). The square remained over the centuries the center of the city, especially for the market, but also for public ceremonies and executions of the condemned. In 1368, Cansignorio della Scala, lord of Verona, placed the fountain called Madonna Verona, equipped with a large red marble basin. The centerpiece of the fountain is a headless female statue of Roman age, to which a head was added to become the allegory of civic power. The figure holds a scroll with the motto of the medieval Comune: «est iusti latrix Urbs / haec et laudis amatrix» (“This City is dispenser of justice and lover of praise”). On the bulb, there are four heads: one represents Verona crowned, as a royal city; the other three depict an emperor Verus Antoninus Pius, as a presumed ancient founder (the name is not clearly identifiable, evoking a bit Marcus Aurelius and a bit Antoninus Pius) and the medieval rulers Alboin, king of the Lombards, and Berengar I, king of Italy and emperor, who were buried in Verona. The large column in the square that supports the Lion of Saint Mark was instead created by the architect Michele Leoni in 1523, to celebrate the city’s return to the Republic of Venice after the brief period of imperial rule.

The largest church in Verona Sant'Anastasia is the largest church in Verona and a masterful example of Italian Gothic style. Its construction began in 1290 and was paid for by the Della Scala and other families of Verona. As you enter the church, you can see the extraordinary uniformity of color rendered by the marbles in the columns and on the surfaces, with flooring in red Veronese marble alternated with the white marble from Istria and black basanite. The Basilica of Sant'Anastasia, in addition to containing numerous works of art, houses the fresco St George and the Princess, a major work by Pisanello, located above the Pellegrini Chapel. The holy water stoups at the entrance are also famous. They are supported by hunchbacks, figures representing the efforts made in the construction of the basilica. Touching their hump is said to bring good luck.

The amphitheatre, known since the Middle Ages as the Arena (from the Latin harena, referring to the sand on the ground), was built during the reign of Emperor Claudius (around 41–42 AD, decades before the Colosseum in Rome, inaugurated in 80 AD) as a venue for public spectacles, especially gladiatorial combats and animal hunts. Its dimensions (major axis 152.43 m; minor axis 123.23 m) make the Arena the fourth largest preserved Roman amphitheatre in Italy. Originally, it could accommodate up to 30,000 spectators, and to facilitate crowd management, the Arena was built just outside the ancient city walls. The structure, made of large stones from the Valpolicella region, consists of three vaulted concentric galleries and radial walls supporting the cavea with stepped seating, which spectators accessed via stairways and entrances called vomitoria. The cavea was divided into sectors for different social classes. The Ala dell’Arena corresponds to what remains of the outer ring, demolished by Theodoric in the 6th century and partially collapsed, perhaps during the 1117 earthquake. Entrances on the minor axes were reserved for distinguished guests, while those on the major axis were for gladiators (porta triumphalis). Over time, the Arena served various functions: residential, commercial, and judicial. In 1913, thanks to the tenor Giuseppe Zenatello, it hosted Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida, marking the beginning of its use as a theatre for opera performances and concerts.

The must-see spot for all lovers The house of Juliet, protagonist of William Shakespeare's tragedy, is one of the must-see spots when visiting the city of Verona. To get there you go through a passageway whose walls are totally covered with love notes, signatures and lovers’ comments. As you come out of this short tunnel, you find yourself in the courtyard of the house, overlooked by the famous balcony where Romeo and Juliet met on that fateful moonlit night. There is also a statue of Juliet in the courtyard. It is a copy of the original work by Nereo Costantini, built in 1969 and kept inside the house. According to tradition, touching the statue's right breast brings good luck. Juliet's House dates back to the 13th century and was owned by the Cappello family, whose coat of arms is carved on the inner arch of the courtyard. Legend has it that this was the house of the Capulets. The medieval-style house was in fact restored by Antonio Avena in the mid-1930s and is now a museum.

The Basilica of San Zeno Maggiore is dedicated to the holy bishop, patron saint of Verona, the city’s eighth bishop, who died in the year 380. Zeno was originally from Mauretania (which is why he is called “the Moorish bishop”) and is known as a highly cultured figure and author of exegetical texts. Legends recount his passion for fishing, a symbolic allusion to the apostles, the “fishers of men.” His remains are kept in the crypt of the basilica, considered one of the most beautiful Romanesque churches in Italy. The church was likely founded as early as the 4th century, while during the Carolingian period the Benedictine abbey was established. The structure that exists today was built in various phases between the 10th and 12th centuries. It has a three-aisled plan with semicircular apses. The bays are marked by large polylobed pillars. The altar area is raised above the crypt and accessed by a staircase. The façade was decorated in 1138 with the porch and reliefs by the sculptor Niccolò, who had already been active in Piacenza, Ferrara, and the Susa Valley and who, in 1139, also created the porch of Verona’s cathedral. Niccolò was assisted by a master named Guglielmo. In the lunette of the porch, supported by two griffins, Saint Zeno tramples the devil and welcomes the citizens (knights and foot soldiers). On either side of the portal are scenes from Genesis, stories of Christ, and, in the lower band, the legend of King Theoderic, who, while pursuing a stag, ends his hunt in the jaws of the devil. Around the year 1200, Master Brioloto created the rose window on the façade, depicting the Wheel of Fortune: in the wheel of life, even the exalted man eventually falls. The church of San Zeno preserves one of the rare medieval bronze doors. The door was made by three different anonymous masters between the 12th and 13th centuries. Its decoration consists of 48 panels illustrating episodes from the Old and New Testaments, as well as a series of miracles of Saint Zeno. The vivid storytelling of the figures stands out in the scene of the exorcism of Emperor Gallienus’s daughter, where the demon is shown twisting as it emerges from the girl’s mouth. In front of the left apse stands a statue of the saint as a fisherman, animated by a smile, popularly known as “Laughing Saint Zeno.” It was perhaps commissioned between the 13th and 14th centuries by Abbot Giuseppe della Scala, half-brother of Cangrande, a violent man inclined to sin and chastised by Dante in Canto XVIII of the Purgatorio. On the counter-façade is a large Crucifix attributed to Lorenzo Veneziano, one of the finest Venetian artists of the second half of the 14th century, while on the walls of the aisles numerous sacred frescoes by Giotto-inspired painters can be observed. On the main altar stands the altarpiece by Andrea Mantegna, depicting a Madonna enthroned with Child and saints, commissioned by Abbot Gregorio Correr between 1456 and 1457. It is a landmark Renaissance work for its spatial conception and perspective rendering of the Sacra Conversazione. From the left, one can recognize Saint Peter, Saint Paul, Saint Zeno, Saint Benedict, Saint Lawrence, Saint Gregory the Great, and Saint John the Baptist. The halo of the enthroned Madonna recalls the Wheel of Fortune on the façade.

From Venice to Chioggia, from Abano and Montegrotto Terme to Vicenza, from Bassano del Grappa to Treviso, to then close the loop and return to the Serenissima Republic of Venice: a circular route through the most beautiful cities in Veneto. Enjoy all this while riding a bike on easy-to-follow dirt bike paths alongside rivers, between sea and lagoon, villages and castles, spa waters and hills.

Imposing, beguiling and unexpected: Lake Garda has so many different aspects when looking out over its waters from Gardone Riviera or Sirmione, Peschiera or Riva del Garda. Peaks and valleys define its perimeter, small towns on its shores interrupt the expanse of lush vegetation characterizing the area. In short, staying at Lake Garda will certainly ensure inspiration, relaxation and well-being. You will come across echoes of history, magnificent castles and delightful villas in perfect symbiosis with the contemporary world, interpreted in a thousand ways and even celebrated at table serving excellent local produce. Oil, wine and citrus fruit: here are some of the treasures of this part of Italy. It's up to you to discover all the others...

Aimed at all walkers, whether expert hikers or not, the Cammino delle Dolomiti is a circular route that starts and ends in Anzù di Feltre and covers no less than 30 stages. Walk through some of them with us, amidst the enchanting natural scenery of the Veneto Dolomites, a UNESCO heritage site, and the testimonies of monasteries and small villages, discovering the originality of these landscapes.

Two destinations in the Veneto Region for skiers looking for unusual destinations to enjoy sport and well-being of the soul.

One of Italy's most picturesque cycle paths, the Mincio cycle path, is a very easy route. It connects b to the city of Mantua, passing through fields of poppies and wheat and charming villages, and skirting the river Mincio, in a route that is almost 50 km long. Sunny weather, the wind in your hair and nature: this scenic route is ideal for spending a Sunday off the beaten track.

Lush lands, silent slopes and breathtaking views make the Veneto Dolomites the ideal destination for cycling enthusiasts. So, if you’re like us ,and holidays and relaxation are synonymous with two wheels, we recommend a cycle tour – you can thank us later! Ready? 5 stages: start from Cortina d'Ampezzo, head down towards Pieve di Cadore and cycle alongside the Piave river to Belluno. From there, continue towards Vittorio Veneto, through the hills that lead to Treviso, along a riverside route all the way to your final destination, Venice.