Verona Itinerary Ideas

We finished our second trip to Verona in November, and I’m already ready to go back again. I love Verona. It always feels incredibly local, and you rarely hear American English in the streets. Verona at Christmastime is downright magical. (I feel like I say that about every European city at Christmas.) I’m sure it’s lovely in every season, but I love the Christmas lights, the Christmas markets, and the cozy atmosphere. I was chatting with one of my staff members about it, and she mentioned that she did a day trip to Verona on her summer trip to Italy, but it was the one place she wished they could have stayed longer. I completely agree; our Verona itinerary is never quite long enough – but always leaves us wanting more. If you want to start getting off the beaten track in Italy, spend a couple nights in Verona. It pairs perfectly with a trip to Venice, Bologna, or Milan.

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Getting to Verona

Both of our Verona trips started with a trip to the Veneto wine region, so we had a car in both cases. Last year, we headed to Venice from Verona, and this year, we headed to Florence. In both cases, we had a car, but you can easily visit Verona by train. Verona is on the Frecciarossa train line, so it’s a quick trip from Milan, Florence, Venice, or Bologna. The Porta Nuova station is about a 20 minute walk from the Arena and old city center.

• Bologna to Verona – 1 hour
• Venice to Verona – 1 hour 15 minutes
• Milan to Verona – 1 hour 15 minutes
• Florence to Verona – 1 hour 30 minutes

If you’re looking to couple Verona with another European destination, there is a small airport in Verona that caters to low cost airlines, as well as a few legacy carriers. (VRN is the airport code for Valerio Catullo Airport, which is also known as the Villafranca Airport.) Verona’s small size makes it very easy to get around, and nothing is too terribly far.

Where to Stay in Verona

The first time I booked a hotel in Verona, I did a lot of research. I needed to find a hotel with parking (also true for the second trip), and I wanted to find a hotel that was in the old city center. I found a couple of options, and I ended up choosing the hotel that was the best value for the dates of our stay. When we went to Verona for our second trip, we still needed parking, but I wanted to try a new hotel. Little did I know that I would be booking a hotel on the same street as the hotel we stayed at previously.

Note: A lot of hotels in Verona have off-site rooms that aren’t housed in the “main” hotel. You need to read the details of the room you are booking carefully.

Be aware: There are not a lot of chain hotels in the old city center of Verona. There are a lot of great independent hotels in Verona though, and I’m happy to share details on where to stay in Verona.

Hotel Milano Verona

On our first trip to Verona, we stayed at Hotel Milano because it was centrally located, offered a spa, and had a rooftop bar with a view of the Arena. We didn’t end up taking advantage of the spa, but we did enjoy the bar with a view of the Arena and enjoyed our nightcap with a view. The cocktails and wine were very reasonably priced.

Since we weren’t staying too long, I booked the smallest room for two people. When we arrived, they looked at our luggage and upgraded us to a deluxe room that was handicap accessible. There was plenty of room for the two of us, as well as our luggage. The furniture reminded me a lot of Palazzo Veneziano in Venice, and the bed was quite comfortable. It was an interesting nod to contemporary and traditional Italian design elements. The room had some fun and quirky design finishes, like a retro rotary phone, which gave the room character.

As part of the accessibility, the bathroom had two showers. The water pressure was great, and we had no issues. Like the Veneziano, they also offer chromatography lights in the shower.

As I said, we didn’t end up booking a time for the spa because we were too busy. The outdoor hot tub overlooks the arena, but they also have a sauna. It’s not that easy to find hotel spas in Verona, so if that’s important to you, Hotel Milano is a great find.

Lastly, Hotel Milano offers valet parking for 25 euro/day. It is in a secure, off-site garage. We were very pleased with the service, and it was pretty efficient.

Hotel Escalus Luxury Suites

Our second trip to Verona included my mom, and I wanted to try another hotel. I booked the Escalus Luxury Suites, which is included in the Hyatt Small Luxury Hotel collection. I think it’s a better value to book it outside of Hyatt though.

First and foremost, I want to say that the Escalus has the BEST staff. They were so kind, accommodating, and friendly. Before our stay, they reached out via WhatsApp to provide restaurant recommendations, offered to make reservations, and booked our valet parking for us. When we arrived, they had one of the rooms ready, and were happy to make recommendations on places nearby where we could enjoy a glass of wine while we waited. When we didn’t submit our breakfast order, they reached out to ensure that we didn’t want breakfast. (Breakfast is delivered to your room daily at your chosen time.) The valet parking is 30 euro per day, and it’s in a secure, off-site parking lot. They were very timely at delivering our car upon departure.

We had suites 2A and 2C, one of which they upgraded to ensure that my mom could stay on the same floor as us. (They have an elevator, if that’s important to you.) The rooms are HUGE. We had a living room, a small kitchenette, a large walk-in shower, and a bedroom that could be closed off from the rest of the suite. This proved to be very beneficial when I had a late night zoom meeting that lasted for HOURS. It is truly a converted apartment with plenty of room.

The bathroom was really nice – well lit, great water pressure, and plenty of hot water. It was definitely one of the best bathrooms on this trip. The only negative about this hotel, honestly, is that the bed was REALLY hard. If you like a firm mattress, you’ll be fine. However, my hip struggled with it quite a bit. I was able to make it work by using cushions and pillows, but the bed is firm.

The location is right by the Hotel Milano, so these two hotels in Verona are great options. If you need more space and a kitchenette, book the Escalus. If you are happy with a room or want a spa, book the Hotel Milano.

Things to Do in Verona

A lot of guidebooks overlook the beauty of Verona, and they really overlook the culinary delights of Verona. While it feels like tours are more expensive in Verona, it’s absolutely worth it. We’ve gotten so much more out of taking tours in Verona because the guidebooks don’t have as much information on it.

Take a Food Tour in Verona

If I could give you ONE thing to do in Verona, I would tell you to take a food tour. This was one of my favorite food tours we’ve ever taken, and we’ve taken a lot of them! Our Verona food tour was lead by Guilia, an enthusiastic and energetic guide with a great passion for sharing her city and the food. She spent several hours with us, leading us through the streets of Verona, introducing us to the culinary delights. It really opened us up to the food in Verona. As it was last year, I found myself wishing that we had more meals to enjoy in Verona.

The food tour starts with Veronese cicchetti at one of our favorite restaurants in Verona. (We end up going back and getting a few things for a picnic in our room!) From there, we visited a traditional Veronese restaurant and enjoyed two first courses: smoked ricotta and nettle bigoli pasta and an Amarone risotto. (Guilia also let us try her pumpkin risotto!) Our third stop was another typical Veronese restaurant for a choice of second courses. We opted for pastisada de caval, a local speciality, which is a stew served over polenta. (Polenta is one of the most important foods from the Veneto.) Our tour ended in a local bakery with our choice of Veronese pastries. We chose 3 different pastries to try, two of which included a rice base. All of them were delicious. Each of our stops included different wines from the Veneto, which complemented the foods very well.

Book a Food Tour of Verona!

Take a Walking Tour of Verona

There is so much beautiful architecture in Verona and it’s so much more beautiful when you understand why it is significant. This walking tour of Verona is incredible. Luisa is an incredibly thoughtful guide who loves to share her enthusiasm for Verona, its history, and most importantly, its architecture. The best advice I can give you is to drop your pre-conceived notions Verona and its setting in Romeo and Juliet, and Luisa will make magic happen for you. She will show you the beauty of the city and walk you through time using the beauty of the architecture!

On foggy winter evening (which only adds to the beauty), Luisa led us through the architectural highlights of Verona, providing us with a deep appreciation for the beauty of the city. The tour starts at the Arena and continues to the “big” sites in Verona, including Juliet’s balcony. What I loved the most, however, was the many smaller courtyards tucked off the main streets, as well as the timeline that could be attributed to the architecture in the main squares. Luisa provided several recommendations on what she thought we would be interested in seeing based on our personal interests and questions. I truly believe that this tour gave us a better appreciation of Verona and its beauty.

Book this Verona walking tour!

Enjoy a Wine Tasting in Verona

If you can’t make it to the Veneto for a wine tasting, I strongly recommend booking this wine tasting in Verona. This small wine shop just steps away from the Arena is a treasure trove of wines from the Veneto! Bruno was in great spirits, having just celebrated the birth of his daughter, and he was excited to introduce us to wines from the Veneto that we didn’t know as much about, as well as some of our favorites. Once he learned that we had tried Lugana wines around Lake Garda, he introduced us to Soave, a white wine that is produced near Verona. We tried two different Valpolicella Ripasso wines, as well as an Amarone and a Recito.

Bruno is a certified sommelier, so his knowledge of wines is vast and he will share as much as you want to learn. He had us try the different wines with different meats and cheeses to see how the flavor profile changed, which helped us better understand the importance of pairing the right wine with the right food. I really enjoy that aspect of a tasting, as I’m really not comfortable pairing wine and food yet. It’s such an art form, and I’d like to figure out how to recreate these experiences at home.

Book a Verona Wine Tasting!

See a Performance of the Verona Arena Opera

I remember being in awe of the Colosseum in Rome the first time I saw it, but honestly, seeing the Arena in Verona was just as incredible. The city exists around it, and it’s incredible to be able to see these ruins up close. (I had the same feeling when we visited the Pula arena in Croatia.) While we’ve never been able to have our visit coincide with a tour of the interior, I think there’s a better way to experience the magic of Verona’s arena: seeing the Opera under the stars at the Arena, but I have a family member who makes it a point to travel from Germany to Verona in the summer for this experience. The Verona opera season runs from June-September, so you’ll have longer days and be able to experience the changing light.

If you want to see an arial view of of the Verona arena, head to the Terrace Arena Sky Lounge Bar and Restaurant at the Hotel Milano in Verona.

Christmas Markets in Verona

It’s well documented how much I love the Christmas markets, and the Italian Christmas markets are so terribly Verona is one of the Nuremberg Christmas Market sister-cities, so it’s definitely one of the best Christmas markets in Italy to visit during Christmas. These Christmas markets feel very local with a lot of traditional Veronese food available for purchase. There are certainly gifts, but the Christmas market in Piazza dei Signori shines for its food.

After taking tours of the Christmas markets in Salzburg, Bratislava and Prague, I would absolutely book this Verona Christmas market tour. I love learning about the local traditions and trying the regional specialties through tours of the Christmas markets.

The Christmas markets in Verona are spread through all the major squares in the old city center of Verona, so nothing ever felt too busy. In fact, I found it very enjoyable throughout the day. Even in the days leading right up to Christmas, it felt busy, but it didn’t feel frantic. It actually felt very cozy.

When we visited during December, there was a Christmas market in front of the Arena at Piazza Bra that had more toys and gifts, but it wasn’t open when we visited in November the following year. As always, you’ll want to check the opening dates, as some markets open in early in November and others won’t open until advent starts.

Book a tour of the Christmas Markets in Verona!

Where to Eat in Verona

Scapin 1935

Scapin has several locations in Verona. Some, like the Stonebridge bottega (across the Adige river), offers counter service and is also a specialty grocery store. The location on Via Armando Diaz is a restaurant and has a small section of food to go. We enjoyed apertivo here with cicchetti and wine. One evening, when my mom wasn’t up for going out, we picked up an assortment of prepared food and headed back to the Escalus Luxury Suites for a picnic in our room. Their prices on wine are very fair, and you can buy a bottle to enjoy there or to take away.

We’ve found the staff is extremely kind. After we stopped by a few times on our first trip, they gave us a small traditional apertivo gift to take home as a souvenir. It was very touching and a good reminder that you can build relationships with people when you return to the same places, and they notice.

La Piazzetta Osteria

We ended up at La Piazzetta twice on our second trip to Verona because it was relatively close to our hotel and had a menu that intrigued my mom. The staff were incredibly accommodating, patient and happy to make recommendations. Uniquely, they offer an electronic menu and ordering system, which isn’t something I’ve seen in Italy, but it was nice to be able to go through the wine list electronically. You can also order through the waiter, and we ended up doing both because we weren’t sure what we wanted to do with wine on our first night.

For antipasti, we ordered prosciutto, stracciatella cheese, and rosemary focaccia. The focaccia was served fresh (and warm!). We ended up ordering a second plate of it before our primi course, which is both the benefit and the hazard of online ordering.

The primi corses at La Piazzetta were unreal. I am obsessed with the Amarone tortelloni and the Amarone risotto. The bigoli pasta (similar to a pici) with sausage, tomatoes, rosemary, and cheese was very tasty as well, but the Amarone dishes were my favorites, hands down.

Since we were visiting during the Christmas season, I opted for the seasonal dessert of Santa Lucia cookies, the traditional Christmas cookies that are served in December. They were perfect with the Bertani recioto, a dessert wine from the Veneto that is very similar to our favorite Montefalco passito.

Hostaria La Vecchia Fontanina

If you want the best risotto in Verona, head to La Vecchia Fontanina. This is a very busy and local place at lunch, and it’s one of the restaurants we’re most looking forward to returning to. We visited in the fall and enjoyed their pumpkin risotto, as well as the amarone risotto. They have great fresh pasta dishes with unique flavors. I’d love to try the amarone with truffle risotto when we go back. If you’re traveling during the off-season, you’ll have to be strategic about planning you’re meal because it’s not always open for dinner. (We tried to go back twice and it wasn’t open. Sad!)

Pizzeria Berbere

When my mom was ready for pizza, I was skeptical. Verona isn’t known for pizza, but I know Berbere from Florence, so I decided we could try it. With a central location on Piazza delle Erbe, it would be an easy place to grab a pizza for lunch. My mom ordered the spicy salumi (diavola), which is most similar to pepperoni. (Don’t order pepperoni pizza in Italy! Try the diavola.) She enjoyed pairing it with the beer. I ordered a sausage, parmesan and fennel (salsiccia e parmigiano), and it was really tasty with the house red wine. Tom ordered a traditional pizza Margherita with beer. Everything was made fresh and the crust was cooked perfectly. One thing that is different about Berbere is that they recommend sharing pizzas, so they arrive already cut into slices. It was actually really fun to be able to mix and match, but that’s not a regular thing in Italy.

As with most restaurants in Italy, the tables are very close together. The restaurant filled up quickly during lunch, so I strongly recommend making a reservation in advance.

Signorvino Verona

Tom has long wanted to book a table and enjoy apertivo at Signorvino in Florence. We buy wine there from time to time, and I see it as Italy’s answer to Total Wine and More. I have put off eating there as long as possible, but on our first night in Bologna on our last trip, we had a great apertivo at Signorvino. It warmed me to the idea, and when we were waiting on our room to be ready in Verona, I agreed to a late lunch at the Verona Porta Nuova location. They have several tables downstairs at the wine bar, in additional to a few upstairs. You can order from their wine menu or purchase a bottle from the wine store and pay a corking fee.

I wouldn’t put it at the top of my list because the menu seems to be pretty standard across their locations without respect for regional specialties. However, the products are high quality and tasty. It’s easy if you’re in a pinch or don’t want a heavy meal.

How Many Days in Verona?

I know that a lot of people probably think you only need a day in Verona – that the only things to see are the Roman arena or Juliet’s balcony. Spoiler alert: Juliet never lived there and Shakespeare never came to Verona. There’s so much more to Verona. Personally, I think that you should spend at least two full days in the city, though I didn’t feel like 3 nights was enough on our recent trip.

Spending more than one day in Verona will give you the opportunity to book a walking tour and see the growth of the city through its architecture, visit several of the churches (they are spread out!), and try some of the local food and wine, which would be a shame to miss because the Amarone risotto is incredible and I haven’t seen it on a menu outside of Verona.