Never Say Never!
There are some places you promise yourself you won’t return to. Not because you didn’t love them, but because there are simply too many other places waiting to be explored.
That’s exactly how I felt about Verona.
I’ve visited this beautiful Italian city several times over the years and, before planning our Europe Adventure 2026, I’d decided it was time to discover somewhere new. Italy remains one of my favourite countries, but I can’t keep returning to the same destinations forever.
Then my friend Arlie and I started planning our six-week European adventure.
As someone visiting many of these places for the first time, I knew she’d fall in love with Verona. It also made perfect sense geographically. Travelling from Lake Como to Venice, Verona sits neatly between the two, making it an ideal one or two-night stop.
So, despite telling myself I wasn’t coming back…Off to Verona we went. And I’m so glad we did.
Sometimes returning to a favourite destination reminds you exactly why you loved it in the first place.
Getting from Lake Como to Verona
After spending two nights in Varenna on the shores of Lake Como, we caught an early train from Varenna-Esino Station.
Our journey involved:
- Varenna-Esino → Milan Centrale: approximately 1 hour
- Transfer at Milan Centrale: around 20–40 minutes, depending on your connection
- Milan Centrale → Verona Porta Nuova: approximately 1 hour 10–15 minutes
The total journey took around 2½ to 3 hours, making it an easy and comfortable travel day between two of northern Italy’s most popular destinations.
We booked our tickets in advance through Trenitalia, and changing trains at Milan Centrale was straightforward. Both stations are well signposted, and even with suitcases we had plenty of time to make our connection.
By lunchtime, we were wandering the elegant streets of Verona, ready to experience one of Italy’s most romantic cities all over again.
Which Area Should You Stay in Verona?
For a first visit to Verona, I recommend staying in or around the Historic Centre (Centro Storico), particularly between Piazza Bra and Piazza delle Erbe.
We stayed at Palazzo della Guglie by Postcardsfrom, and I couldn’t have been happier with the location. Within minutes we could walk to the Arena di Verona, browse the shops along Via Giuseppe Mazzini, visit Juliet’s House, wander through Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza dei Signori, then continue across the River Adige to admire Verona’s beautiful bridges and riverside walks.
One of the things I loved most was that we rarely needed to look at a map. Everything we wanted to see was within easy walking distance, making it simple to return to our apartment for a break before heading out again for dinner.
Unless you’re arriving by car and need dedicated parking, I’d stay in the Historic Centre. Being able to explore Verona on foot is one of the city’s greatest pleasures and, for us, choosing this location made our one-night stay easy, relaxed and incredibly enjoyable.
How Long Should I Stay In Verona?
For first-time visitors, I’d recommend spending two nights in Verona. It gives you time to explore beyond the main sights and enjoy the city at a more relaxed pace.
If you’ve been before, one night is enough to revisit your favourite places and remind you why Verona is a city worth returning to.
What Surprised Me Most About Verona
Before visiting Verona for the first time, I expected to find a beautiful historic city with Roman ruins, medieval streets and the story of Romeo and Juliet.
What I didn’t expect was how alive it would feel.
Verona somehow manages to feel both ancient and modern at the same time. Roman monuments, medieval laneways and elegant piazzas sit comfortably alongside stylish boutiques, bustling cafés and locals simply going about their day.
It never felt like we were walking through an open-air museum.
It felt like we were experiencing a city that has evolved over 2,000 years and still wears its history effortlessly.
Perhaps that’s why I enjoy returning to Verona. Beyond its famous landmarks, there’s an atmosphere that’s difficult to describe until you’ve experienced it yourself. It’s a city that’s just as enjoyable to wander as it is to sightsee.
Explore the Magnificent Arena di Verona
After lunch, our first stop was the magnificent Arena di Verona, one of the world’s best-preserved Roman amphitheatres.
One thing that really struck me was Arlie’s reaction.
Like many Australians visiting Italy for the first time, she had no idea there were Roman arenas outside Rome. In her mind, the Colosseum was the Roman amphitheatre. As we walked through the ancient stone arches and into the vast open arena, she couldn’t believe the size of it.
Watching her experience the Arena for the first time reminded me of my own first visit. Sometimes returning to a place with someone who’s seeing it through fresh eyes allows you to appreciate it all over again.
Built around 30 AD, nearly 2,000 years ago, the Arena actually predates Rome’s Colosseum. Originally seating around 30,000 spectators, it hosted gladiator contests, public spectacles and theatrical performances. Despite losing part of its outer wall in the devastating earthquake of 1117, the Arena still accommodates around 15,000 people today.
Walking through the tunnels before emerging into the enormous amphitheatre is an unforgettable moment. The rows of stone seating seem to stretch endlessly upwards, while standing in the centre gives you a true appreciation of the scale and ingenuity of Roman engineering.
As I looked around, I found myself wondering how people built something so extraordinary nearly 2,000 years ago. There were no cranes, no machinery and no modern technology—just human ingenuity, determination and thousands of skilled workers. The scale of what they achieved is simply astonishing.
We explored at our own pace on a self-guided tour, climbing high into the seating for sweeping views across the Arena and Piazza Bra below.
Today, instead of gladiators, the Arena hosts one of the world’s most famous open-air opera festivals. During summer, thousands of people fill the ancient stone seats for performances beneath the stars—a tradition that has continued for almost two millennia.
Why It’s Worth Visiting
Even if you have only one day in Verona, don’t miss the Arena.
For me, it’s much more than another historic attraction. It’s one of those rare places that makes you stop, look around and appreciate what people were capable of achieving thousands of years ago.
Perhaps that’s why I often say I’m glad I was born in the 1960s! I have enormous admiration for these ancient civilisations, but I’m equally grateful I didn’t have to help build monuments like this by hand.
Watching Arlie’s amazement reminded me that some places never lose their ability to impress, no matter how many times you visit. The Arena di Verona is one of them.
History isn’t just something you read about here. You can stand inside it, walk through it and experience it for yourself.
Visit Juliet’s House and Courtyard
With only one day to show Arlie why I keep returning to Verona, our next stop had to be Juliet’s House and Courtyard. It was her first visit, and one experience I knew she wouldn’t want to miss.
Buying tickets, however, proved to be much more challenging than expected.
Unlike many attractions, there isn’t a traditional ticket office. Instead, visitors are directed to scan a QR code at the entrance and purchase tickets online for a specific entry time.
It sounded simple enough.
In reality, I spent far longer than expected trying to complete the booking on my phone. Between navigating the website, selecting an available time slot and processing the payment, I was close to giving up. Had I been travelling alone, I probably would have, as I’d already visited Juliet’s House on previous trips.
But this journey wasn’t just about revisiting my favourite places. It was about sharing them with Arlie. Eventually, after a fair bit of persistence, we secured our tickets and were rewarded with entry.
Inside, we explored the beautifully restored medieval house before making our way to the famous balcony. Like countless visitors before us, we took the obligatory photo standing on Juliet’s Balcony, made famous by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. While the balcony itself was added to the building in the 20th century and isn’t connected to the real story of Romeo and Juliet, it’s hard not to get caught up in the romance surrounding the site.
Back in the courtyard, we joined another long-standing Verona tradition by touching the bronze statue of Juliet. Legend has it that rubbing Juliet’s right breast brings good luck in love and ensures you’ll return to Verona one day. Whether you believe the myth or not, the polished bronze tells its own story, worn smooth by millions of visitors who have embraced the tradition.
For me, Juliet’s House isn’t about whether the story is fact or fiction. It’s about experiencing one of the world’s most famous love stories in the city that inspired it. Watching Arlie enjoy the experience reminded me that sometimes the most memorable attractions aren’t just about history—they’re about sharing the experience with someone seeing it for the first time.
Progressive Traveller Tip: Book your Juliet’s House tickets online before you arrive, particularly during the busy season. Timed-entry tickets can sell out, and purchasing them via the QR code at the entrance can be frustrating when you’re standing outside trying to secure a place.
🍸 Cocktails in Piazza delle Erbe
After visiting Juliet’s House, we wandered through Verona’s charming laneways to Piazza delle Erbe, one of the city’s most beautiful and vibrant squares.
Surrounded by colourful historic buildings, cafés and restaurants, it was the perfect place to stop for a late afternoon cocktail. We found a table outdoors and simply soaked up the atmosphere as locals and visitors strolled through the square. It’s one of those places where you could easily lose track of time.
This was also the moment I realised what makes Verona feel so different from many other historic cities. History isn’t preserved behind fences or tucked away in museums. It’s woven into everyday life. Friends meet for drinks beneath medieval buildings, families wander through centuries-old piazzas, and cafés spill onto streets that have been at the heart of the city for hundreds of years. Verona somehow feels both ancient and contemporary at the same time, and that’s a big part of its charm.
Having visited Verona several times, I’ve realised it’s the moments between the major attractions that I enjoy most. Wandering its laneways, stopping for a drink in a beautiful piazza and simply seeing where the next street leads is what keeps drawing me back.
From Piazza delle Erbe, we wandered back through Verona’s elegant shopping district along Via Giuseppe Mazzini towards Piazza Bra. This wide, pedestrian-only street is one of Italy’s oldest shopping precincts and is lined with everything from international fashion brands to Italian leather stores, jewellery boutiques and artisan shops.
One of the things I love most about travelling through Europe is its pedestrian precincts. Being able to stroll for kilometres without worrying about cars or traffic completely changes the experience. Instead of rushing from one attraction to the next, you naturally browse shop windows, duck into boutiques and simply enjoy being part of the city.
By late afternoon, Via Giuseppe Mazzini was buzzing with shoppers, street performers and people enjoying an afternoon passeggiata. Conversations spilled from cafés into the surrounding piazzas, beautifully restored buildings glowed in the warm afternoon light, and the city felt effortlessly stylish.
It reminded me that Verona isn’t just a city of Roman history and Shakespearean romance. It’s a thriving Italian city where everyday life unfolds among 2,000 years of history. For me, that’s what makes Verona so memorable.
As evening approached, we made our way back towards our apartment before heading to Pizzeria & Ristorante Bella Napoli for dinner.
Sunrise at Ponte Pietra
The next morning, we were up before sunrise, keen to experience a different side of Verona before catching our train to Venice.
One of the things I’ve learnt over many trips to Europe is that some of the best moments happen before most people are awake. The streets are quieter, the light is softer, and the city feels like it belongs to the locals once again.
We wandered through the peaceful streets to Ponte Pietra, Verona’s oldest bridge, where we climbed the stone steps on the bridge for a higher vantage point over the Adige River.
From there, the views were spectacular. The river gently curved through the city, historic buildings lined its banks, church towers rose above the terracotta rooftops and the soft morning light added a warm glow to the entire scene. It was one of those places where every direction seemed to offer another beautiful photograph.
Arlie and I spent quite a while photographing each other in different locations and poses, making the most of the quiet streets before the city came to life. Between the ancient stone bridge, the river and Verona’s elegant architecture, some of my favourite photographs from our entire Europe Adventure 2026 were taken that morning.
It was the perfect way to farewell Verona – a city that had once again reminded me why some destinations are always worth revisiting.
Train from Verona to Venice
After collecting our luggage from Palazzo della Guglie by Postcardsfrom, we made our way back to Verona Porta Nuova Station for the next leg of our Italian adventure.
We caught the 11.00 am high-speed train to Venice because it gave us a relaxed morning to enjoy breakfast, check out of our accommodation without rushing and arrive in Venice with plenty of time for lunch and exploring before dinner. For us, it was the perfect balance between making the most of Verona while still enjoying almost a full afternoon in Venice.
Travelling by train is one of the easiest and most enjoyable ways to explore northern Italy. The direct high-speed train from Verona to Venice takes around 1 hour 10–15 minutes, while regional trains take a little longer. We chose the high-speed service because it was comfortable, efficient and allowed us to arrive in the heart of Venice without the hassle of driving or parking.
As the train rolled east through the Veneto countryside, the scenery gradually changed before one of my favourite moments of the journey arrived—crossing the Venetian Lagoon. Watching the water stretch away on both sides as Venice came into view is something I’ll always remember. It’s the first glimpse that you’re about to arrive in one of the world’s most remarkable cities.
Not long afterwards, we stepped off the train at Venezia Santa Lucia Station, where the Grand Canal greeted us just outside the station doors. After travelling through cities connected by roads and railways, arriving in a city built entirely around canals felt like stepping into a completely different world.
Progressive Traveller Tip: If you’re travelling between Lake Como and Venice, I highly recommend spending one or two nights in Verona rather than travelling straight through. An 11.00 am departure gave us time to enjoy one last breakfast, collect our luggage and reach Venice in time for lunch and an afternoon of sightseeing. Book your high-speed tickets with Trenitalia or Italo as early as possible, particularly during spring and summer, when the cheapest fares sell out quickly.
Best Day Trip from Verona: Sirmione & Lake Garda
If you have an extra day in Verona, I highly recommend visiting Sirmione, one of the most beautiful towns on Lake Garda.
I’ve visited Sirmione on a previous trip to Italy, and it’s easy to see why it’s one of the region’s most popular destinations. Perched on a narrow peninsula stretching into Lake Garda, Sirmione combines medieval charm, lakeside scenery and a relaxed holiday atmosphere.
Getting there is easy. Catch the ATV Line 26 bus from Verona Porta Nuova to Sirmione. The journey takes around 1 hour, making it an ideal day trip without needing to hire a car.
One of the highlights of my visit was a 20-minute boat cruise around the peninsula. Seeing Sirmione from the water offers a completely different perspective, with magnificent views of Scaliger Castle, the colourful waterfront and the crystal-clear waters of Italy’s largest lake.
Back on land, spend time wandering the pedestrian-only historic centre. The narrow cobblestone streets are lined with boutiques, gelaterias, cafés and restaurants, making it easy to spend several relaxed hours exploring. If the weather is warm, Lake Garda also offers opportunities for swimming, boat hire and simply relaxing by the water.
Sirmione is understandably popular, especially during spring and summer, so expect crowds during the middle of the day. Arriving early or staying later in the afternoon will reward you with a more relaxed experience.
For me, Sirmione is the perfect complement to Verona. While Verona offers Roman history, Shakespearean romance and elegant piazzas, Sirmione provides a completely different experience—one centred around lakeside scenery, leisurely walks and one of Italy’s most picturesque settings.
Final Thoughts
Returning to Verona reminded me that travel isn’t always about discovering somewhere new. Sometimes it’s about seeing a familiar destination through someone else’s eyes.
Sharing the city with Arlie made me appreciate Verona in a completely different way. Watching her experience the Arena for the first time, patiently persevering to visit Juliet’s House, enjoying cocktails in Piazza delle Erbe and wandering the city together created new memories in a place I already loved.
Verona has a wonderful balance of history, culture, food and walkability. It’s large enough to keep you exploring, yet compact enough to experience comfortably on foot. Whether you’re visiting for the first time or returning as I did, it’s a city that rewards you for looking beyond the headline attractions and simply enjoying the experience.
If you’re travelling through northern Italy, don’t rush straight from Lake Como to Venice. Spend a night in Verona. I think you’ll be glad you did.
Continue Exploring Italy
Verona was just one stop on our Europe Adventure 2026 through Italy. If you’re planning a similar itinerary, these guides will help you make the most of your journey:
- Lake Como Travel Guide – Discover why Lake Como is one of Italy’s most beautiful destinations, including Varenna, where to stay, how to get around and the best things to do.
- Verona Travel Guide – Discover why Verona deserves more than a quick stop, from the Arena di Verona and Juliet’s House to Ponte Pietra, Castel San Pietro and the city’s charming piazzas, with practical tips on where to stay and how long to spend.
- Venice Travel Guide – Everything you need to know about exploring Venice, from iconic canals and bridges to quieter neighbourhoods and practical travel tips.
- Rome Travel Guide – Plan your visit to Italy’s Eternal City with advice on the major attractions, hidden gems and how many days to stay.
- Italy Travel Guide – Practical information to help you plan your trip, including transport, accommodation, money-saving tips and travel advice.
- Milan Travel Guide (coming soon) – Explore Italy’s fashion capital, from the Duomo and Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II to the city’s vibrant food scene.
Whether it’s your first visit to Italy or, like me, another opportunity to return to a favourite destination, I hope these guides help you plan an unforgettable adventure.
Italy Travel Series
Italy has captured the hearts of travellers for centuries. It is a country that lures you back over and over again. A country rich in history, magnificent architecture, delicious food and charming locals.
This Italy Travel series has been a pleasure to put together. I am confident that this Italy Travel Series will inspire you to visit Italy and help you to get lost in another country’s culture for a while. Discover the best of Italy right here, fall head of heels in love with all things Italian and let us help to enhance your stay in fabulous Italy. Ciao!
