A Stroll Through the City of Romeo and Juliet

(415 reviews)

Verona audio tour: A Stroll Through the City of Romeo and Juliet

This is a 1.9mi walking tour

It takes an average of 90 mins to complete.

Verona

Italy

$14.99

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About the Tour

Verona is as timeless and romantic as the story of Romeo and Juliet, which takes place in its cobbled streets. On this tour, you'll discover that there is more to the city than a tale of tragic love. We’ll leave the busy shopping streets and travel back in time, along the oldest Roman road in northern Italy. More than 2,000 years of history are reflected in the facades of its Roman and Medieval buildings, and there’s a mix of pragmatism and invention in the way old has been recycled into new. We’ll trace the shoreline of the Adige River too, taking in grand piazzas and picturesque alleyways. I'll also show you where to find the best Veronese cuisine along the way.

The tour’s highlights include:

The arena where gladiators came to die
A glimpse at the houses of Romeo and Juliet
The Palazzi of the medieval powerhouse Scala family, as well as their private chapel and cemetery
The splendour of Piazza Erbe, the ancient Roman forum
Breathtaking views of the Adige River from the Ponte Pietra and Roman Theatre

Let’s pull back the curtain of history and rewrite this tale of tragic love with a happy ending.

Tour Producer

Mariacristina Pozza

3 tours

I was born in Verona, but my spirit is a citizen of the world as I grew up in different Italian regions . This life journey has given me an intercultural sensitivity that is now my added value in the field of tourism.
After graduating in Languages and Art History, I decided to turn my passion for beauty into a profession. For about 30 years, I have been working as a licensed tour guide in Veneto region, putting my experience at the service of those who want to discover the authentic soul of Italy.
Today I live in Verona. I dedicate my experience not only to guiding visitors, but also to helping agencies design innovative and tailor-made tours. I believe that the Veneto region is an infinite treasure chest: my goal is to create ever-new itineraries that combine the great history of art with the pleasure of food and wine discovery, another of my great passions that I love to share and experience.
I decided to design and write audio tours to offer travellers the opportunity to explore at their own pace, without time constraints, but with the narrative rigour of an expert guide always in their pocket.
Each tour draws on unpublished information and rare curiosities gathered over more than 30 years of field research, archival studies and conversations with the custodians of local memory. These are the details that cannot be found in textbooks, but which make a place unforgettable.

Preview Location

Location 5

The Amphitheatre

By now I'm sure you've noticed the impressive ancient building on your right. Stop here while I tell you about it.

By the way, this is a good position if you want to take a good panoramic photo...Most of the tourists call it the Colosseum. Veronese call it the arena. It’s s... By now I'm sure you've noticed the impressive ancient building on your right. Stop here while I tell you about it.

By the way, this is a good position if you want to take a good panoramic photo...Most of the tourists call it the Colosseum. Veronese call it the arena. It’s shorter and easier. But it's actually an amphitheatre, built at the beginning of the first century AD. The arena is the Latin word for the sand put on the ground where the gladiators fought. It quickly and easily absorbed the blood during the fights. Yes, because this building was used for fights. Fights between men, fights between animals and men. No comments about the style of entertainment of that time.

In the 1st century AD, the Roman empire built over 200 amphitheatres. All cities of strategic importance would have one. The next closest one from here was either in Milan or in Padua. You can imagine how many people from the neighbouring cities reached Verona to watch these terrible fights! In the fourth century, no more fights were allowed and with the coming of the dark ages, the amphitheatre was used as a shelter by criminals. Many stones were removed and reused as building material. The arena originally had a capacity for thirty thousand people. Today the capacity is reduced to twenty-two thousand.

The arena used to be much bigger than what you see today. In 1117 an earthquake with the epicentre close to Verona, destroyed large parts of northern Italy, including the external ring of the amphitheatre.

You'll be able to see what remains of the external ring at the next location, so when you're ready, continue following the road around the amphitheatre.

In August 1913, the amphitheatre began hosting the opera season. Today every summer, in June, July, August and the first week of September there is still an opera season. Aida by Giuseppe Verdi is always on the program because it was the opera which started the first season. There are also modern concerts, about fifty every year, from the end of April till the middle of October. All together about one hundred performances. On this stage in 1947, Maria Callas performed La Gioconda, in 1972 Luciano Pavarotti performed Un ballo in Maschera. Singers love to perform on a 2000-year-old stage!

Keep going around the amphitheatre. Read More

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Major Landmarks

Arena di Verona
Casa di Giulietta
Piazza Erbe
Piazza dei Signori
Scaliger Tombs
Basilica di Santa Anastasia
Ponte Pietra

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Getting There

Route Overview

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a set starting point. It’s how we give turn-by-turn directions and tell a story greater than the sum of its parts.

Start location
Corso Porta Nuova, 2, 37122 Verona VR, Italy
Total distance

3km
Final location
P.za Bra, 1, 37121 Verona VR, Italy
Distance back to start location

252.18m

Directions to Starting Point

Corso Porta Nuova, 4a37122 Verona VR, Italy

If you reach Verona by car, Parking Cittadella is at 5 min walk from the starting point. Bus stop Piazza Bra is at 3 min walk if you come from other places such as the train station, hotel or bus from Garda Lake.

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Tips

Places to stop along the way

Roman Arena, Juliet's house, go up the Lamberti Tower to enjoy a fantastic panorama view of Verona, St. Anastasia church , Roman Theatre. If you want to enter in more than 2 sites I suggest you to buy the Verona Card (it helps also to skip the line in some sites)

Best time of day

Best time for the tour is around 9am or after 5pm in summertime. Anytime in other seasons. Museums are closed on Monday morning. No visits in churches on Sunday morning or marriage cerimony or any other cerimony.

Precautions

Try not to walk middle of the streets, unless you are in a pedestrian area. Keep an eye on your belonging, specially in busy areas.

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App Store Review

“Great app. walk around at your own pace, stop where you want, move on or speed up when you want. Read the script before you go or during the commentary, speed it up or replay it. Repeat the tour whenever you like.”