Verona in 2 Days: everything you need to know

Verona is a city in northern Italy that attracts many people for various reasons. It is the setting for the story of Romeo and Juliet and was one of the key places for various civilisations and eras. From the Romans to the Middle Ages, the city is full of traces and you are invited to discover them.

To make your visit easier and to make sure you don't miss any of the essentials, I have prepared an itinerary with the best things to do in Verona for two days. See the list for each day below.

For the first day of the tour, it's ideal to start by visiting the city' s most classic sites. This is a walk through emblematic spaces such as the Arena of Verona, Juliet's House, the Church of Santa Anastasia, the Stone Bridge, the Cathedral, among others. Here is a list of 8 options that I consider not to be missed.

The Arena of Verona

The Arena of Verona is a place of great importance for the city, as it is an amphitheatre with a capacity for 30,000 people and it is the second best preserved in Italy. This makes it a sort of symbol of Verona and makes you understand why its image is everywhere as a reference to the city.

If you are wondering how to visit the Arena of Verona you have basically two options: you can opt for a guided tour, who will tell you all about the history of the place. You can also experience an opera concert or a philharmonic play, as this space still functions as an amphitheatre. Of course, depending on the time of year you visit.

General Information

• Price: around 10 euros if bought at the box office and around 11 euros online. Groups under 14 and over 65 pay a lower, variable cost.
• Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 09:00 to 18:00.
• Location: P. za Bra, 1, 37121 Verona.

Juliet's House

Just a 9-minute walk from the previous destination (approximately 750 metres), you will find another iconic space: Juliet's House. According to historians, this is the place where Juliet Capulet, who inspired the drama of Romeo and Juliet written by William Shakespeare, is presumed to have lived.

When you enter this place, you must cross a small path to get to the main courtyard. Here, you will see inscriptions on the walls and hundreds of padlocks, as signs of love left by various visiting couples.

Next, you will come to the statue of Juliet, which brings together some myths about good luck. Afterwards, make your way to the symbolic balcony that is so often mentioned in Shakespeare's narrative. At the end you can continue your tour on foot or on a hop on hop off sightseeing bus in Verona.

General information about Verona

• Price: around 6 euros at the ticket office and around 6,60 euros online. You will also have access to the attraction without buying the Verona Card.
• Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 18:00.
• Location: Piazzetta Navona, 37121 Verona.

The Church of Santa Anastasia

Continuing the itinerary, we recommend you to go to the church of Santa Anastasia, about 500 metres or 6 minutes from the previous location. This church is considered the largest in the city, which is why it attracts so much attention from visitors.

When you arrive at the church, you will immediately notice that the façade is incomplete. This is because its construction, which began in the 13th century, was not completed. However, over the years the temple has managed to conserve an important architectural value.

Inside, you will be delighted by the symmetry of the paintings that decorate the vaults, as well as the statues of the hunchbacks, which look like film characters. For all these reasons, this is one of the essential things to see on a visit to Verona in 4 days or less.

General information about Verona

• Price: from 3 euros per person.
• Opening hours: from 13:00 to 18:00 on Sundays and public holidays, and from 09:00 to 18:00 from Monday to Saturday, from March to October. Also, from 13:00 to 17:00 on Sundays and public holidays, and from 10:00 to 13:00 and 13:30 to 17:00 from Monday to Saturday, from November to February.
• Location: Piazza S.Anastasia, 37121 Verona.

Stone Bridge

Now it is time to go to the Stone Bridge, for which you will have to walk about 450 metres. It will take you approximately 6 minutes to get there from the previous destination. This is the oldest monument you will find in the city, as its construction dates back to the 1st century BC.

This bridge was demolished during the Second World War. However, years later it was rebuilt, trying to place the stones and other elements of the structure as similar as possible to the original.

During the visit you will not only see this imposing architectural work. You will also enjoy a beautiful view of the Adige river and this colourful region in general.

General information

• Price: free admission.
• Opening hours: open at any time of the day.
• Location: Stone Bridge, 37121 Verona.

Verona Cathedral

Continuing with your itinerary, it is time to walk for about 5 minutes or 400 metres to reach the Cathedral Santa Maria Matricolare, known as the Cathedral of Verona. It is a Romanesque style sanctuary, with some changes in its structure.

On entering the building you will find a series of architectural elements that will attract your attention. You will see the various frescoes along the presbytery, the Cloister of the Canons, the Courtyard of Santa Elena and the Cappella Calcasoli, which has a great artistic wealth.

For your tour, you can opt for the option with an audio guide in Spanish, which also includes visits to other religious temples. This is available with the Verona Card. If you only want to visit the cathedral, you can also do so without any problems.

General information

• Price: from 3 euros per person.
• Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 13:00 and from 13:30 to 17:00.
• Location: Piazza Vescovado, 37121 Verona.

If you are eager to learn much more about the history of Verona and Italy in general, then you only need to walk about 11 minutes from the Cathedral to reach Ponte della Vittoria.

This structure was built for the First World War celebrations, so it has a high symbolic value. It was designed by Ettore Fagiuoli and was built using concrete with a stone very similar to marble.

To facilitate the passage of water from the Adige river, the bridge is made up of a central arch of 35 metres and two smaller ones of 32 metres, forming geometric shapes that are attractive to the eye. As you walk along the bridge, you will notice that its entrances are decorated with various allusions to war, as well as some sculptures of mythological characters as a symbol of victory.

General information

• Price: free of charge.
• Opening hours: It is possible to visit at any time of the day.
• Location: Ponte della Vittoria, 37121 Verona.

Arch of the Gavi

Now it is time to visit the Gavi Arch. This structure gets its name because it was built with funds from the Gavi family, who were noble descendants of Rome around the 1st century.

To complement the historical interest of this place, you should know that it was used as a gate for the walls during the Middle Ages. If you look closely, you will notice architectural features such as the white marble arch.

Unfortunately, this monument was destroyed during Napoleon Bonaparte's invasion and rebuilt in 1932 with some of the original pieces. All this gives it a cultural and historical value that attracts hundreds of tourists and probably you too.

General information about the museum

• Price: free and free of charge.
• Opening hours: open 24 hours a day.
• Location: Corso Cavour, 2, 37121 Verona.

Castelvecchio Castle

Just 2 minutes from the bridge, or 140 metres, you will find the imposing Castelvecchio. It is one of the most imposing places in Verona, due to the size of its structure. The building began as a fortress to protect itself from enemies during the Middle Ages and its function changed over the years.

In this monument built in the 14th century, you will find different elements such as lanterns, columns and other spaces with the authentic appearance of centuries ago. If you are travelling in December, visiting this place is one of the things to do in Verona at Christmas, as the area has a small market where you can buy souvenirs.

From an architectural point of view, it is a structure with two nuclei, one with the main square and the main courtyard, and the other which served as a residence. In the middle you can see the Mastio Tower. If you go inside, you will find the Civic Museum of Verona, which displays various medieval, modern and Renaissance artefacts.

General information about Verona

• Price: around 7 euros per person.
• Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 11:00 to 17:00.
• Location: Corso Castelvecchio, 2, 37121 Verona.

For the second day of the itinerary, I invite you to visit the most important squares of Verona, with a stop for lunch, a drink or an aperitif in the surrounding restaurants and bars. These are the most important places to visit.

Piazza delle Erbe

This square is known as one of the oldest in Italy and many agree that it is the main square of the city, serving as a meeting point for locals and foreigners alike. This place has a lot of historical importance as it was the site of the Roman Forum.

If you visit this place on a weekend, you can take advantage of the market that is set up in the area to buy travel souvenirs or any other souvenirs of the region that you wish to take with you.

Domus Mercatorum

If you stand in the centre of the Piazza delle Erbe you will quickly identify the Domus Mercatorum or Casa dei Mercanti, which is now occupied by the Banca Popolare di Verona. You can see the imposing medieval façade of this building, once home to a group of the city's merchants.

Palazzo della Ragione

In another of the surroundings of the Piazza delle Erbe you will see the Palazzo della Ragione or Palazzo del Comune, which was once the seat of the city's government. There, you will admire the architectural forms of the building, as well as the paintings and sculptures inside.

Lamberti Tower

If you look at the façade of the previous destination, you will see that a tower stands out in the background. This is the Lamberti Tower, a building constructed during the last years of the 11th century.

You can access it and contemplate the city from a height of 84 metres, as this monument is currently used as a lookout point.

Case dei Mazzanti

After visiting the Lamberti Tower, you can continue exploring the Piazza delle Erbe and get to the Case dei Mazzanti. This is another historically valuable element of the town, which served as home to various members of the Scaligeri family and other members of the nobility.

It is a small group of buildings whose attraction lies in the façades, which are composed of balconies and walls with various frescoes that still resist the ravages of time.

Gardello Tower

If you are a tower enthusiast, then in Piazza delle Erbe, you must see the Torre del Gardello. It is a building dating from the 13th century and its architectural style corresponds to the baroque style. Also note the clock on the structure, which is one of the oldest in Europe, as well as the marble statues at the top.

Stop for lunch and a rest

Once you have finished your tour of the monuments in Piazza delle Erbe, you can stop at the bars and restaurants that line it. This way you can have lunch, have a drink and take a break before moving on to the next destination.

You also have the option of popping into the picturesque market to sample the various fresh produce. In fact, you could link up with one of Verona' s best food tours and take the opportunity to get to know and taste the local preparations.

Arch of the Coast

After lunch and rest you should continue to the next destination on your itinerary, the Arco della Costa. It is only 15 metres from the Piazza delle Erbe.

You will be amazed by the fossil of a rib, which lies under the arch. For a long time it was said to belong to Satan. Others say that the piece was hung by a shop to attract customers in medieval times.

Piazza dei Signori

From the Arco della Costa you should walk approximately 78 metres in the direction of Via della Costa and Piazza dei Signori. In just a few minutes you will reach the Piazza dei Signori.

This is a central area, which is surrounded by several striking elements, including important palaces and medieval buildings.

Some of the monuments you will see include:

• Casa dei Giudici or Domus nova, a monumental building and former courthouse.
• Palazzo di Cansignorio or Palazzo del Capitanio, with its impressive square tower.
• The Palazzo del Podestà or Palazzo di Cangrande, which served as lodging for important artists of history, such as Giotto and Dante.
• The Loggia del Consiglio, which is now the seat of the province and can be easily identified thanks to the large porticoes at its entrance.

Verona is a city you can get around on foot without any inconvenience. However, there are several public and private transport options that you can use during your stay.

• Bike-sharing service from 6:00 am to midnight. Just install the app on the Verona bike website and follow the instructions.
• Public transport, available from 5:00 am to 2:00 am. Just install the Ticket Bus Verona app on your mobile phone.

During your stay in the city, a good option for getting around is the City Sightseeing Verona tourist bus, which offers free stops for 24 or 48 hours, depending on the ticket you buy. You will visit the main tourist destinations of the city: The Arena of Verona, The Capitular Library of Verona, Juliet's Balcony and much more. All this from the first floor of the bus, while listening to the audio guide. Moreover, if you are travelling in a group, with City Sightseeing Verona you can request a private tour.

Verona is an Italian city that invites you to discover it little by little. For this reason, during your two-day stay, you shouldn't waste a single minute and set up an itinerary that will allow you to visit the most emblematic places of this city. You will be fascinated by the medieval-Roman history of the place, as told through the architectural monuments lining the streets.