Verona
Your travel guide to discover Verona and its surroundings
World renowned for giving rise to the legend of the love between Romeo and Juliet, the Montagues and Capulets, Verona is a city surrounded by the immortal charm of the tragic story.
Bestv Western CTC Hotel Verona presents you a travel guide to discover Verona, a splendid city of art, inherently elegant and innately lively, that offers to visitors many attractions, historic sites, culinary experiences and countless shows.
In addition to the kindness of our Staff and the many services you can enjoy during your stay, such as a free parking and a rich buffet breakfast, our hotel is located in a strategic position: in fact, it is just a few minutes away from the Trade Center and the center of Verona, that can be easily reached by our free shuttle service. Moreover, it is the ideal starting point to visit the wonderful surroundings of Verona, such as lake Garda and the Dolomites, the typical and suggestive villages and entertainment for the whole family.
Book now your stay in Verona: follow our travel guide, we are ready to welcome you!
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When in Verona, you cannot miss
Arena di Verona
A blend of Roman and Greek culture, it is the oldest building in the city. The theater was erected behind Colle San Pietro, so as to exploit the natural inclination of the ground to build its terraces, according to Greek and, later, Roman customs. Formerly the setting for plays, tragedies and comedies, sadly very little remains of this monument after it was looted during the Middle Ages for the constructions of towers and palaces.
Today, the Arena the Verona hosts events and concerts, in addition to the important Opera Season: a series of Opera events, that make the experience in the theater even more magical.
Juliet's House
A must see for all love struck visitors of Verona, Juliet’s House is world renown for the famous balcony love scene from Shakespeare’s tragedy “Romeo and Juliet”. Built in the 13th century, the House belonged to the Cappello family, later identified with the Capulets and thus immortalized in myth. The inner courtyard contains the legendary statue of Juliet made in the 1960’s by the sculptor Nereo Costantini. Many couples that decide to get married in this picturesque scenery choose Juliet’s house as their ultimate destination. The entrance walls of Juliet’s House are covered floor to ceiling by panels inscribed with visitors’ love messages – there is a tradition of covering the walls of the main building with small scraps of paper, hearts and romantic promises.
Castel San Pietro
This landmark is within walking distance, and can be reached by climbing the impressive staircase that from Ponte di Pietra runs along the Roman Theater leading directly to the top of the hill, where the Habsburg Castle sits. Before the construction of the Austrian military fortress began in 1851, this Colle (hill) hosted several building, including a Roman temple and an early Christian church to which the hill owes its name. The hill has always been regarded as a scenic backdrop for the city, offering spectacular views over Verona.
Castelvecchio
The jewel in the crown of the Scaliger dynasty, it is today a building of extraordinary significance for the urban and architectural design of Verona. Wanted by Cangrande II della Scala in 1354 as a family stronghold in the city, it features two distinctive units characterized by the parade ground on one side and the actual Scaliger castle on the other. The two units are separated by a stretch of walls dating back to the 13th century and seven external towers, whereas in the center rises a superelevated keep, the Torre del Mastio, which leads onto the Scaliger bridge over the river Adige. During the Venetian domination the castle was home of the Venetian military academy, but it was badly damaged by French troops during the Napoleonic wars, who cut off the towers and added barracks along one side. Today it houses the Museum of Modern Art, and it is a major example of architecture and museum display thanks to the intervention of Architect Scarpa.
Ponte Pietra
Dating back to around 89 BC, the bridge crosses the Adige and connects the Hill of St. Peter with the bend of the river that later became the Roman urban center. Several interventions of reconstruction and restoration were made over the centuries: from the insertion of marble blocks, to the creation of the towers on top of the bridge, to the complete reconstruction of the bridge after the bombing of the retreating German troops in World War II.
Palazzo della Gran Guardia
The Palazzo della Gran Guardia (Palace of the Grand Guard) is a monumental building situated on the south side of Piazza Bra, which seems to defy the secular Arena located on the opposite side with its magnificence. The building, originally built as a shelter for the troops of the Serenissima, is surmounted by a piano nobile (noble floor) designed to accommodate the Accademia dei Filotomi (an academy for chivalric education); the project was abandoned for almost two centuries due to the economic hardships that the city had to endure after 1614. In 1808 architect Giuseppe Barbieri was commissioned to design and complete the project under the leadership of the Habsburg Empire. Today, the Gran Guardia is home to important art exhibitions and international conferences.
Scalinger Tombs
True gems of Gothic art, the “Arche” are the funerary monuments of the La Scala family, and were built opposite the impressive Romanesque church of Santa Maria Antica; the latter became the Palatine chapel of the Scaliger dynasty and is located near the Scaliger mansion. A beautiful wrought-iron fence decorated with the motif of the ladder (la Scala) enclose several sarcophagi placed on the ground or on shelves, and re-creates a typology of garden known as “Stone” garden. Whilst the first tombs were Roman inspired, carved in local stone and simply decorated with the family crest, the most recent ones are richly decorated and have a celebratory character, such as the three monumental canopy marble tombs of Cangrande I, Mastino II and Cansignorio.
Food and Wine
Thanks to its first-class products and an enviable reputation for producing quality wines, Verona is a must-see for avid connoisseurs and food lovers. Food in Verona is a pleasure, a form of art that has been passed on since the times of the Roman Empire and that we can still find on the tables of restaurants and taverns located throughout the region.
Wine production is also not to be outdone, with excellent products: the cellars of the area, in particular those of Valpolicella, export their labels all over the world.
Some tips for your shopping
The historic center of Verona is a shopper’s paradise, an open-air gallery lined with countless stores of every kind: from high-end boutiques featuring the best Italian and international designers, to jewelry stores, old bookstores, shoe stores, accessories stores and perfume shops.
During your tour of the city a stroll along Via Mazzini is a must; this historic street connects Piazza delle Erbe to Piazza Bra, and hosts the most recognizable international brands. The shopping area continues along Via Cappello, Via Roma, Corso Porta Borsari and Corso Santa Anastasia with antique stores, jewelry stores, bookstores, major chain stores and small independent clothing retailers.
A visit to one of the many markets of the city provides a good insight into the city’s heart and soul: we recommend the daily market in Piazza Erbe, the various neighborhood markets, the antique market or the farmers markets selling local produce.
Events in Verona
Verona is a dynamic city where events and exhibitions take place daily. The quintessential city of love, Verona is the ideal place to spend Valentine’s Day with your loved one. The entire old town is tinged with red for this occasion, and comes alive with events and performances dedicated to the greatest love story ever written, recreated through music, dances and performances.
Throughout the summer season there is the Opera Season in Arena: brilliant performances are hosted each year, which welcomes also international concerts and dances.
In December you can admire the famous Christmas markets in Piazza dei Signori, with wooden houses that host exhibitors with typical or artisanal products to be discovered.
Plenty of opportunities are also dedicated to culture and art: the city hosts many international art exhibitions, in modern or historical environments, such as Palazzo della Gran Guardia or the Castelvecchio Museum.
Verona for the whole family
Verona, so quintessentially lyrical and theatrical, has something for everybody, including your toddlers. Many theatres such as Teatro Filippini at the Teatro Nuovo, the Teatro Stabile di Verona and the Verona Summer Theatre offer performances and entertainment for the whole family. Attending a show at the Arena is an educational experience that will surely leave an indelible mark on your child’s memories.
But that’s not all: the Natural History Museum offers many events and educational activities for the little ones. A not-to-be-missed opportunity for your weekend in Verona with the whole family!
If you have several days to explore Verona and its surroundings, we recommend a day trip to Gardaland, the largest theme park in Italy, located just 35-minute drive from the hotel or to the Sigurtà Garden Park, a green area dotted with scented flowers and a special labyrinth.
Itineraries between Lake Garda and the Dolomites
The surroundings of Verona offer true excellence of the territory, such as Lake Garda and the magnificent Dolomites, a UNESCO heritage site.
The Lake Garda are divided between the provinces of Brescia, Verona and Trento, making it Italy’s largest lake Fascinating and evocative, the landscape on the Verona shoreline offers many natural and cultural itineraries.
For lovers of cycling tourism, the cycle path that starts from Peschiera and passes through Borgetto and its water mills, reaching Mantua, inside the Mincio River Natural Park, is not to be missed. The hotel offers convenient bicycle storage facilities, indoor and guarded, for guests who prefer to visit the area on two wheels
If you prefer the mountains to the lake, you can reach the Marmolada and the beautiful Dolomites in about 2 hours and thirty minutes by car. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the Dolomites offer many outdoor alternatives for a day trip. History and culture with its many castles, churches and monuments, adventures for the entire family, discovery of handicrafts and ancient traditions, hikes among waterfalls, rivers and lakes, as well as a wide range of sports, there are plenty of activities to choose from both in winter and in summer.