Courtesy of APTVERONA
Si ringrazia la APT di Veronaper il materiale cortesemente messo a disposizione.

About midway between Milan and Venice Verona (pop. 259 000) was the setting for Shakespeare’s plays Romeo and Juliet and The Two Gentleman of Verona. And as it should be Verona is one of the most romantic cities in the world. It’s not merely that you’re reminded everywhere of the Shakespeare connection. (The Capulet house with Juliet’s famed balcony is a big tourist attraction though its authenticity is dubious.) And it’s not just its gorgeous setting surrounded by mountains and the River Adige. And neither is it just because of its magnificent Roman ruins and its mellow medieval and Renaissance buildings. The city is full of music and its piazzas and streets are particularly lively during the annual summer opera festival held during July and August in the Roman Arena. Opera lovers should make this a high priority (but reserve early a year in advance if possible). During our last visit we attended a performance of Tosca at the arena one night and a performance of the ballet Romeo and Juliet the next night at the smaller—but equally atmospheric—Roman amphitheater.

Also visit the 14th-century Castelvecchio (displays of Venetian painters and works of gold) the medieval and Renaissance Piazza dei Signori the pink marble Piazza delle Erbe (with its Fountain of Madonna Verona) and some of the churches (don’t miss the bronze door on the Church of San Zeno Maggiore or Titan’s Assumption in the Duomo).

Northwest of Verona is scenic Lake Garda Italy’s largest lake with its Roman ruins and 12th-century castles. Although some of its towns have gotten a bit overbuilt (tourists pack the area in August) there are still some lovely little villages along its shores including Malcesine and Torri del Benaco. At the upper end of the lake in a truly spectacular setting is the trendy upscale Riva del Garda. On the southern shore at the end of a slender peninsula jutting into the lake is Sirmione with quiet cobblestone streets thermal baths a castle olive groves and Roman ruins. (Transport by ferry or hydrofoil.) Lake Garda is a nice place to relax for at least a night—and a possible base for attending the opera in Verona if hotels in the city are booked. Verona is 90 mi/140 km east of Milan and 65 mi/100 km west of Venice.