Romantic Verona (March 15) ~ Wisetrips Travel Blog

Sunday, March 15, 2026

Romantic Verona (March 15)

Sunday, March 15, 2026 italy, restaurant No comments

Sunday, March 15, 2026

At around 09:40, we set off from Sirmione for Verona, with a brief stop to shop at MooRER Boutique & Outlet MooRER in Cavalcaselle. Both Inna and I purchased new jackets (heavily discounted from last year). Inna really liked the Italian design flair of the MooRER brand.

We continued our drive to Verona, parking at Parcheggio Saba Arena, conveniently located near the Arena di Verona. I avoided the A4 tollway, as it seemed to make little difference in arrival time, but I regretted it. Every Italian village on the route had multiple speed cameras, and I had to constantly slow down (to avoid getting ticketed). It made driving the back roads in Northern Italy a bit frustrating. Next time, whenever possible, I will always take the tollway (as it's much less stressful).

Our first stop was the Arena di Verona amphitheater, located on Piazza Bra. There was a lot of construction around the Arena with large metal fences blocking off access. We were not able to enter it, but managed to peek inside. The Piazza Bra was teaming with people, restaurants, and shops.

Arena di Verona. is a 1st-century Roman amphitheater is one of the best-preserved in the world and still hosts concerts and opera.
Why it’s special
Built around 30 AD
Could hold 30,000 spectators
Famous summer opera festival

From Piazza Bra, we walked toward Piazza delle Erbe, stopping to look at various shops (there were lots of big brand-name fashion stores, like in Milan) and some street performers.

Piazza delle Erbe is lively medieval square built on the site of the ancient Roman forum.
Look for:
Madonna Verona Fountain
Lamberti Tower (we did not go inside)
Colorful frescoed palaces

From here, we walked toward Juliet’s House (a fake balcony, for Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet). There was nothing special here, so we continued on to the Scaliger Tombs.

These are the elaborate tombs of the Scaliger family, the powerful rulers of Verona during the 13th–14th centuries. They sit right next to Piazza dei Signori, enclosed by a decorative iron fence.
Think of them less as simple graves and more like mini Gothic cathedrals in stone.
Unlike typical tombs, these are:
Highly vertical and spired (almost like rockets pointing upward)
Covered in detailed carvings and statues
Designed to project power and prestige—even in death
They’re considered one of the finest examples of Gothic funerary art in Europe.
1. Cangrande I della Scala
The most important and visually striking tomb.
Features a smiling equestrian statue of Cangrande
The original statue is inside Castelvecchio, with a replica outside
He was a major patron of Dante Alighieri
His tomb feels almost celebratory—unusual for a medieval monument.

From here, we continued on to Piazza dei Signori.

Piazza dei Signori is a quieter, elegant square surrounded by palaces.
Highlights:
Statue of Dante Alighieri
Gothic tombs of the powerful Scaligeri family

Regarding Dante Alighieri:

Dante Alighieri (1265–1321) is one of the most important figures in world literature—the man who essentially defined the Italian language and gave us one of the greatest works ever written, the Divine Comedy.
Dante was:
A poet, philosopher, and political thinker
Born in Florence
Deeply involved in the politics of his time
He lived during a turbulent era when Italian cities were divided between rival factions (notably the Guelphs and Ghibellines). His political involvement eventually led to his exile from Florence, which shaped much of his writing.
His most famous work: The Divine Comedy, was divided into 3 parts:
Inferno (Hell)
Purgatorio (Purgatory)
Paradiso (Heaven)
It describes a journey through the afterlife, guided first by the Roman poet Virgil, and later by Beatrice, Dante’s idealized love.
Why it matters
Written in Italian (Tuscan dialect) instead of Latin → helped standardize modern Italian
Combines theology, politics, philosophy, and personal emotion
Introduced vivid images of Hell that still influence culture today
Dante and Verona
He lived in exile for years and was hosted in Verona
Protected by Cangrande I della Scala, the same ruler honored in the Scaliger Tombs
A statue of Dante stands in Piazza dei Signori
Verona was one of the places where he continued writing the Divine Comedy.
Dante’s impact is enormous:
Called the “Father of the Italian language”
Helped shape Western ideas of the afterlife
Influenced writers from Geoffrey Chaucer to T. S. Eliot
Even today, phrases and images from Inferno are everywhere in books, movies, and art.

For lunch, we decided to visit the Antica Bottega del Vino, sitting indoors and ordering the following:

Appetizer: Risotto Amarone (based on local Amarone wine)
Appetizer: Gallina (Chicken)
Main: Guancia (Beef Cheeks)
Wine: Azienda Agricola Brigaldara

The Risotto Amarone was excellent, as was the Gallina and Guancia. The local wines are wonderful and inexpensive.

After lunch, we wandered around the city, stopping at the Verona Duomo. It was much more beautiful inside (than the brick exterior suggested from the outside).

Before visiting the Duomo, we stopped for coffee at Caffè & Parole.

The Verona Duomo is the city’s main church—less flashy than the Arena, but arguably more beautiful and layered, with over 800 years of history.
Officially called Santa Maria Matricolare
Built in Romanesque style (12th century), with later Gothic and Renaissance additions
Part of a complex that includes other churches and a cloister
It sits in a quieter area near the Adige River, which gives it a more peaceful, local feel.
1. The façade & entrance
Made of warm Veronese stone
Beautiful carved portal with biblical scenes
Guarded by two stylized lions (very typical of Romanesque churches)
2. The nave
Striking alternating red and white marble columns
High ceilings and a sense of calm, unlike busier Italian cathedrals
3. Titian’s masterpiece
Assumption of the Virgin by Titian
It’s a massive, glowing painting behind the altar, full of movement and color—one of the Duomo’s true treasures.

From the Verona Duomo, we walked for about 15-minutes along the Adige River toward the famous Castelvecchio Bridge. Once we reached the bridge, we noticed larger crowds of people and a street musician singing French and Italian songs (and playing the guitar and harmonica as well) with songs such as Edith Piaf's famous "La Vie En Rose".

On the way back to our car, we decided to stop by for a quick gelato at Gelateria Savoia Verona. There was a long line to enter the gelateria, but it moved fast. Inna ordered two scoops of Pistachio and Guanduja in a cup. The Guanduja tasted was much better than the Pistachio.

The ride back to Abano Terme was mostly uneventful, as I took the A4 tollway. (I did drop the credit card when paying for the toll and had to back up the car to let Inna retrieve it). I liked driving on the tollway, despite having to pay the toll, as it avoided all the speed cameras that seemed to congregate in every Northern Italian village.

Verona Trip Report

Highlights