Verona… A constant call to my heart

In love with Verona. A constant call to my heart.

Yes, I am in love with Verona. She constantly calls my heart. My heartbeat quickens whenever my thoughts wander back to my brief time meeting Verona back in 2018. ‘Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?’ Those infamous words from Shakespeare’s beautiful play ‘Romeo and Juliet’ are often the first things that come to mind when people think of Verona.

There is something so magical, dreamlike, and, yes, romantic about this northern Italian city that draws you in. Shakespeare considered it so perfect for the backdrop for a story that he based two of his plays here. As well as his iconic love story of star crossed lovers, his play, ‘The Two Gentlemen of Verona’, is also set in Verona. This fortified town and UNESCO World Heritage site is one of Italy’s most popular tourist destinations. She dates back from prehistoric times and has a rich 2000-year history. The architecture still retains elements from the Roman, Romanesque, Middle Ages, and Renaissance. This melange of styles provides a rich and interesting ambience.

Cobblestone and marble streets, hidden alleyways, an array of antique stores. Couture boutiques intermingle with generations-old clothing shops, wine bars, and restaurants. Verona is a pure delight to explore.

Of course, there are famous attractions that thousands of tourists come to see every year. Sights and activities like carnivals, Duomo, Castelvecchio, Gavi Arch, Piazza Bra, and Porta Borsari are among the most popular.

The Arena di Verona is also an enormously popular attraction. But this Roman amphitheatre, which is full of history, stories, and even violence, is not just a relic to view from behind a fence. Instead, it is a living, breathing part of the modern cultural landscape of Verona. Beloved also for the performances held in its circumference by Verona Opera. Their lavish productions set in the Arena transport you into another world. Here, you can witness stunning displays of dramatic narrative, vocal artistry, stagecraft, and divine costuming. Not to mention orchestral magic with productions such as Aida, Carmen, Nabucco, and La Traviata.

The most notable and famous drawcard to this elegant city is, of course, La Casa di Giulietta, or Juliet’s House. I know Romeo and Juliet are simply a romantic figment of Shakespeare’s magnificent imagination. However, I admit to having happily joined the excited crowds to view her ‘balcony’ and rub her right breast. For good luck in love (of course!) in the courtyard below.

It was a hot, sticky, insanely cramped experience. We were surrounded by hundreds of people vying to get through the archway and into the courtyard. The prime position to view the infamous balcony and breast. It took longer still to touch the brass monument of Giulietta. There was much pushing, shoving, and frustrated exclaiming by the hoard of sweaty people.

Nevertheless, my photos of our experience are some of my most treasured memories.

Whenever I visit a new city, if they have an open-top bus tour on offer, it’s one of the first things I do. Not because I love being a blatant tourist. But because they are a fantastic way to get your bearings in a new place. I always learn something I had no knowledge of. It’s a bird’s eye view and an opportunity to see things from, literally, a different perspective. They pique my interest in some sights and adventures I may not have known existed and aren’t in the guide books. So, even if something isn’t included in the official voice-over, you may still find it intriguing. Then you can make a note to explore it on your own later.

Self-exploration is always my favourite part of travelling, and Verona cemented why. Wandering her streets in a leisurely way, stopping, and marvelling at whatever caught my eye, watching the locals go about their day, and having time to enjoy the food and parks is a far more immersive experience than simply sticking to guided tours. If you get lost on your journey – even better! The adventures involved in finding your way usually make for a fantastic, and memorable story.

During my short stay in Verona with my then-fiancée-now-husband, we trotted around her winding, cobblestone streets and inhaled everything around us.

Dinner was such an amazing feast the likes we had never had before. Enter, Trattoria Al Pompiere! We will always treasure our experience there!

Trattoria Al Pompiere

We found this charming restaurant hidden in an elegant alleyway during our wanderings. It had a deep green awning over solid timber doors, surrounded by carved stone columns. Inside was elegant antique furniture, green and white checked tablecloths, and waiters in formal attire. The place was packed to overflowing with laughing, happy, well-fed clientele. The only seats they had left were outside, around the corner, in another little alleyway under umbrellas. It was perfect!

We had no idea what the menu said and didn’t even care. We let the charming waiter choose for us. I think that night I ate more meat than I have in a year! So many plates of food were served to us with pride and a theatrical flourish that night. Huge plates of cured meats, pickled vegetables, and cheese arrived before us. That was just to start. Delicious mains (mine a creamy mushroom and hand-made pasta dish), afters, sorbet in-between and of course, dessert to finish. A different delicious Italian wine accompanied each course.

These men made it a wonderful night!

What made the whole experience so memorable was the people. The ones we met while strolling the streets. The waiters who warmly welcomed us and found a spot for us to eat. The chef, sous chef, drink staff, and other attendants. They all were warm, charming, and made us feel like valued members of their families. They even sang for us – glorious, rich, Italian tones floated through the night air. It couldn’t have been more delightful!

This was typical in Verona and all through Italy.

After gorging on amazing, fresh, local Italian food, we needed to walk, and our sights were set on getting back to Giulietta’s balcony. We longed to see what it looked like in the dark, cool evening. On our own, late at night, we were able to read some of the millions of graffiti and love notes filling the archway. This was impossible among the surging daytime crowds. We experienced a peaceful, quiet moment while gazing up at the balcony through the gates that locked it away safely each night. We appreciated the beauty of the little courtyard, its lush greenery, and were able to fully take in the size and detail of the statue.

But the best part was stumbling into the little shop next door where the man sews souvenirs. He was gregarious and enthusiastic and welcomed us into his quiet, abandoned store to proudly show us around. He asked if we would like a unique view of the courtyard and balcony that no one ever sees. We jumped at the chance!

We wound our way behind him through the cramped store, to its back rooms. Our guide took us through an old wooden door and up an ancient staircase into a room that looked directly over the courtyard. The famous balcony shone under a spotlight to our right. It was a magical experience. The man left us up there to look for as long as we wanted. By the time we came downstairs, he had sewn my name (Sammy) onto a long piece of card as a memento of our time with him. Of course, we couldn’t leave his store without buying his hand-sewn red heart of Romeo and Giulietta personalised with our names.

Night-time walking the streets of any town adds another layer to the experience you have.

After our wanderings, we were full, tired, and happy and our beautiful room was calling to us. Our accommodation was in a gorgeous private hotel, down yet another alleyway and tucked secretly off a pretty courtyard. The Corte Realdi Boutique Rooms Verona. We had a glorious, and extremely spacious ground floor suite, the ‘Grand Quadruple Room’. It was luxurious and even had a separate marble dressing room. The hosts were warm, welcoming, and gave us our privacy. I felt like royalty! The location and room were perfect, and only a 5–10-minute walk to most attractions – and our restaurant.

If you’re looking for a city that will sweep you off your feet, Verona may be the fairy tale for you. It certainly was for me, and I can’t wait to meet her again.

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