A Guide To 48 Hours In Verona
For this new city guide I, Mattia, will bring you back to Italy and to my dear hometown Verona, one of the must-see cities in our country. Verona is a medium sized city mainly known for being the setting of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” but the truth is that it has much more to offer than the very touristy attractions such as Juliet’s balcony. Infact, it is the perfect destination for a short trip thanks to it’s limited dimension, beautiful architecture and ideal location: it’s at less than a 2 hours train ride from Milan and Venice. Because of these and other reasons, Verona is the perfect destination for a two day retreat so I’ll guide you on this short adventure that will be full of good food, shopping and sightseeing.
DAY 1
You have just arrived in the city center either by car or by train and want to start visiting as soon as possible. Stop at your Airbnb or hotel and quickly leave your luggages, be sure to book a room close to the city center in order to reduce transportation times. My suggestion is to stay in Borgo Trento or San Zeno since those are some nice residential neighborhoods full of nice stores and restaurants. As Verona isn’t very big, our tour will take place in the city center as that is very the most interesting things to do are.
Our starting point will be “Portoni Borsari”, one of the main monuments in our city. back in the days it was the main entrance to the city leading to my favorite square, Piazza Erbe. Walking towards the square be sure to check the windows of the fanciest shops like Folli Follie or 519 located in Piazzetta Sgarzarie. If you are looking for more affordable shopping be sure to check out Double 5 which can be considered the main shopping destination for Verona’s teenagers with brands such as “Carhart”, “Minimum” and “Paul Smith”. If you want to have some good coffee and some breakfast stop by Caffè Borsari, one of the oldest cafes we have.
Double 5, Via Adua, 16, 37121 Verona, Italy
Caffè Borsari, Corso Porta Borsari, 15, 37121 Verona, Italy
Now you have arrived in Piazza Erbe, the most beautiful spot in Verona, in my personal opinion. Be sure to walk around and take some pictures of the fountain and buildings facing the square.
If you still have a couple of hours before lunch you can visit “Palazzo Maffei”, a palace with over 600 years of history that has just been turned into a Museum with artworks by Artists such as Picasso.
Palazzo Maffei, Piazza Erbe, 38, 37121 Verona, Italy
Our next destination is my favourite spot for lunch, especially when the weather is nice and you can sit outside without freezing: Terrazza Bar al ponte. Here you can have some good pasta while starring at the river, Castel San Pietro and most importantly Ponte Pietra. Take your time to enjoy the view and a good coffee, for the next stop you’ll have to take some steps: we are going to Castel San Pietro. From here you can enjoy the most beautiful view of the city. There are two ways to get there, you can either climb up or take the “Funiculare” which offers a 360* view of the city through its glass windows. If you take the funicolare on the way up be sure to walk down the stairs on your way back to the city center in order to check out some views the Teatro Romano.
Terrazza Bar Al Ponte, Via Ponte Pietra, 26, 37121 Verona, Italy
It’s now time to cross the river again and get back to the historic center of the city. My suggestion is cross Ponte pietra again and then go left towards Via Sottoriva and then go right: we are going to Piazza Dante. Now the next step is to climb up “Torre dei Lamberti”, it will cost you 5€ but the view from the top is worth it. From here you can even see our main attraction, the Arena, very clearly.
As you Walk down the tower and exit the building you can look at the monumental staircase of Palazzo della Ragione, be sure to go all the way up as its said to bring you luck.
Now it’s time to go towards the Arena. Walk through Via Mazzini, the main shopping street of Verona . At the end you will find yourself in Piazza Brà and right next to the beautiful Arena. Walk around this stunning monument to appreciate the architecture. If you are visiting during the summer make sure to go to an Opera play. All plays are set inside the Arena and it’s a unforgettable experience listening to some great singers in such an awesome setting.
Now it’s about time to enjoy what we do best in Verona: Aperitivo! My suggestion is you book in advance a table at Hotel Milan, from their terrace you will enjoy you Aperol Spritz while starring right towards the Arena. If you aren’t lucky enough to find a table there you can walk back towards Piazza Bra and go to either Bar Coloniale or Zoe, both places are among my favorites.
Hotel Milano & SPA, Via Tre Marchetti, 11, 37121 Verona, Italy
For dinner I have many suggestions depending on what food you like and how much you are willing to spend. If you want to treat yourself I would suggest going to restaurants “3 Marchetti” or “Trattoria al Pompiere”. Here you can have some delicious food and enjoy a traditional and “retro” environment. As Verona is particularly known for its wine tradition, great options are “Bottega del Vino”, which offers one of the longest wine lists you will ever see, and “La cova del Frate”. Some other places I like to go to are “Ristorante al Torcolo” still traditional but cheaper if compared to the restaurant mentioned above and Osteria del Bugiardo”.
Tre Marchetti, Via Tre Marchetti, 19/B, 37121 Verona VR, Italy
Trattoria al Pompiere, Vicolo Regina D'Ungheria, 5, 37121 Verona, Italy
unfortunately, Verona doesn’t have many cocktails bar for an after-dinner retreat but my suggestion would be to go to Piazza Erbe again and just enjoy a drink while standing in the middle of the square that gets alive and busy after 22.
DAY 2
It’s day two and you are rested and ready to explore what’s left of this beautiful city! But first things first: breakfast. If you stay in Borgo Attento I urge you to try out “Elk Bakery”, an American style spot: breakfast and brunch are great here! Another valuable option is to just go to the Duomo square and go to “Caffe Duomo”, the pastries here are to die for!
Now that some caffeine is again running through your veins it’s time to visit our main church, the Duomo. Independently from your religion, this is a very beautiful building and it’s worth a quick stop.
My suggestion now it’s to walk back towards Portoni Borsari but making sure to take all the side streets in order to better see some hidden gems. If you are in the mood for some fancy shopping now it’s time to go to Via Quattro spade and fill your soul. Icona and Macondo are some of the best shops in town. Don’t be afraid, just enter and get to know some cool niche brands that they have there.
For lunch today I’ll bring to a place I love: Bar Coloniale. Here you can have some tasty food for a reasonable price. In addition, the interior design of this bar is inspired by African and Colonialist style and I know some of you will appreciate it, a lot.
Depending on how much time left you have before leaving I would suggest one last touristy activity: go to Castel Vecchio. This caste is located very close to Piazza Bra and it’s a great example of Medieval Architecture. Walk on the bridge to or, if you are interested, visit the collection of medieval and Rinascimental art it hosts.
I guess now it’s time for you to go back home. I hope you guys liked the city and what it can offer. If you ever want to can back be sure to do so when the city hosts some cool exhibition or fair because when so it becomes very lively and fun.
Because of the time restrain that comes with weekend gateways I haven’t included all my favorite places but you can find them here in case you have some extra time to spend in Verona:
(EXTRA) Touristic Attractions:
Giardino Giusti, San Fermo, San Giorgio
(EXTRA) Food Places:
Bottega della Gina, Osteria alla Fontanina, Osteria Sotto Riva, Gelateria Ponte Pietra, Pizzeria da Salvatore