Located about midway between Milan and Venice lies Verona, the setting for Shakespeare's plays
Romeo and Juliet and
The Two Gentleman of Verona.
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.) 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. Put all these things together, and you get a town that has an incredible amount to recommend it.
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 one 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 in summer (early June) is the International Wine & Spirits Exhibition, when more than 4,000 exhibitors showcase some of the best wines in the world.
Also visit the 14th-century Castelvecchio (displays of Venetian painters and works of gold), the medieval and Renaissance Piazza dei Signori, the lively, umbrella-filled pink marble Piazza delle Erbe and some of the churches (don't miss the bronze door on the 12th-century Church of San Zeno Maggiore or Titian's Assumption in the Duomo).
Verona is about 100 mi/165 km east of Milan and 75 mi/120 km west of Venice.
