We visited Terme di Giunone while on vacation from California, and it was such a wonderful…read moresurprise! My 4 kids (17, 15, 12 and 10) wanted a break from the beach and after some quick research we ended up at Terme di Giunone. Tucked away in the countryside with beautiful greenery and the sound of cicadas all around, it felt so peaceful yet fun for the kids. Super affordable, plenty of space, free parking, free lounge chairs, and even a great snack bar. The water slides were a huge hit (no swim cap required there, which our kids loved. Caps ARE required for all other pools). A perfect break from Lake Garda. We're so glad we made the drive, highly recommend !

And amazing place we were stand by the beauty in all of the architecture that is in the area. I…read morestrongly recommend seeing this in your lifetime

This is one of my favorite places in Padova! Beautiful oval…read moreshaped park with a fountain in the center and four grass sections with trees divided by the walking paths. A great place to walk around or even just hang out for the afternoon or at night. We always used to meet up with friends here when we wanted to hang out but not necessarily go to a bar--you can even bring your own wine or beer to the park. I have many fond memories here and will always go back to the park when I return to visit Padova

Totally worth the visit. You have access to the garden and grand upstairs rooms. My fav was the…read moreHorseshoe Room, all the furniture had horseshoe elements. Thank you Giusti family for showing off your high ceiling rooms, furniture, artwork, frescos, and extensive collections. It's about a 15 minute walk from the Arena, across the scenic river.

On our last full day in Verona, one of the last attractions we visited was Giardino Giusti. Listed…read moreas one of the top attractions in Verona on TripAdvisor, it's not to be missed! There is an entry fee or you can get a discount (if you visit enough spots) by purchasing a Verona card ahead of time. Giardino Giusti is a nice botanical garden. Like other botanical gardens I've visited, it's really all about taking in the beauty of nature. This will include well-manicured trees, plants, and maybe some animals. Giusti has a lot to see including statues and picturesque views of the city. There's also a labyrinth. I'm personally not a fan of them but it's one of the activities you can enjoy. There's even a ballet school for kids that has classes inside. Talk about a picturesque location for some ballet lessons! They give you a nice map with your entrance fee. Either follow it or wander around to check out all of the sights.

Piazza dei Signori is Verona's third largest piazza behind Bra and Del Erbe. As a result, it often…read moregets overlooked. It shouldn't be missed though because you will find quite a few goodies here. We stopped by late at night after dinner and the town square was almost empty. One of the highlights of the Piazza is the statue of Dante Alighieri. You'll find information in the square about Dante and his connection to Verona. The architecture surrounding the square is also beautiful. It's super close to Piazza del Erbe so you can easily do them back-to-back. Town squares are always important places to visit in Italy and what's nice is you can visit at any time of the day.

One of Verona's larger squares, this one is surrounded by the Palazzo della Ragione (city hall),…read morePalazzo Domus Nova, Casa della Pietà, Palazzo di Cansignorio, Palazzo del Podestà and the Loggia del Consiglio. Dating back to the 13th century when it was then the Platea Domini vicarii, it's gotten more developed as these buildings were added and the rectangular shape began to form. On the front of the Casa della Pietà, note the bas relief of the seated woman holding a flag that reads, "Fide et Charitate in aeternum non deficiam." And of course, the statue of the great Dante, author of the Divine Comedy. [Review 16989 overall - 194 in Italy - 505 of 2022.]

We walked through this main piazza on our way from the train station. It had a large Christmas…read moremarket. We checked out several stands with good quality cashmere sweaters. We decided to come back on our way back to the train. By night time, the piazza was magical! It had a beautiful shooting star sculpture. The buildings surrounding the piazza had beautiful architecture and were beautifully lit. The market had lots of twinkling lights and Christmas decorations. It had both German food and Italian options. Of course we had some Mulled wine and a pretzel. The market was really bustling at night time with a festive crowd.

Piazza Bra is one of the main piazzas in Verona along with Piazza del Erbe. With a name like Bra, I…read moreknew this would be the place for me. During the day, you'll see a lot of people congregating in the area. Enjoying lunch at one of the many restaurants that surround the town square. Hanging out and catching up with friends. Exploring the sights nearby including the Arena (the fourth largest amphitheater in Italy and what I like to call the mini Colosseum). There's some greenery in the piazza and a statue. If you're visiting, make sure to check out the area to see one of the hearts of the city. I wouldn't recommend eating in the area because the restaurants are overpriced but definitely take a stroll there.

I was driving from Venice to Bologna and I found the World Heritage site in between that lays claim…read moreto being the first botanical garden on Earth, so I figure I would have to stop by. I didn't have much time because my rental was due back, and to compound this issue, parking was tough, so time spent driving around trying to park definitely ate into my time I wanted to spend here. When I finally did park, I literally ran, well jogged, to the entrance, paid around 10 euros to come in and then I was at peace. There are two areas worth exploring. First is the original garden and circular garden with various species thoughtfully planted about. The second, new area is a brief walk away and features plants from different ecosystems, like tropical, temperate, etc. The huge lily pads out front and in the tropical room were my favorite and I only wish I had more time to explore here (1.5 hours are needed) and also check out the architecture of the nearby town. Good luck parking and once you do that, you'll have fun here. And always great to support another World Heritage Site.

A beautiful Renaissance medicinal garden, well worth a stroll for the flowers and herbs (we were…read morethere the first week of May). Not to be missed, however, is the series of modern greenhouses that lead the visitors from one climate to another starting with the tropics and ending in the desert. From the piazza outside St Anthony's, take a short stroll down a quiet residential street, over the ancient moat and into the garden. Established as part of the university college of medicine in 1545, it is believed to be the oldest one in Europe, with over 7000 varieties of plants including medicinal, poisonous, and carnivorous. The flytraps quiver in anticipation if you have your hand over them! On the less creepy side the roses are gorgeous. Entrance 10 euros, 6 for seniors.