Porta Borsari, or the gate of Borsari, was located right next to our apartment in Verona…read more Unfortunately, while we visited, it was under construction so we didn't get the real experience as the gate was covered. All you can do is read a little bit about the gate. It's on TripAdvisor's list of the top attractions in town. Hopefully, it will be restored soon so it can be enjoyed yet again!

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.]

I have an unhealthy obsession with funiculars. I don't rightly know when this started, or which…read morefunicular spurred this intense love - maybe Prague? Or Salzburg? - but it's a fact that if I hear a place has a funicular, I will HAVE to ride it up. Up, only. It's fun for a one-way trip, watching the city unfold below you as you're being magically whisked up a hill in a small box propelled by cables. There's just something so extraordinary about that experience - no matter what city or what views you're witnessing - that cannot be missed. That being said, though, this one was...not my favorite. There's nothing wrong with it - you get the views, you get the big windows, you get the surprisingly slow climb up the hill. I think the thing that gives me the ick about this one is that there was nobody working the doors the day we were there, so people - being people - mucked up the works. Instead of stopping when the car looked full to capacity, some people and their overly large backpacks crammed right in, forcing others to squeeze in and fight for space. All because they couldn't be bothered to wait an extra five minutes for the car to make its roundtrip journey. This funicular was also smaller than others we've been on, so it fit fewer people. In theory. Ah yes - there was only one car. I don't know if it's "they only have one car, period" or if it's "they only had one car working that day", but it was obvious that some people found the wait to be unacceptable and wouldn't be okay waiting another round. Disembarking was an exercise in patience, because the people with the gigantic backpacks somehow managed to push their way through to the other side of the car in order to exit first, because privilege. Am I glad we did it? Of course, it's a *funicular*, it made me happy on the inside even as my outside was scowling at the audacity of humanity. Is it necessary? Not at all; the climb to the top is relatively easy, with lots of beautiful steps and places to "pull over" for views of the city on one side or views of the climing funicular on the other. (She's speaking like she knows, how would she know if she took the funicular?) Well, it's because *someone* who shall remain anonymous (though I refer to them as something that rhymes with "hoosband") took us up the stairs before believing me when I said that the stairs were the non-funicular way up to the top. How did I confirm that, you might wonder? I left him halfway up the staircase and climbed the rest of the way to the top, thankyouverymuch. Definitely worth a one-time trip up, and definitely glad we did it, annoying people or no.

The Funicolare is a must do when visiting Verona!! We checked in at our hotel on a Friday afternoon…read moreand our hostess shared with us some great place to eat, sight see, and do around the area. The next morning we started off our weekend with a nice walk to see more of Verona! We got there and there was no line, the staff at the desk were friendly and helpful despite knowing very little Italian. The ride is only a few Euros for a round trip! It was nice to see some locals enjoying it as well, we got to be on the lift with a cute family, Mother, son, and grandparents. The lift itself is a smooth ride, not too fast or too slow. As you ascend you begin to see more of Verona and its historical buildings are stunning to see at a distance. Once we arrived at the top there was a nice little shop up top. You could get a cup of coffee, a spritz, or snacks! It's the perfect place to have a shop like this! We stayed up on the top for awhile walking around the area and looking at the views! My boyfriend and I love learning about different cultures and it was nice to soak it all in. We immersed ourselves in the knowledge that we were in a city much older than the one we live in. We got a few great shots of the view, enjoyed the beauty and headed back down. I definitely recommend the nice walk over to the Funicolare from the city anytime you're in Verona! It's a must see and I imagine even more beautiful at different times of the day and different seasons!

They say that when you die, you can't take it with you. That's true, or at least it is as far as I…read moreknow. But when you die, you can spend an inordinate amount of money to insure that you don't leave much. The Scaligeri family was the ruling family of Verona for the 125 years between 1262 and 1387. Reading the history, they were clearing a bloodthirsty bunch bent on power. On the plus side, the family are known as the patrons of Dante, Petrarch and Giotto. The Santa Maria Antica church here in Verona has their tombs. They are Gothic shrines that contain the sarcophagi. Cangrande della Scala is memorialized with an equestrian statue; Cansignorio by a marble Gothic monument by Bonino da Campione, 1374. Definitely worth stopping by. Even if the Church is closed, the tombs are visible from the street and through the gates of the garden. [Review 16985 overall - 190 in Italy - 501 of 2022.]

Verona is a charming city. And Ponte Scaligero is one of the reasons for it. After a full day of…read moresightseeing, we checked out this bridge at night. Located next to a castle, you will get medieval vibes walking across this bridge. It's more majestic at night because it's lit up. There's a good chance you'll see people hanging out on the bridge and conversing. You also get a fantastic view of the river and the city. We took it all in. Ponte Scaligero is one of the best, if not the best, bridge in Verona. Make sure to make it a part of your trip. It's free and it's quick. What more could you ask for?

Ponte Scaligero (Ponte di Castelvecchio) is the bridge that crosses Adige river and connects the…read moreCastelvecchio castle with the other bank of the river. It was built in 1354-1356 by Cangrande II della Scala (architect Guglielmo Bevilacqua). The Scala family eventually had to use this bridge to make their escape from the city when they had fallen out of power. During the Second World War it was almost totally destroyed and then was reconstructed in 1951. Here you have great views of the city and Adige and people love to walk there. In the warm evenings there are lots of bats flying around. The Ponte di Castelvecchio is truly known as one of the most romantic places in Verona.

Highly recommend! Our waiter Christian was very accommodating. This is a very upscale restaurant,…read morebut we were only looking for wine, cheese and a spot to sit for the afternoon. It was an unusual request, but he allowed us to sit in their beautiful outdoor seating and recommended a delicious wine from the region of Verona. I would return to eat a full meal here if we had more time! The owner even came out to welcome us and make sure we were taken care of! Grazie Ponte Pietra for welcoming us!

Translated as "Stone Bridge," the Ponte Pietra dates back to the original Roman occupation here in…read more100 BC. As such, it is the oldest bridge in Verona. The bridge crosses the Adige River and has access to the Roman theater on the east bank. The arch nearest the right bank was rebuild in 1298 by Alberto I della Scala. The bridge was partially destroyed by retreating German troops during World War II but was rebuilt with the original materials in 1957. You'll want to check out the profile of the bridge to see the combination of materials showing the original white stone and the replacement bricks. The bridge is a pedestrian-only crossing. [Review 16992 overall - 197 in Italy - 508 of 2022.]

Castel San Pietro is located on Saint Peter's hill few hundred meters above the Roman Theatre. We…read moretook a stairs that start right across Ponte Pietra, and pass next to the theatre but later learned there is a funicular that can be taken too. The hill has the most magnificent views of Verona. We were quite mesmerized. This was probably my favorite attraction in Verona, although the castle itself was closed to the visitors.

On our first day in Verona, we checked out Castel San Pietro in the evening. One of Verona's top…read moreattractions on TripAdvisor, it's a little deceiving. While it is a castle, you can't go inside. You can just see it from the outside. But the castle isn't actually the main attraction. You'll cross a bridge and then make your way up to the top of the hill. You can take the stairs like we did to get a workout out of it (the healthy option) or a funicular. Once you get to the top, you'll see stunning views of Verona. It's a great way to get a sense of the city. And better yet, we were there to see a sunset which made things even more beautiful. Panoramic views and a sunset . . . it doesn't get much better than that.

This cathedral was erected on the same site where two churches were destroyed in the early 12th…read morecentury earthquake. It is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary under the designation Santa Maria Matricolare and it is an episcopal seat of the diocese of Verona. The tall tower can be seen from Saint Peter's hill. We drove the car to the cathedral, but we were quite surprised how compact the whole area around the cathedral is, so my family decided to stay in the car while I visited. The cathedral is absolutely breathtaking. Dante Alighieri visited the Duomo di Verona in the 14th century and mentioned cathedral in his Divine Comedy.

A bit hidden in the northwest of old town Verona you'll find this attractive cathedral (La…read moreCattedrale di Santa Maria Matricolare). It was finished in 1187 and built in the romanesque style, dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Over the years later on it was being modiefied several times. Together with the Sanmicheli's bell tower it is a lovely sight, too bad you can't get much distance between you and the church to really get a great view, the other buildings and streets are too close to it. But surely a must-see, one of the nicest churches here in lovely Verona.

This was on my must do list! It did not disappoint- the house is 5 stories with great art and…read morestories throughout- you must do stairs. There are no free tickets even to the courtyard anymore- and tickets are only online! Additionally you can not get in from the street across most blogs tell you to go to! So Plan to need to walk around the block There are gift shops to get a lock if you didn't bring one - why not! There is a cute cafe right outside the entrance that we enjoyed vino while waiting for our entrance time

I was pleasantly surprised by this museum. I was expecting to see just the balcony, but you get to…read morewalk through the entire house and see the costumes, paintings and books on display. We were first in line and rushed in to take photos of the balcony without anyone in them. There were a few people who pretended not to see the queue, so you just have to get there early and stand your ground. The house itself was spacious and beautiful. There are a few sets of stairs so wear comfortable shoes. Definitely recommend visiting!

Much like George Washington's axe where the head has been replaced twice and the handle replaced…read morethree times, the Arco dei Gavi was demolished by French engineers during the Napoleonic age because Napoleon's carriage would not fit through the gate. The ruins were then moved to the Verona arena. It was rebuilt in 1932 based on a wooden model that was made before the demolitions with many of the original stones and close (but not exactly) to the original location. Thank you, Mussolini? The Arco is interesting and worth seeing as an example of Verona's Roman past but it's not quite historically accurate. [Review 16971 overall - 176 in Italy - 487 of 2022.]

This four-sided arch was built in the first part of the 1st century AD during Flavian period in…read morehonour of the Gavi family, important members of Veronese Roman society. It originally spanned Via Postumia, in what is now Corso Castelvecchio. The arch of Gavi differs from the other ones because of the presence of a large tympanum and a lower height of the crown of the arch. This monument, entirely in local white limestone, has two inscriptions with the name of its builder, architect Lucio Vitruvio Cerdone.