Verona cheerful to dazed

Do you remember the report and the pictures of Lisbon in a retro look? There I told you that the boyfriend and I don’t always agree on what a good picture looks like. Well, as we all know, one or the other discussion can be held about taste. The fact is, most of our pictures have very rich colors (normal lighting).

However, I like images that are slightly overexposed and give a “smoother” overall image. On our walking tour of Verona, we tried this style once and set the camera so that the background is slightly overexposed. With one or two exceptions, we also used the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II lens for the following images. I’m curious to hear how you :) like the pictures.

Elegance with a thousand-year-old history

As soon as we have crossed the imposing archway to the Pizza Bra, we find ourselves in a completely different world. We are bustling with activity. Verona is packed to the brim on this Easter Saturday. Every Italian has at least two dogs with him. Nothing to do with “the city for lovers away from the crowds” – we are right now in the middle of the masses. The piazza is lined with cafés, where Spritz is drunk in raw masses in the morning. It’s cheerful. Not to be missed is the beautiful amphitheater. Although it is definitely not worth paying the 6 euros for the entrance to the amphitheater. The view is severely restricted inside by various fences.

After the first spritz of the day, we leave Piazza Bra in the direction of the cathedral. We choose Via Guiseppe Mazzini – the shopping street of the old town – and push past numerous guided tourist groups. If you want to preserve at least a little bit of romance, you are well advised to choose the less frequented side street. At Piazza Erbe (by the way, an ideal place for an espresso stop – e.g. for 2 euros at Casa Mazzanti Caffe’ – unfortunately without Bomboloni) we make a short detour to Casa Capuleti, better known as “Juliet’s House”.

In addition to Roman, medieval, Venetian and Austro-Hungarian architectural gems, William Shakespeare in particular helped Verona to world fame with the tragic love story Romeo and Juliet. By the way, it is said to bring good luck to touch the bronze lady’s chest – it is almost more amusing to watch all the people who let themselves be photographed in exactly this grabber pose.

After Piazza Erbe, the crowds slowly subside. Now we can finally enjoy the small alleys with the pretty building facades and cobblestones in intimate togetherness. At Osteria Sottoriva (Via Sottoriva 9/A) we treat ourselves to a light lunch with a soup of the day and regional salami.

We cross the Pontre Pietra and take the steps to Castel S. Pietro. The castle terrace offers a beautiful (and free) view over the old town of Verona. There is another view over the city from the striking Torre dei Lamberti – but you have to buy a ticket for this. As a reward for climbing the stairs, we treat ourselves to two gelati at the Gelateria Ponte Pietra (Via Ponte Pietra, 13).

Back towards the city center we stroll along the Adige (or Adige in German). At Castelvecchio we cross the imposing old bridge and then return to Piazza Bra. Last but not least, there is a culinary highlight in a class of its own. Without a reservation, we get a seat at Locanda 4 Cuochi, where regional cuisine is interpreted in a modern way. The dessert with the promising name “Esperanza” (8 euros) is the chocolate nut dream come true!

So many impressions in one afternoon. Our senses are totally fogged – from too much gelati, too much spritz and too much love… Verona, you’re exhausting!

Tips around Verona

Go

Verona is easily accessible by public transport. From Milano, the journey with the Frecciabianca takes only 1.5 hours – the ticket costs around 21 euros for this route. Verona itself is so small that you can easily see the old town on foot in one afternoon. You can safely save yourself the cost of sightseeing buses.

Sleep

We stayed at the Hotel Verona (3 stars) halfway between Porta Nuova train station and old town. Both are within easy walking distance. The hotel is located on Corso Porta Nuova and has pretty, newly made rooms. Ideal for staying overnight, but the breakfast buffet is not overwhelming. We paid 129 euros for one night at Easter (booked through booking.com)

See

Further tips for a successful short trip to the city of love can be found, for example, in compact form from the series of the popular New York Times series 36hours in Verona.