VERONA - ITALY
VERONA is the ideal place for your next holiday.
It is a city where you can get from place to place on foot and it
offers many opportunities to meet people. You can also
go on excursions in the surrounding areas and visit other splendid cities in
Veneto and bordering regions. Verona is more charming than ever in
summer and is also an ideal place to strike up conversations and
friendships. Info: http://www.tourism.verona.it
The Arena and the opera: it’s a great attraction in Verona. The best
preserved Roman amphitheatre in Italy has witnessed no less than 20
centuries of the city’s history. Its extraordinary fame derives from the opera,
a form of entertainment, which has made the Arena one of its immortal
temples. Since 1913 the Arena has been home to the world’s most famous
lyrical singers and the most visited Opera. Great operas, recitals and
ballets are on the summer programme every year, among which the famous
“Aida” by Giuseppe Verdi.
Information: http://www.arena.it
Romeo and Juliet: every day the courtyard of Juliet’s house fills with
visitors from all over the world drawn by Shakespeare’s eternal myth which
goes well beyond national borders. Every summer, in the Roman Theatre
an important festival of Shakespeare plays is held.
Museums: the cultural heritage of Verona can also be seen in its
museums. The Archaeological Museum is situated at the Roman Theatre,
while the collections of medieval and modern art are housed in
Castelvecchio, a medieval castle, once the seat of the Scala family. Among
the other cultural institutions there are: the Gallery of Modern Art in Palazzo
Forti, the eighteenth century Maffeian Lapidary Museum, the archaeological
excavations of the Palazzi Scaligeri and others.
Churches: the churches of Verona provide the basis for an unforgettable
itinerary, in particular the Basilica of San Zeno that is a wonderful example
of the Romanesque style as the Cathedral, and the church of S. Anastasia
good example of Gothic style.
Discovering Verona on foot: those who like walking will find in Verona the
main streets and the most beautiful squares of the old city closed to traffic.
By walking, the visitor will discover the real feel and atmosphere of daily life
in the city: from Piazza Erbe which is the heart of the ancient town to Piazza
Brà, where the Arena can be admired; from Piazza dei Signori to the
panoramic view of Castel San Pietro. By walking, visitors can discover the
private gardens among which the Giusti Garden is a truly enchanting
example of the classic Italian garden.
Lake, hills, plains and mountains: the splendid variety.Verona is
beautiful, but also its surrounding province is fascinating. Within just a few
kilometres of the city, whichever direction you set out in, you can enjoy the
most different sceneries: to the west there is Lake Garda with the
spectacular mountain chain of Monte Baldo dominating the lake, the hills
which separate Veneto from Lombardy, where the famous vineyards of
Valpolicella and Soave wines are cultivated, to the south the plains with
their agricultural traditions, to the north the pre-Alps hills and the Lessinia
mountains. In the varied nature of the landscape all kinds of sports are
available: golf, horse riding, mountain bike riding, trekking, skiing,
paragliding, fishing, canoeing, sailing, windsurfing.
Lake Garda: loved and praised by poets and writers, Lake Garda attracts
tourists from all over the world every year, for its mild climate, the
enchanting Mediterranean landscape and warm hospitality. There are small
harbours and villages like Peschiera, Lazise, Bardolino, Garda, Torri and
Malcesine, perfectly preserved.There are beaches and parks. Unforgettable
views can be seen from Monte Baldo, considered the “garden of Europe”,
home to the rarest of flora.
Info: http://www.gardanet.it - www.gardalake.it
Lessinia: this mountainous area, valuable for geology, fauna and
landscape, became a Regional Natural Park in 1990. You can go walking,
visit the small museums and taste the typical local food.
Churches, castles, villas and wine cellars: there are wonderful itineraries
that can be followed on foot or by car. In the province of Verona there are
Romanesque churches, medieval castles built by the Scala family and villas
of the Veronese aristocracy built from the sixteenth to the eighteenth
centuries. Besides let us not forget the wine cellars where you can taste
excellent wines which are famous throughtout the world: the red wines like
Valpolicella, Amarone, Recioto, Bardolino and the white wines like Soave,
and Custoza. Accompanying the wines there is a fine tradition in cooking:
the tortellini of Valeggio, rice from Isola della Scala, cheese from Lessinia,
fish from Lake Garda, Pandoro cake and many typical specialities to be
discovered.