Charming Things to Do in Verona in 2 Days

Ahh the city of Romeo + Juliet. Here are the best things to do in Verona in 2 days!

On my most recent trip to Italy, I stopped in Verona twice. Once on my way to a conference in Trento and the once on my way back. In total, it worked out to be the equivalent of 2 days and 2 nights!

The first round it was Milou and me, and then the second round her boyfriend joined us before we drove over to Cinque Terre. Additionally, Elissa and her cousin visited on her last trip, so these tips really come from an amalgamation of these three visits haha.

Over all, I really enjoyed Verona! It’s a charming city that’s significantly less touristy than I would have thought, and we were there during a huge music festival and in June, aka peak season. Even if the tourist hotspots get too crowded, all it takes is a walk down one street and you’re in a much quieter piazza. It’s definitely somewhere I’d take a future boyfriend if I was planning a couple’s trip to Italy. Even without its role in Romeo + Juliet, there’s a certain romantic atmosphere.

Anyway, if you’re planning your own getaway, here’s my best advice below.

Quick Tips for Visiting Verona

Where to Stay

Budget: The Hostello

This is where Elissa and her cousin stayed on their trip, and it’s a great spot if you’re visiting on a budget. The staff is friendly and the rooms nice and clean. Check here for more details

Midrange: Albergo Trento

Milou and I stayed here our first night. I would say it’s a comfortable budget hotel. Not the nicest midrange hotel I’ve stayed but a good deal for the price and location. It’s about half way between the train station and the Arena, so it’s very easy to walk to. Check here for more details

Midrange: DENEB 19 Apartment

This is where I’d stay again if I returned! The apartment is super cute and right along Via Stella. The owner greeted us when we came, and everything about the apartment was lovely. The view from the balcony is particularly perfect for a little people watching. Check here for more details

Luxury: Hotel Gabbia D’Oro

If you’re really look for luxury, then check out Hotel Gabbia D’Oro. It’s right around the corner from Piazza delle Erbe and is situated in an 18th century building. Check here for more details

For more places to stay in Verona, check here

How to Get to Verona

We took the train to and from Verona! It’s very easy, and Elissa wrote out a a bunch of tips on taking them in this Italy by train itinerary. To give you an idea, the station is a 20 minute walk from the Arena. I’m pretty sure there’s a shuttle bus to get into town, but it really is a nice walk.

There’s also an airport! Joris flew in and picked up our rental car, so he drove to a parking garage about 15 minutes from where we all stayed. You can’t really drive or park in the main part of Verona, so the parking garage was a little out of the center. If you’re not driving, you can always book a transfer here.

Best Things to Do in Verona in 2 Days

Day 1

Early Afternoon: Arrival

Assuming you’re coming around the time you can check into your hotel, I guess this is a little under two days. Like I said above, arriving is pretty easy. If you stay at Albergo Trento, it’s only a 10 minute walk from the train station. DENEB was more like 25 minutes, and we actually did walk that one too haha.

Once you check in and freshen up, get ready for the rest of your afternoon and evening to enjoy how lovely this city is later in the day!

Afternoon: Walk Around

You can easily walk around the many parts of Verona! Start around the Arena and make your way through the different piazzas and side streets. Just wander and don’t try to visit anywhere specific (I saved that for tomorrow), but instead just enjoy the quintessentially Italian vibes.

If you’re in Verona with your loved one, then this is the nicest time to wander. I can’t remember what I was doing, but I know at one point Milou and Joris split off to go for a nice, romantic stroll down to the water before I met up with them for dinner.

People-watch a bit, maybe pop into the different shops, get gelato, and see how pretty the city looks as golden hour begins.

Drinks in Piazza Dei Signori

End your strolling with pre-dinner drinks at one of the piazzas. The main one, Piazza delle Erbe, was a bit too crowded, as are most of the areas near the Arena.

However, the nearby Piazza dei Signori was practically empty when we met up with a friend for drinks! You’ll know you’re in the right square because there’s a statue of Dante Alighieri in the middle of it and it’s kind of behind the courtyard for the Torre di Lamberti.

We sat outside at Caffè Dante Bistrot and discussed “Game of Thrones” memes, which was a lovely way of commiserating over that finale haha.

Dinner: Tokyo Sushi

Okay, okay, so obviously if you’re only in Italy for a short time, this isn’t really the place to go. There’s nothing inherently Italian about sushi haha. However, we were meeting with friends who lived in Verona and weren’t in the mood for pasta, pizza, or bread, and they suggested it!

It’s actually a pretty delicious spot, and it’s all you-can-eat for €25! If you’re traveling through Italy or Europe and feel like you want something lighter than normal Italian meals, then I definitely recommend heading here.

Evening: Go See an Opera

If you enjoy opera, don’t miss seeing a performance in the arena! It kind of reminds of the Colosseum in Rome. You can check the schedule here for more details and booking info. That ticket also involves a walking tour at 6 pm if you want to eat earlier. Otherwise, the opera itself starts at 8:45 pm! We didn’t have this choice as the Arena was hosting a huge music festival while we visited.

Day 2

Breakfast at Caffe Borsari

Most hotels offer some sort of breakfast option, but if yours doesn’t or you’d rather eat out, Elissa and her cousin ate here on their trip. She says it seemed like a local favorite, as the workers knew everyone coming in, and the hot chocolate and jam filled brioches were delicious!

Morning: Climb up Torre di Lamberti

For one of the nicest viewpoints in Verona, climb up the Torre di Lamberti! The tower sits right over Piazza delle Erbe at about 84m high and dates back to 1172.

It wasn’t too crowded when we went around opening. One bummer is that the tower has a cage like fence all around the observation area, so the views are far from unobstructed. However, people poked holes large enough for a camera to fit through, so you can still photograph them nicely.

We had no problem just getting our tickets at the entrance, but if you’re going during a busier period, you may want to book skip–the–line tickets ahead of time. The tower opens at 10 AM on the weekdays and 11 AM on the weekend, so keep that in mind with the next part.

Tour Around Verona

So, you’ve got a choice. You can join with a walking tour for a more guided experience. This small group walking tour is about 2 hours and goes to many of the highlights I list below, like the Arena and Casa di Giulietta. There’s also this private tour with a local that lets you customize and is probably much more flexible with its start time.

You could also DIY it and pick up the history on your own. We toured on our own since the city really is quite easy to navigate. The main part of town is kind of nestled in the curve of the Adige River, so it’s super walkable. Honestly, you’re probably going to see some of these sights on your casual stroll the evening before!

Piazza delle Erbe

Once you’ve descended from Torre dei Lamberti, you’ll be back in Piazza delle Erbe. If you want, you can take a moment to appreciate the square, I’d get a gelato and sit on one of the steps.

It was once the town’s forum and has a bunch a little stalls in the center. The Baroque Palazzo Maffei is at one end, but it was under construction while we were there!

Casa di Giulietta (Juliet’s House)

With the Torre behind you, turn left, and walk along Via Cappello until you get to the crowd around Juliet’s House, which goes back to the 1300s. There’s a statue of Juliet in the courtyard, so you can rub her breast for luck in love. I opted not to lol.

It’s obviously the biggest tourist attraction and probably one of the most disappointing, but it’s still fun to pop in see it and leave. I mean Juliet wasn’t a real person nor was she based on one, and the balcony wasn’t even added until the 1900s. Even her name in the play, Capulet, isn’t that similar to this family’s name of Cappello.

I do think if I went back, I’d like to pay to go inside and see the museum. All in all, though, it’s a quick experience that shows just how kitschy Verona can be. I think it was here that I even saw someone ready to sew couples’ names onto things!

Arena di Verona (Verona Arena)

Turn the corner and walk down Via Stella until you hit the Arena. This is kind of the big focal point of the city. Figure out where you’re staying in relation to it and Piazza Bra, and then it should be super easy to get to in case you get lost.

Its history dates back to 30 AD, and it could once hold nearly 30,000 people though now it holds only up to 15,000. It’s quite cool that it’s still in use today, and it’ll even be used for the closing ceremonies of the 2026 Winter Olympics!

When it’s not in use for concerts or closing ceremonies, you can go in and do a tour. Book a ticket here.

Porta Borsari

If you want to cut through Via Guglielmo Oberdan, you’ll eventually get to Porta Bosari, which is an ancient Roman gate dating back to the 1st century AD, though its foundations go back to the 1st century BC.

Cattedrale di Santa aria Matricolare (Verona Cathedral)

From here you could stay on the same side of the river and walk all the way to Verona Cathedral. I don’t think I actually made it over here, so it’s something to visit on another trip. Maybe I’ll even try to attend mass!

Museo di Castelvecchio (Old Castle Museum)

On the opposite side in relation to Porta Borsari, is Castelvecchio and Castelvecchio Bridge. The castle itself was once a military building under the Scaliger family, but now it’s a museum that features different paintings and sculptures.

If you’re not hungry yet, then cross the bridge and hang out in the giant park across the water! However, by the time you finish this little DIY tour, it should be time for a late lunch.

Lunch

Depending on where you are, I have two lunch recs. If you’re staying at the DENEB apartment, right down the street is Gastronomia Stella, which is where Milou and I went when we first arrived back in Verona. I’m like 90% sure I got a pasta dish since that’s usually what I wanted to eat!

Otherwise, you could try Osteria Sgarzarie. Our DENEB host recommended it, but we didn’t wind up going. If you’re not staying beyond dinner, then you could always eat at my dinner choice instead too!

Afternoon: Castel San Pietro

Castel San Pietro is another great viewpoint! If you’re staying one more night in Verona, just save this for your way out. We drove up before we left for Cinque Terre.

However, if this is your only full day, then try to catch the sunset from this place. Walking wise, you’d want to cross the Ponte Pietra and go up to the castle.

You’ll be near the Roman Theater as well, if you want to stop by that. Otherwise, follow along Scalinata Castle San Pietro and it eventually turns into Scalone Castle San Pietro. It’ll take you through the park and up to the viewpoint.

Dinner at Pizzeria Du de Cope

If you’re not off to your next destination yet, get dinner here. The burratta pizza was amazing, and it’ll be such a nice way to end your 2 days in Verona!

Nearby Verona

So, we came to Verona from Milan and then went on to Trento. Both were around an hour by train. When we came back we were coming from Trento, and then we drove over to Cinque Terre, which isn’t close at all.

Trento & the Dolomites

Because Traverse was held here, we stayed for a few days. What a charming town! I wrote all about it in my guide to Trento. If I ever get around to writing my novel, I’ll come here for a spell to relax and focus.

Surrounding Trento are the Dolomites, and Elissa and her cousin actually did their day trip there from Verona!

Milan

I do actually like Milan, but it’s definitely the least pretty place I’ve been to in Italy. That’s not to say the city is ugly, it just shows you how stunning the rest of the country is!

I’ve been to Milan twice, once as a student for a solid 48 hours, and recently on this return trip for three days! It’s been fun going back and seeing how things are different. Plus, the experience is very different when you’re a poor study abroad student going in late November vs. a working 20-something in June!

And there you have it! My tips for the best things to do in Verona in 2 days. Have you been to this romantic city yet? What did you think?

For more Italy travel, read these next:

SHARE THIS ON PINTEREST

want to support?

I’m always grateful when friends and readereach out wanting to support There She Goes Again. Truthfully, I’m just happy my posts are helping people travel! If you’d like to support the blog, here are some companies and brands I’m affiliated with. Simply click the links, and I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you!

TRAVEL

BLOGGING / SOCIAL MEDIA

SHOPPING

BOOKS