Verona Holidays

Verona is proper Romeo and Juliet territory, and it'll have you falling head over heels faster than you can say "Gallop apace, you fiery-footed steeds." This gorgeous Italian city is absolutely cracking for a jollie, with a UNESCO-listed old town that's kept its medieval charm while serving up some seriously good wine and pizza. You've got a 2,000-year-old Roman amphitheatre, romantic piazzas around every corner, and the Valpolicella wine region right on your doorstep. It's a city break with serious wow factor.

📌 Good to Know - Holidays to Verona 2026 / 2027

• ☀️ Summers are warm and sunny with highs of 25-28°C and 8+ hours of daily sunshine. Winters are cold (2-4°C) but atmospheric, especially around Christmas.

• 💶 A pint costs around €5-6, a pizza €8-12, and a sit-down pasta lunch €12-18. Coffee at the bar is just €1.20 - that's proper cheap fuel for sightseeing.

• 🎭 Verona's Arena is one of the best-preserved Roman amphitheatres in the world - it's older than the Colosseum and still hosts world-class opera every summer.

✨ Verona Holiday Highlights

• 🏛️ Watch an opera under the stars at the Arena di Verona, a jaw-dropping 2,000-year-old amphitheatre that holds 15,000 people

• 💌 Follow the Romeo and Juliet trail through the old town, from Juliet's famous balcony to the ancient tomb

• 🍷 Sip your way through the Valpolicella wine region, home to world-famous Amarone and Ripasso, just a short drive from the city

• 🏔️ Use Verona as a brilliant base for Lake Garda day trips - Sirmione is just 30 minutes away by train

• 🎨 Climb the Torre dei Lamberti for panoramic city views, then wander through Piazza delle Erbe and its gorgeous frescoed buildings

🎭 Top Things to Do in Verona

There's absolutely loads to keep you busy in this brilliant city, from ancient Roman ruins to world-class shopping and some of the best food you'll ever taste. The historic centre is perfect for wandering – most attractions are within walking distance, so you can easily hop from one amazing sight to the next.

Historic Wonders

• 🎠 Arena di Verona – This jaw-dropping Roman amphitheatre is the real deal – built around 30 AD and still hosting world-class opera performances every summer from June to September. Talk about atmosphere!

• 🏛️ Juliet's House and Balcony – You can visit the famous balcony for free or go inside to see the real statue and post a letter to the Secretaries of Juliet. Proper romantic, this one!

• 🏰 Torre dei Lamberti – This 12th-century tower offers unmissable panoramic views across the city. You can take the stairs or lift to the top – worth every step!

Beautiful Squares and Streets

• 🏖️ Piazza delle Erbe – The heart of Verona, lined with gorgeous historic buildings adorned with stunning frescoes. Perfect for people-watching with an Aperol Spritz!

• 🎨 Piazza dei Signori – Home to the giant statue of Dante Alighieri, who found refuge in Verona during his exile from Florence. Absolutely stunning architecture here.

Beyond the City

• 🐬 Lake Garda day trips – The easiest place to visit is Sirmione, a tiny town on a peninsula jutting into the lake, just a short train ride away. Brilliant for a day out!

• 🍷 Valpolicella wine tours – Visit two wine cellars and taste the famous Ripasso and Amarone wines. Yes, please!

🏨 Where to Stay in Verona 2026/2027

Verona is a city break destination, so the hotel scene is more boutique townhouses and converted villas than big beach resorts. Most OTB options are brilliant for exploring the city on foot or as a base for Lake Garda day trips.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Families

Verona's hotel stock leans more towards couples and city breakers, so options for big family centric resorts with all the facilities are a bit more limited. That said, these picks have space, good locations and family-friendly vibes.

• 🏨 Villa Malaspina - A stunning 16th-century villa turned 4-star hotel, about 8km south of Verona. It's got 67 individually styled rooms, a heated indoor pool, wellness area, free parking and its own restaurant. Plenty of space for the kids to run around in the grounds too.

• 🏨 Best Western CTC Hotel Verona - A modern 4-star about 10 minutes from the centre with a free shuttle into town. It's got 203 rooms, a fitness centre, on-site restaurant, and a shopping mall 200 metres away. Proper handy if you've got little ones who need entertaining.

💑 Couples

• 🏨 Verona House Aparthotel - A 17th-century building right in the historic centre, overlooking Castelvecchio castle. The apartments come with kitchenettes, chromotherapy showers and a proper romantic feel. Five minutes' walk to the Arena and Piazza Bra.

• 🏨 Novo Hotel Rossi - Modern, spotlessly clean and just a 5-minute walk from the train station, making it a brilliant base for day trips to Venice and Lake Garda. Very well reviewed with over 2,000 TripAdvisor ratings and staff who genuinely go the extra mile.

✨ Luxury

• 🏨 NH Collection Palazzo Verona - A gorgeous 5-star built around actual Roman ruins in a 14th-century palazzo, right in the heart of the old town. Rain-effect showers, a pillow menu, and a restaurant serving proper Veneto cuisine. Very well reviewed on TripAdvisor.

• 🏨 Gabbia D'oro - A boutique 5-star tucked right next to Piazza delle Erbe, with 27 individually decorated rooms, antique furnishings, frescoed ceilings and a candlelit winter garden. Old-world charm done brilliantly. Very well reviewed on TripAdvisor.

💰 Value

• 🏨 Ark Hotel - A solid 4-star in the Porta Nuova district, about 15 minutes' walk from the Arena. It's got an on-site fitness centre, a cracking breakfast spread and Lake Garda is only 9 miles away.

• 🏨 Leopardi - Named after the famous Italian poet, this popular 4-star is just 400 metres from the Basilica of San Zeno and walkable to the centre. The spa includes a Turkish steam bath and hot tub, and the on-site restaurant serves brilliant local grub.

👉 See all Verona hotels

💰 How to Have a Very Cheap Verona Holiday (that’s still brilliant)

Yes, Verona is one of the most romantic cities in the world, but romance doesn't have to break the bank! This gorgeous city is absolutely doable on a budget if you know the tricks. For starters look at our great value hotels section just above. And beyond that, here's how to make your euros stretch further without missing out on any of the magic.

When to Go

Skip the summer opera season (June-September) when prices go through the roof. Visit between November and March when some attractions cost just €1 on the first Sunday of each month. Spring and autumn are brilliant – lovely weather, fewer crowds, and hotels slash their prices.

Smart Savings

• Verona Card - The 24-hour card costs €27 and covers loads of sights plus bus travel. Absolute bargain if you're doing the tourist trail!

• Free walking tours - The historic centre is compact and walkable, so you can see most major sights on foot

• Free balcony viewing - You can enter Juliet's courtyard and see the statue for free – only pay if you want to go inside the house

Free Fun

Wandering the medieval streets costs nothing and you'll stumble across gorgeous piazzas, ancient walls, and stunning architecture at every turn. The Sunday markets are brilliant for soaking up local atmosphere.

Getting About

Public transport is reasonably priced – regional trains are comfortable and budget-friendly for day trips. Many hotels outside the centre offer free shuttles, saving you taxi fares.

The bottom line? You can absolutely have a cracking time in Verona without spending a fortune. Pick the right time to visit, stay smart about attractions, and you'll discover that this romantic city gives you brilliant bang for your buck!

🎭 Verona Holidays 2026/2027 - Travel Guide

Beyond the big-ticket sights, Verona's got loads more up its sleeve. Here's what else to get stuck into once you've ticked off the classics.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Families

• 🎢 Gardaland is just 25km from Verona and it's Italy's biggest theme park, with rollercoasters, a Peppa Pig Land for the little ones, and a LEGOLAND Water Park on site. You can get there by train to Peschiera del Garda (15 mins) then a free shuttle to the gates.

• 🔬 The Children's Museum Verona is a brilliant hands-on science space where kids can mess about with water experiments, light and shadow installations, and a giant mechanical wall. Sessions run in timed slots and it's aimed at ages 0-12.

• 🌿 The Giardino Giusti is a gorgeous Renaissance garden tucked away in the Veronetta district, with hedge mazes, fountains, grottoes and cracking views over the city from the top. Kids love the maze and it's a proper peaceful escape from the busier piazzas.

• 🚡 Take the funicular up to Castel San Pietro for the best panoramic view in Verona. There's a playground in the park on the way up, and the ride itself is a hit with kids. Bring a picnic and enjoy the view.

💑 Couples

• 🌉 Walk across the Ponte Pietra at sunset, Verona's oldest bridge dating back to Roman times. The views up and down the Adige river with the hills behind are stunning, and it's way less crowded than the main piazzas.

• 🍝 Book a pasta-making class and learn to make bigoli (Verona's signature thick spaghetti) or tortellini from scratch. Loads of local cooking schools run half-day sessions with wine included.

• 🎭 Catch a show at the Teatro Filarmonico, Verona's elegant 18th-century theatre. It runs opera, ballet and classical concerts outside the summer Arena season, and the ornate interior is gorgeous.

• 🧖 Treat yourselves to the thermal baths at Aquaria in nearby Sirmione - natural hot springs overlooking Lake Garda with outdoor pools, saunas and massage treatments. Proper boujee.

🎉 Groups

• 🍕 Hit up the bacari (Verona's answer to tapas bars) for an evening crawl through the old town. Order small plates, local wines by the glass, and try Veronese specialities like pastissada de caval and polenta with soppressa.

• 🚴 Hire bikes and ride along the Adige river cycle path, which runs right through the city and out into the countryside. You can loop back through the Valpolicella hills if you're feeling energetic.

• 🎵 The Arena hosts massive pop and rock concerts throughout summer alongside the opera season - big international acts play here regularly, and watching a gig inside a 2,000-year-old amphitheatre is something else.

🏛️ Culture

• 🎨 The Castelvecchio Museum is housed inside a medieval fortress on the river, connected by the stunning Ponte Scaligero. The collection spans medieval sculpture, Renaissance paintings and ancient weaponry, and the building itself (redesigned by architect Carlo Scarpa) is as impressive as what's inside.

• ⛪ The Basilica di San Zeno Maggiore is a Romanesque stunner about a 15-minute walk from the centre. It's the legendary wedding venue of Romeo and Juliet in Shakespeare's play, and the bronze door panels and Andrea Mantegna altarpiece are properly world-class.

• 📜 Explore the Scaligeri Tombs (Arche Scaligere), the elaborate Gothic monuments to Verona's medieval ruling family, right next to the church of Santa Maria Antica. The carved stone canopies are incredibly detailed and you can visit free with a Verona Card.