Verona

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We stepped out of the Carnevale madness for a day last week and took a quick trip to Verona. Verona is lovely. Perched on the Adige River, Verona is anchored by a huge public square (Piazza Bra) and Roman arena (the largest outside of Rome). A UNESCO world heritage site, Verona is layered with history quite literally: Roman ruins sit side-by-side with structures from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, and in some cases these structures are built one atop another. Much of the city, including that arena, is built with pink limestone from the area, giving it a rosy hue. Winding narrow streets with pastel-colored buildings, flower pots on balconies, and cobblestone pavement make this a postcard-worthy place. Each time I turned a corner, I wanted to take another photo. Verona, like many cities in northern Italy, is clearly prosperous: the shopping was extensive, and there were cheese shops and trattorias and osterias and cafes dotting every calle. I wanted to eat everywhere and try everything. Our stomachs could only allow so much, though. We lunched at a trattoria tucked into a side street, full of Italian men on their long, long, lunch break, drinking wine and grappa and whiskey and telling stories. We ate our way through a multi-course, very Italian lunch with bean soup, pasta, cheese platters, salads veal (Dean) and bread. All delicious. Then we walked it all off, stopping to gaze at the lovely Ponte Pietra, built by the Romans. We (me) also couldn't resist looking in on the Casa di Giulietta and Juliet's balcony. Yes, she's fictional, but hordes of tourists visit this site, replete with a bronze statue of Shakespeare's tragic heroine, and leave notes on the walls with wishes and hope for eternal love. Lovely, romantic Verona seems just the right place for Shakespeare to have set his drama.

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Photos

Verona
In the Piazza Bra, outside the Roman arena.

Verona
Inside the arena. This gives you a bit of an idea of the size.

Roman arena
The boys enjoyed running around the arena and hanging out on the top.

Verona
More pics of the boys--here you go, grandparents!

Roman arena
Atop the arena you can look out at the city. Behind me you can see the multi-layered architecture that is typical in Verona and so many other European cities.

Some romantic balcony
Peeking through the fortifications of the arena, I spied this pretty balcone.

Some street in Verona
The boys on a passegiata.

Porta Borsari
The Roman gate to the old city of Verona. Note it is flanked by relatively newer structures on either side.

Dante Alighieri
Why is he here? Not sure, but this is his spot--Piazza Dante.

Comments

[Tina Om]

Beautiful! Thanks for sharing your journey. Grandparents aren't the only ones loving the pictures of your boys! I also need more pics of you!!!! xo