Fair Verona

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Geo: 45.1511, 10.929

Left the quiet hostel, seems like I am the only 1 there. At least I get a room to myself. Walked to the train station and caught a train to Verona. Walked from the station to the touristy part of town, came across the city gates. And then, there in the middle of a large open space was the huge arena of Verona! It was pretty cool and amazing. I wasn't' expecting it to be like this. The arena was built in the 1st century-its so old!! This was a really nice piazza.

I walked to the castle, called Castlevecchio, such an original name as it means old castle!! Inside the castle is a museum and I wasn't really interested, so I went back to the arena. It is a really huge arena and was set up for an audience of 20,000 people! It is the third largest arena in existence, incredible. I climbed up the stairs and had a good view of the city.

Then had lunch at one of the eateries that have a view of the arena. To eat outside it costs more because you can see the arena while eating, so I sat inside in the air conditioning and ate my pizza. Followed the signs for the house of Juliet. Was easy to find as there was a crowd. Walking to the balcony, both sides of the wall are covered in disgusting graffiti of love messages to Juliet and are stuck on with chewing gum. In the court yard there is a bronze statue of her and above is her balcony. Bought a ticket and walked through her house. It is a bit of a small museum of old stuff. Bought a cup of fresh fruit and ate it in the Piazza delle Erbe, watching the small market and enjoying the shade.

Leaving the piazza, I saw the Arco della Costa where there is a suspended whale's rib, legend says it will fall when the first 'just' person walks beneath it. A few hundred years later and it still hasn't fallen even when popes walked beneath! Walked along the river and crossed a bridge to get to the old Roman theatre, also built in the 1st century. Its not as well preserved as the arena. Incorporated on this site is the Archelogical Museum, which had Roman and Greek pieces. I then walked back to Castlevecchio. On the way saw an old arch. Once at the castle I walked half way across the bridge to take a photo of it. Headed back to the arena for a last look at it and then caught the train back to the Montagnana. Once back, I walked around the city walls.

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Photos

01 Entrance
Entrance to the old town of Verona.

02 Little lane
Little residential lane.

03 Castle
The castle by the river.

04 Clock tower
The castle clock tower.

05 Arena
The arena in the middle of town.

06 Stage
The arena is still being used for performances.

07 Roof tops
Roof tops from the top of the arena.

08 Cafes
Cafes along the open area.

09 Inside
Inside the arena.

10 Side view
Side view of the arena.

11 Messages of love
This is part of the passageway that leads to Juliet's House and people have graffitied it with messages of love to Juliet.

12 Statue of Juliet
Her boobs are shiny because everyone has been rubbing them for good luck in love.

13 Balcony
Juliet's balcony.

14 Romeo??
The view I had of the crowd while looking out from Juliet's balcony. Certainly no Romeo's here!!

15 Hill
Looking towards the castle on the hill.

16 Market Square
A fountain and frescoed walls in the market square.

17 Whale bone
The suspended whale bone that will fall when the right person walks underneath.

18 Hill
Across the river is a castle and the archelogical museum.

19 Ruins
Some old ruins in the middle of the mall.

20 Entrance
Another entrance to the city.

21 Bridge
The bridge from the castle to the other side of the river.

22 Archway
An old Roman archway.

23 Castle
View of the castle from the bridge.

24 Leaving
The exit to the city.

25 Shakespeare
This is on the inside of the entrance to the city.