Verona - Caught in someone elses story

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Verona - Caught in someone elses story

At the base of the Aldige Valley in Italy, is a city that was considered as important to the Romans as Rome. It gave access to Europe and all that that offered.

A city that has an arena in its centre older than the collesum, coupled with the oldest known Roman theatre dating back to 25 BC.

A fair city where two star crossed lovers not only lived but left a legacy.

Verona instinctively evokes the backdrop setting of a shakespearean play. Vibrant coloured buildings and shutters fill the streetscape with a peeling authenticity that makes you feel like you have been thrown back in time to be the protagonist in such a play.

Escaping the bland mediocrity of the station, a relieving sight sits above the city. Nestled between tall slim populars on the hill, Castel S. Pietro looks every part the scene setter for romantic and tragic stories alike . At the top peeking through the poplars the vista of the terroacotta ocean city momentarily takes my breath away. The Adige River frames a myriad of streets and orange rooved building with church towers pin pointing locations.

Merely wandering through the streets offers several volumes of significant and historically memorable icons and stories. From the intellectual stairs of reason in Piaza Signori to the historical madonna of the city, and on to the slightly hard to find , love well hidden down an alley, there is something for everyone, especially hopeless romantics that studied Shakespeare like myself.

Having a guide book is advisable. A lot of treasures are left off the general city map given to you at the information centre, so if you really want to explore back streets and hidden alleys while reading Veronian tales get one for 5 euros, and as my friend Brad likes to say: ‘get amongst it’.

Definetly go to the tourist attractions: see Juliets balcony and touch the wrong breast on the statue of her there, go to her tomb and go to Romeo’s house, But don’t forget to stop for a glass or two of local wine and take in the atmosphere while in a small bar down a side street. The enotecha on Via Molenza is particularly enjoyable.

In the markets of Piaza Erbe you can buy stunning artisian glass jewelery fom near by Venice, see the masks that Juliet herself must have worn to mascerade balls, and then take a seat in one of the many cafes offering not only a delicious view of the Madonna statue but menus to order from more than once . Boys you don’t have to be Leonardo de Caprio to make the women swoon here. Everything is done for you! Although I would avoid the Veronian trait of proving your love by death.

The well hidden despite well signposted Love well is infamous because two lovers used to meet there, Then one fateful day the woman asked if the man if he truely loved her. He said yes. She said prove it: by jumping into the well. He did. He died. She then killed herself as she could not live without him.

The sense of love is clearly ever present in daily lives of the Veronian youth. Every where you turn there seems to be graffiti, although none like any I have ever seen before, proclaming love for their beloved: ‘I love you’, ‘you love me’, ‘we love each other’ , forever forever love love love. It is quite mad, yet at the same time very sweet. Although I find it excessive it is more sensible than throwing oneself into a well.

Although history and Shakespeare tell us stories of grandour and glamour, the best stories are our own. Stories when hearts and minds open to new ideas, new places and new sensations. Then embrase them.

Exploring this city with my husband Moka, I, like Giulietta fell in love.
With a fair city named Verona.

And parting is such sweet sorrow.

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