Conveniently located in between the two famous cities of Milan and Venice, Verona is a hidden gem for travelers seeking lesser-known historical wonders in Northern Italy.
While Verona may be less known compared to other big cities such as Milan, Rome, Venice or Florence, the city itself is an antiquated landmark. Verona was founded in the 1st century B.C, and experienced the flourish of wealth under the rule of the Scaliger family in the 13th and 14th centuries and as part of the Republic of Venice from the 15th to 18th centuries.
The most significant heritage of Verona is undoubtedly the Arena di Verona, an outstanding Roman theater. Arena di Verona is the second biggest existing Roman theater after the Colosseum in Rome. In ancient Roman times, the arena's capacity was nearly 30,000 people. Its current capacity is 22,000 seats and it is still one of the most prestigious open venues at global level, which hosts multiple major events such as summer seasons of opera, known as “Arena di Verona Festival” or the opening and closing ceremony of 2026 Milan - Cortina Winter Olympics.
Accompanied by our professional local tour guide and skip the line tickets, you can observe the internal area of Verona Arena to admire its magnificent size, structure and materials.
Nowadays, you still can observe the remaining original white and pink limestone from the Valpolicella area on the facade of the Arena, while some part of the Arena limestone in the outer ring was destroyed in a major earthquake in 1117.
After the visit to Verona Area, the tour will continue with the discovery of multiple medieval squares and cobblestones of the historic center such as Piazza Bra surrounded by historic antique buildings, Piazza delle Erbe and the famous via Giuseppe Mazzini that leads to Verona Juliet House.
Another important attraction to observe is the castle of Castelvecchio, the residence of the family Scala, ruler of Verona and surrounding Veneto areas from the 13th to 14th century.
Located at a strategic position of crossroad between Milan and Venice Kingdom from East to West and Austria/Germany vs Florence/Rome Kingdom from North to South, Verona was constantly conquered and protected by different rulers along its history, which made it an excellent example of a military stronghold.
To conclude the tour, there is no better way than observing the city from its highest point. Crossing the medieval bridge of Ponte Pietro, you will enjoy a short funicular ride to Castle of San Pietro, an Roman fortress built on the top of San Pietro hill to oversee the whole historical center of Verona, previously used for military protection, and now to provide all visitors a breathtaking view of the romantic and charming town of Verona.
