Northern Italy is a gorgeous part of the world, with plenty of history, culture and mountains to satisfy even the most fussy of travellers. It’s an area full of things to see and do, from the big cities like Milan and Venice, to the lakes and smaller cities like Bergamo, Verona and Padua.
If you’re limited on time, then taking day trips out from the big cities is a great option, and spending one day in Verona is an experience you won’t want to miss. Easily reached by train from Venice or Milan, this romantic city is the perfect day trip, packed with ancient landmarks, vibrant piazzas, and plenty of local charm to fill every moment of your visit.
Verona is a city that stole my heart from my first visit, and I’ve been back to wander the cobblestone streets again because I just couldn’t get enough the first time! It’s one of those places that you could easily spend a weekend in, but if all you have is a day to spare then read on to see how to spend one day in Verona and get the best of the city in just a day!
What to See With One Day in Verona
There is plenty to see and do in Verona, but with just one day in the city, these are the highlights you absolutely shouldn’t miss!
Verona Arena
Taking pride of place in the heart of the city, Verona Arena is an ancient Roman amphitheatre and an icon of the city. It dates back to the 1st century, with a history full of everything you’d expect from a Roman arena. These days it’s a lot tamer as it hosts world-class operas, concerts and events.
When it’s not playing host to those events, it’s open for visitors to wander the historical site and get a feel for how life would have been thousands of years ago.
Verona Arena has a wealth of history that makes it so interesting to visit. Plus, the ability to immerse yourself in that history is pretty cool. You can walk along the same corridors that were used hundreds of years ago, take a seat in the arena or even check out the amazing acoustics in the open-air arena.
It’s one of my favourite places to visit in Verona, and worth going inside as much as it is to see it from the outside.
Opening Hours: Tuesday – Sunday, 9am-7pm. These hours may change if there is a performance scheduled for the evening.
Entry: Free with the Verona Card, otherwise €17 for an adult, or €8 if you’re an EU resident aged 18-24.
Piazza Bra
Piazza Bra is the public space that surrounds Verona Arena, and you’ll find the expansive ‘square’ complete with a small garden and lined with plenty of restaurants and cafes. It’s a great spot if you can’t decide where to eat, though beware that it’s a tourist hotspot so you’ll get higher prices and possibly lower quality food than if you venture a few streets back.
You don’t need to spend ages in Piazza Bra, and with just one day in Verona just walking the perimeter gives you a good feeling for this impressive space that feels like the heart of the city. Aside from amazing views of Verona Arena, a pretty entrance at I Portoni della Brà and plenty of gorgeous Italian architecture to admire, this space is often a hotspot for markets and festivals.
Piazza delle Erbe
Piazza delle Erbe is Verona’s vibrant market square. Surrounded by colourful buildings, it shows off the city’s medieval past. The square is full of life, offering a blend of historical charm and market atmosphere. It’s the perfect spot to shop for local crafts, fruits, and souvenirs, or relax with a drink in one of the cafes that line the square as you watch everyone else go about their day.
If you’re tight on time you can just wander through Piazza delle Erbe as you walk between other sights. It’s very central and chances are you’ll pass through it anyway even if you don’t make a conscious effort to. It’s got a great vibe, and the market stalls are worth perusing.
River Adige and the Many Bridges
River Adige runs through Verona, and winds around the old town. There are plenty of crossing points, with some of the bridges being super picturesque. If you want to escape the hustle and bustle in the maze of streets in Verona’s old town, a walk along the river is a great way to relax. With just one day in Verona, you might be tight on time and can also just see the river as you walk over one of the bridges to check out other sights in Verona.
My favourite bridges to check out are Ponte Scaligero – sometimes called Ponte di Castelvecchio – and Ponte Pietra. These are two bridges that you’ll probably come across anyway as you explore the city as Ponte Scaligero is close to Castelvecchio and Ponte Pietra is the easiest bridge to cross to visit the Roman Theatre.
Porta Nuova
Chances are you’ll pass by this impressive gateway on the way in to the city if you arrive by public transport, but it’s definitely worth taking a detour if not! Dating back to the 16th century, it was once the southern entry point to the city, offering a defensive barrier in times of conflict. These days it’s just an impressive, historical landmark to admire as you freely walk in to the city of Verona.
Castelvecchio
The medieval fortress, Castelvecchio, is a formidable structure built in the 14th century in Verona’s Old Town, on the banks of the river Adige. These days it’s less of a defensive structure and instead houses a remarkable art collection, including works by Veronese painters. The castle’s strategic location on the river and architectural grandeur make it a great visit for history enthusiasts and art lovers alike. Plus, Castelvecchio bridge – Ponte di Castelvecchio – is picturesque and worth a visit.
Churches
As with most Italian cities, Verona has a number of impressive churches to check out. If you’re not a huge fan of exploring churches, then the one to stop by to get a taste of Verona churches is the cathedral, Cattedrale di Santa Maria Matricolare. It’s more of a complex than just one church, and offers visitors a view of the traditional Italian church decor as well as a smaller chapel and excavations of earlier religious structures dating back to the 9th Century.
If you’re a fan of churches though, you’re in luck. Verona has a number of large churches in addition to the cathedral that you can explore, and 4 of them are included in the Verona Card so you don’t lose out if you just pop in for a few minutes to see it and then move on to the others. Basilica di San Zeno Maggiore, with its Romanesque architecture, and the Gothic-style Basilica di Santa Anastasia are two that should make your ‘to see’ list, both hundreds of years old and hiding breathtaking interior decor behind their modest facades.
Torre dei Lamberti
Torre dei Lamberti, a medieval tower taking pride of place in Verona’s Piazza delle Erbe, offers panoramic views of the city and beyond. Climb the staggering 368 stairs and you’ll be rewarded with the breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape…you might even be able to spot the Alps and Lake Garda!
Dating back to 1179, the tower serves as both a historical landmark and an observation point. Originally built to a height of 34m, it’s had quite a life of being hit by lightning, rebuilt, extended and decked out with the 4 bells it houses today.
The views from the top are the real highlight of a visit to Torre del Lamberti and a must do on a day trip to Verona, but don’t worry if you’re not a fan of climbing 84m by stairs, there’s also a lift for a small additional fee…and totally worth taking in my opinion!
Entry to Torre dei Lamberti is included in the Verona Card, but if you’re booking as you go then tickets can be purchased on the door.
Juliet’s House
Casa di Giulietta is a Verona highlight for Shakespeare fans and lovestruck travellers. You can pop your head in to see the courtyard of the house, or buy a ticket to enter the house to see the exhibition and take a step out on Juliet’s balcony.
You’ll find a statue of Juliet in the courtyard of the house. While the character Shakespeare wrote about was fictional, it is still believed that there were two warring families in Verona and this is thought to be where Juliet lived and stepped out on to her balcony.
It used to be considered lucky to rub a breast of Juliet, a practice a little strange when you consider she was a just a teenager in the tale of Romeo and Juliet, which is why the statue is worn in some places. These days they ask that you don’t touch, but it’s still worth seeing the statue and balcony.
Roman Theatre
Verona’s Roman Theatre – not to be confused with the huge Verona Arena – is nestled on the hillside, echoing the city’s ancient past. As with much of the city, the theatre dates back to the 1st century BC, and in it’s prime it would have hosted gladiator contests and theatrical performances.
Today, the well-preserved ruins are a testament to Verona’s cultural heritage, providing a captivating glimpse into the entertainment and architecture of ancient Rome. It’s well worth a visit even if you stop by Verona Arena too, but if you’re tight on time just one should make your list of sights to see in Verona.
Is Verona Worth Visiting?
Without a doubt! It’s risen in popularity in recent years, but it’s still enjoyable to wander the cobblestone streets, gaze in awe at the historic Verona Arena, sample some delicious food and explore the numerous detailed churches. It’s one of those cities that you want to wander round and see the buildings as much as visiting the different sites. I think you could easily enjoy a few days exploring the city, but if you can only spend one day in Verona then it’s better than not going at all.
How to Get to Verona
Train
With two train stations, one of which is sitting on a major train line running from Milan to Venice, it’s really easy and affordable to get to Verona by train. Direct trains are available from Milan, Venice, Bologna and Rome, all of which are major transport hubs themselves and widen the options for people who are willing to change trains.
If you’re travelling by train it’s likely that you’ll arrive in Verona Porta Nuova train station, which is a 15-20 minute walk to the city centre. If you’re arriving in Verona Porta Vescovo it’s roughly 35 minutes to walk to the city centre. Buses and taxis will be available outside both stations if you want an easy transfer to the city.
Travelling by train in Italy is comfortable for the most part – high speed trains and intercity trains are modern with well maintained facilities, regional trains can sometimes be in need of modernising – and reasonably priced in comparison to other European countries. Trains usually leave on time, but will often arrive later than scheduled even when there are no obvious reasons for delay. Factor this in if you are planning a transfer.
Car
Verona is easy to access by car, with plenty of highways passing close to the city. Once in the city, there are some areas that are pedestrian access only, but parking is available nearby. You are unlikely to need a car while in the city as most things are within walking distance of each other.
There are a number of free and paid car parks in and close to the city, for more details on price, location and capacity visit: Verona Car Parks.
Coach
Flixbus is a popular bus company serving European cities, and they stop in Verona! While a journey from far away might not be worth it if you’re just in Verona for one day, arriving by bus is still an option if you’re city hopping around Europe. Verona bus station is just next to Verona Porta Nuova train station, so it’s easy access from there to the city centre.
What to Book in Advance
A spontaneous day trip to Verona is a great idea, and you don’t have to book anything in advance to visit Verona, but if you are planning a trip then these are the best things to book in advance to make sure you don’t miss out.
Verona Arena – if you’re planning on getting the Verona Card, then you’ll have priority access at one of the gates (still have to pay for the entrance ticket but you’ll get a discount with the Verona Card), but if you’re skipping the Verona Card then book your visit to Verona Arena ahead of time to include skip-the-line access. There are also often concerts and shows held at the arena, if you’d like to enjoy one of those it’s best to book ahead of time.
Juliet’s House – Casa di Giulietta is a popular tourist attraction, and lines can get quite long. If you want to visit the museum here you have to book tickets online to secure your slot, though at present you don’t need to if you just want to explore the courtyard and see the famous balcony associated with Romeo and Juliet.
Note: You’ll need to reserve your entry time online even if you have the Verona Card to cover your entrance ticket.
Verona Card – The Verona Card provides access to several of the city’s attractions, including museums and monuments, for a one off fee. This can save you both time and money if you plan to visit multiple sites.
Guided Tours – If you’d prefer to join a guided tour to get the most out of your day in Verona, there are a number of guided walking tours, self-guided walking tours, bike tours and food tours on offer. You’ll not only get a deeper insight into Verona life, but also the history and culture of the city.
Verona Card
If you’re planning to do a lot of sightseeing or travelling to Verona on a budget, then the Verona Card may be the perfect money saver for you! The 24-hour Verona Card is €27* and covers entry to a huge number of sights across the city and allows bus travel around the city too.
If you’re happy to spend the day walking around Verona and admiring buildings from the outside then it’s not worth buying the card, but if you’d like to see and visit as many sights as possible during your time in Verona then it’s definitely worth buying the Verona Card.
Verona Cards can be purchased at the Tourist Information Office in Piazza Bra, at the train station and at many of the attractions that the card can be used. It’s also possible to buy it online in advance and you’ll just need to visit the Tourist Information Office to collect the physical card when you arrive.
If you’re visiting Verona for 2 days, then the 48-hour card is €32*, but if you’re super savvy and want to save €5 then you can use the card for the afternoon of day 1, and the morning of day 2. 24 hours means 24 hours, not one calendar day.
Visiting Verona on a Budget
Italy isn’t widely known as a cheap place to visit, but it is possible to travel Verona on a budget, enjoying the best of the city without blowing the travel budget.
The best way to see the most but still save money is to buy the Verona Card. You’ll get a range of perks, the best is that you’ll get free entry to many of the best sights to see in Verona. You’ll also get a range of discounts to other sights if they’re not free. You can use the buses for free (not including the airport bus) or get a discount on parking too.
If you’re not tied to dates, the best way to save money in Verona is to visit on the first Sunday of the month between November and March, as you’ll get entrance to public museums for just €1. Yes, it can mean longer queues, but November – March is out of peak season anyway so that in itself means it’ll be cheaper in terms of accommodation.
Aside from the Verona Card, it’s easy to keep costs low while visiting Verona as the city centre is very walkable, meaning you can enjoy the city for free as you travel by foot. Many of the sights are also great to see even just from the outside if you don’t want to pay to go inside for a tour. For example, to see the statue of Juliet and the famous balcony is free, but entrance to Juliet’s house is ticketed. Verona Arena is ticketed for tours inside, but also stunning to see from the outside, which is free.
If you’re stopping for a meal anywhere, try to avoid eating in the restaurants and cafes in the big squares like Piazza delle Erbe or Piazza Bra. Yes, the views and vibe are great, but you’ll pay a premium for it. Instead, enjoy a wander through those areas and venture a little off the beaten track to find a restaurant that probably has better food for less money. There are also hole-in-the-wall places that’ll sell a slice of pizza or other yummy Italian food that you can take away and enjoy while soaking up the sights.
Got Longer Than a Day?
One day in Verona gives you a good amount of time to explore the city, but if you have the time to spare, 2 days in Verona is perfect to really enjoy it at a slower pace. There’s a 48-hour Verona card that you can buy to extend the discounts, or if you use the 24-hour card wisely then you can use it across two days (day 1 in the afternoon and day 2 in the morning).
If you’re planning a trip exploring the north of Italy, Verona is a great place to choose as a base. The excellent public transport links make it easy to explore Italy by train, and accommodation is very reasonably priced. In a region as amazing as Northern Italy, you’ve got plenty of day trip options to fill your trip.
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