Go see the balcony where Juliet supposedly stood looking down on her Romeo. It’s a beautiful, romantic Italian courtyard, but even the people who make their living off of this site admit, “No documentation has been discovered to prove the truth of the legend.” Of course, they also argue “no documentation has disproved it either!” Regardless of it’s authenticity in relation to Shakespeare’s most famous tragedy, it’s still fun to let your mind wander and imagine one star crossed lover saying to another “My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite.”
Go see the Verona Arena and the Castelvecchio. Walk across the Ponte di Castelvecchio and along the river. Take the funicular up to the Castel San Pietro. Just wander – and then end up in the Piazza della Erbe. Sit down at a table outside one of the cafès and have a spritz or two and watch the people. Just enjoy the view. Take this opportunity to not schedule too much and just soak in the wonderful Italian culture before you head into marvelous Venice for your last few days. The train from Verona to Venice takes about an hour and ten minutes and the price range is about $20 – $60.
Spend 3 nights in Venice
My best advice in Venice is also to walk and just get lost in the narrow streets and tiny alleys. Discover bridges and views that aren’t on every postcard, but look like they could be. Once your feet are weary from wandering, enjoy seafood, and Cicchetti, and many refreshing spritzes! There is nothing like enjoying aperitivo while you look out on the canals of this remarkable city. I love Venice so much and so will you. It’s a great place to spend your final days on this 10-day trip to Italy.
Plan to spend 3 nights in Venice. Staying in between the Rialto Bridge and Piazza San Marco allows you to be close, but not too close, to many of the sites you want to see. But walking and riding on the canals is easy in Venice, so stay anywhere on the island and you’ll be fairly centrally located.
Visit a major site – maybe the Doge’s Palace, the Basilica San Marco or the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. Pick one – and then keep wandering. It’s also fun to visit the food markets. If you are traveling with children, they will love learning how to row a gondola. Explore the little spots for cicchetti (sort of like Italian tapas, but be careful about saying that to an Italian). Rick shared his thoughts on a tiny place that we recommended:
