How many days do you need in Verona?

1. 1Verona centreArena, Erbe, Juliet's House, Castel San Pietro at sunset1 day
2. 2Roman theatre & San Zeno, or Lake Gardatrain to Desenzano, about 20 to 30 minutes1 day

The short answer by trip length

• Half a day: the Arena, Piazza delle Erbe and Juliet's courtyard on a stop between Venice and Milan. Rushed but possible.

• 1 day: the whole centre, ending at Castel San Pietro for sunset. Our one day in Verona plan sets it out hour by hour.

• 2 days: what we had. Add the Roman theatre, San Zeno and the river, or Lake Garda, or the opera.

• 3 or more: Verona as a base for Garda, the Valpolicella wine country, or the trains to Venice and Padua.

Verona is often done as a day trip from Venice, which works, but staying lets you walk the centre in the evening after the day-trippers leave.

Day by day: 2 days in Verona

Day 1, the centre. Start at Piazza Bra with the Arena, the Roman amphitheatre still used for opera. Walk Via Mazzini to Piazza delle Erbe and climb the Torre dei Lamberti, which has a lift part of the way. After lunch, Casa di Giulietta: the courtyard is free, but going inside and onto the balcony needs a timed ticket, booked ahead in season. The balcony is a 1930s addition, which is worth knowing before you queue. Then Piazza dei Signori and the Scaliger tombs, the Ponte Scaligero at Castelvecchio, and up to Castel San Pietro for sunset.

Day 2, the river side or Lake Garda. Cross the Ponte Pietra to the Roman theatre and wander back via the Basilica of San Zeno. Or go to Lake Garda: trains to Desenzano del Garda-Sirmione take about 20 to 30 minutes, and buses run from there to Sirmione's castle and old town, which is not at the station. Check return times before you settle in.

Evening, the Arena opera. The summer festival runs roughly mid-June to early September. Book months ahead through the Fondazione Arena di Verona, and bring a cushion for the stone-step seats.

More trips out, from Garda to Mantua, are in day trips from Verona.

Where Verona fits in a wider route, and the Parma question

On our route Verona was the first stop in Italy: Munich (5 days) → Verona (2) → Bologna (4) → Venice (3), then on to Zagreb. Coming from Germany and Austria, Verona is the natural first Italian city, and it sits on the main line between Venice and Milan, about 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes from Venice by train.

Our route records a day trip to Parma from Verona. We would plan it differently now: there is no direct train, and connections take around 2 hours or more with a change, while from Bologna Parma is about 40 to 60 minutes. If Parma's ham, cheese and cathedral are on your list, do it from Bologna; see how many days in Bologna.

All three cities together are in our northern Italy itinerary, and Venice is in how many days in Venice.

When to go and where to stay

Late spring and September are the most comfortable months for walking. Mid-June to early September is opera season, which is the strongest reason to come in summer despite the heat; we were there in late July, the hottest stretch. Stay inside the old city, within the bend of the Adige, so you can walk back after the opera or the sunset at Castel San Pietro. Verona Porta Nuova station is about 1.5 km from the centre, a 20-minute walk or a short bus ride.

Food here is Veneto food, from risotto all'Amarone to bollito; see what to eat in Verona and our Italian food guide. Bills often include a coperto; see coperto in Italy. Our Italy guide covers Verona alongside Venice and Bologna.

Verona or Venice: where to sleep

A common question is whether to base in Venice and day-trip to Verona, or the other way round. Sleep in both. Verona is about 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes from Venice, so it works as a day trip, but it is at its best at sunset from Castel San Pietro and on summer nights at the Arena, neither of which suits a train home. Venice is worse as a day trip from Verona: on fee days you pay the access charge, and you miss its evenings too.

With only one night available, give it to Venice and do Verona as the day trip. With two nights each, follow our order: Verona first coming from the Alps, then Bologna, then Venice.

Common mistakes

• Turning up at Juliet's House without a ticket in summer. The courtyard is free, but the balcony slots sell out.

• Leaving before sunset. Castel San Pietro, behind the Roman theatre, is the best view in the city and most day-trippers never get there.

• Planning Parma from Verona. It is about twice as far as from Bologna by train.

• Booking the opera last-minute. Popular nights sell out months ahead.

Frequently asked questions