“Verona’s secrets: history and hidden gems”
Informative and dynamic walk mostly through many hidden charming corners targeting squares, streets, coutyards, buildings, bridges, statues that mark the history of Verona, which unfolds for more than 2000 years. The storytelling will help you find the logical thread that binds them all.
Special attention will be given to the two star-crossed lovers. And even in this respect, your knowledge will progress as you get plenty of anecdotes (secrets actually!) unveiled.
Details
Length and Language: 2 hours, only English spoken.
Timing: Semiprivate tour: Monday to Friday, in winter at 1 pm, in spring and autumn at 3 pm, over summer at 10:30 am. Private tour on demand.
Costs per person: €35 per adult; €20 for ages 6-12; free of charge for children under 6. Private tour as from €150.
Inclusions: Tourist Guide licensed in Verona and headsets.
Meeting point: Piazza Bra, underneath the Italian Flag of the town hall (Palazzo Barbieri).
Itinerary
The itinerary begins in Piazza Bra. After staring at the Arena, instead of taking the commercial street as most people do, we will head towards the oldest road in town, which has always played the role of the local development axis: the Corso, alongside which several major sights lie, like the imposing medieval castle with its bridge (Castelvecchio with Ponte scaligero), that we’ll admire from the riverside nearby.
We’ll be then able to spot the early medieval city walls which protected the village in the troublesome dark ages and to stare at the most beautiful roman sight in town, the remains of the main roman citygatehouse (Porta Borsari), through which we’ll enter the Roman part of the town. We’ll discover how the Roman street planning goes back to the Jules Caesar’s time whilst most buildings date back to medieval time, although looking different nowadays due to the modern times restorations.
We’ll reach the oldest and most beautiful square in town (Piazza Erbe) where to admire the most beautiful frescoed façade and the most beautiful baroque one too, the oldest fountain with “Madonna Verona” Roman statue and the former official city measures. After discussing the etimology of the square’s name we’ll head to the backside of Case Mazzanti, where one can admire an early modern well with connections to the balconies nearby, for then heading one more time towards the river, where to stare at the Saint Peter Hill, the remains of the Roman Theatre, the oldest Roman bridge in town (Ponte Pietra) and the stunning late medieval citywalls introducing us to the most extraordinary time period for Verona. We’ll face it in Piazza dei Signori, with its stunning buildings (Palazzo della Ragione, Torre dei Lamberti, Loggia del Consiglio, Palazzo del Capitano, Palazzo della Scala) and mausoleums (Arche Scaligere). You’ll discover that it’s the same time period in which the story of the two stars-crossed lovers lived and died (Casa di Romeo, Casa di Giulietta). Are you really sure that these characters were just invented by Shakespeare? About this crucial topic and much more we’ll talk during our visit which will help you get to know the authentic, charming Verona.
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