The backdrop of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, Verona holds a special place in the hearts of fans of the Bard of Avon. And, today, it stands as one of Italy's most visited cities. In fact, it’s a must-visit destination for art and opera lovers. Verona lies on the banks of the River Adige in the Veneto region, in northern Italy.
The city is served by two central train stations, Verona Porta Nuova and Verona Porta Vescovo, although it’s the former that receives many of the direct services from major cities and settlements across Italy. High-speed trains (operated by both Trenitalia and Italo), Intercity, Frecciabianca and regional trains arrive and depart daily to and from Verona Porta Nuova station, with services from Bergamo taking on average 2 hours, from Milan 1 hour 26 minutes, from Venice 1 hour 18 minutes, while the journey from nearby Padua takes as little as 48 minutes.
As the ninth busiest station in Italy, Verona Porta Nuova also provides direct connections to the Verona Airport: you'll find a bus terminal located right in front of the station. Quintessentially Italy's most romantic city, Verona is definitely the ideal destination for a dreamy getaway — make sure to visit it during springtime, the perfect season to travel by train and enjoy the beauty of this urban centre.
Visiting Verona
Small and pretty, Verona is the kind of town which is perfect to be explored on foot - even though bus services are available across the whole metropolitan area. After catching the train to Verona, a tour of the city should begin in Piazza Bra, a picturesque square that’s only a 20-minute walk from Verona Porta Nuova train station. Overlooked by elegant palaces, quaint bars and trendy restaurants, this historic corner of the city is guaranteed to give visitors a taste of what’s to come.
The Arena di Verona, a Roman amphitheatre and an iconic symbol of the city, can also be found here. Every year, during the warm summer months, this amphitheatre plays host to operatic open-air festivals that bring in thousands of spectators from far and wide. Continuing on a 5-minute stroll towards Via Mazzini, tourists will encounter a popular pedestrian street that’s packed to the rafters with quaint boutiques and retail outlets. Travellers should take some time to stop and admire Casa di Giulietta (Juliet's House) and its iconic balcony, from which visitors can look out and relive perhaps the most romantic moment of literary history. A short distance (just a 2-minute walk) from here is Piazza delle Erbe, the real soul of Verona, surrounded by Medieval buildings and brilliant Baroque architecture. The skyline here is dominated by the Torre dei Lamberti, a Medieval construction that offers incredible views of the city from a vantage point of 84 metres. Piazza dei Signori lies adjacent to this spot, a beautiful area of the city characterised by awe-inspiring arches, spectacular statues and pretty porches. Tourists will find a statue of Dante himself here, serving as a stark reminder that the great poet once found refuge in Verona after his exile from Florence.
Extremely close to the iconic Venice as well as to the metropolitan Milan, Verona also allows people to travel, via Verona Porta Nuova station, and discover on a day trip enchanting towns such as Vicenza, as little as 30 minutes away by train, and Mantova, at just 1h21mins from the Italian 'city of love'. Affordable train tickets (starting from less than 10 €), convenient fares and train times, a good rail network and a number of different routes (to major urban centres in the region as well as in the whole Italy), make train travel easy and comfortable.