During our trip to Venice, we took a day trip to Verona. You can get a direct train from Venice Santa Lucia train station to Verona Porta Nuova train station. The train journey is around one hour and 30 minutes. The trains are super easy to use, clean and reliable making a day trip to Verona really easy to do from Venice. You can buy your train tickets on the Trainline app, which is around £20 pounds per person for a return ticket.
Can You Do A Day Trip From Venice To Verona?
We got an early morning train at 9:10 am which got us into Verona at 10:38 am. Later that day we got the 7:22 pm train back to Venice, getting us back at 8:50 pm. This means we had a good 7 hours in Verona itself. This was plenty of time to see everything and stop for food and drinks along the way.
Verona Arena
First things first, head to Verona Arena. This really is the star of the show. Its huge structure towers above you as you walk over to it. It is one of the best preserved structures of its kind and dates back to 30 AD. Back when it was originally built, it would have been used for gladiator shows and other tournaments. Today it is still used for concerts and opera performances. You can go inside the arena for approx £14 each. Walk in between the rows of arched walls and climb the giant steps all the way to the top. Sit back and relax in the atmosphere as you can imagine the roaring crowds of the gladiator matches.
Piazza Brà
After your visit inside Verona Arena, have a wander around Piazza Brà. This is the main square of Verona. You will find a lovely park, cobblestone streets and restaurants lining the Piazza. This is an excellent place to stop and have lunch. We went to Ristorante Pizzeria La Costa in Bra and it was a fantastic area to people watch and admire the backdrop of the amphitheatre. Make sure you sit back in Italian style with pizza and a spritz.
Juliet’s House
Our next activity of the day was Juliet’s House. This site is believed to have inspired William Shakespeare’s legendary tale of Romeo and Juliet. Particularly the iconic scene where Juliet speaks those famous words off her balcony. It is free to enter the courtyard and view Juliet’s balcony. If you want to go inside the house, there is an entry price of around £10 per person. We just went into the courtyard.
When you are there, you can view the balcony, the bronze Juliet statue and also put a love lock on the fence. You can buy a little heart shaped lock in the shop there for 5 euro and they provide you with a pen to write on it. This was a cute little activity that was fun to do.
There is also the bronze statue of Juliet, which is the main reason there are so many crowds. People line up to touch the right breast of the statue (and take pictures doing it). Apparently, this is supposed to give you good luck in love. However, the whole affair has just become another tourist trap. Another glaring obvious point was the creepy men and the underlying uncomfortable sexual tone. It was a no from me. I personally felt like the whole experience was not great. There was not much to it and the crowds were ridiculous. It was cool to see but the droves of rowdy people made it rather distasteful.
Ponte Pietra and Castel San Pietro
I highly recommend that you walk up to Castel San Pietro via the Ponte Pietra Bridge. This is a lovely walk through Verona Town and then over the Ponte Pietra bridge itself. Whilst on the bridge you can admire the view of the River Adige with its rapid current and vast waters. From here you can walk up to Castel San Pietro via the steps or take the funicular.
The walk is not for the faint-hearted, as you will have to climb up 231 steps. However, it is definitely worth the view at the top. Alternatively, ride the Verona Funicular to the top of the castle, which only costs three euros for a return ticket.
The view from the top is absolutely spectacular. I personally love a view, I find them so mesmerising and beautiful. You can see for miles, back over Verona city, Ponte Pietra and the River Adige. There are plenty of areas to sit, take photos and enjoy the view.
Re Teodorico
At the top of the castle area you will find a lovely terrace bar called Re Teodorico. Treat yourself to a drink out on a terrace after your trek up the hill. It has a lovely atmosphere, refreshing drinks and bar snacks if you are hungry. It is a fantastic spot to take a rest and admire the view over Verona.
Where To Eat In Verona?
We made sure to grab a delightful evening meal before we got the train back to Venice. We found a quaint little restaurant off the beaten track named Osteria Scudo di Francia. Here, we dined al fresco on a quiet back street where we shared a bottle of red wine and sampled some Italian pasta. We took the plunge and tried something that we had never tried before. Bigoli with donkey ragu. The dish was tasty but I would give it an average score of 6/10. I found the ragu to be very rich and the al dente pasta was a little too al dente for my liking.
What is Bigoli Pasta?
Bigoli pasta is a traditional type of pasta originating from the Veneto region of Italy, particularly from the city of Venice. It is similar to spaghetti but with a thicker and rougher texture. Bigoli pasta is typically made from a dough of flour and water, sometimes with the addition of eggs, which is then extruded through a special press called a bigolaro. This press has a brass or bronze die with larger holes than those used for making spaghetti, resulting in a thicker noodle.
Traditionally, bigoli pasta is served with hearty sauces such as ragù or anchovy sauce. Its rough texture allows it to hold onto sauces more effectively, making it a popular choice for dishes with rich and robust flavours. Bigoli pasta is often enjoyed during special occasions or festivals in the Veneto region, where it is considered a local delicacy.
For further Italian trip inspiration check out:
What To Do In Venice: Castello and Cannaregio
What To Do In Venice: A 1 Day Itinerary
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