Epic 2 Days in Verona: What to See, Do, and Skip

Spending 2 days in Verona is always a good idea. Honestly, spending any time in Verona is a delight. Seriously! While this smaller Italian city isn’t unknown to tourists, it still is far less visited than the big hitters like Rome, Milan, Florence, Venice, etc.

Yet, it has the epitome of Italy. There are ancient Roman ruins, historical churches, gorgeous vineyards nearby, and it may just be the perfect place for that la dolce far niente.

I was lucky enough to explore Verona during a trip with Chris last fall. We were there for a work conference for Chris, but we got to explore the city and nearby area. And it surprised me in the best way.

So, in this guide, I’ll be discussing how to have the perfect 2 days in Verona, where to stay, and answer your burning questions about this city known for Romeo and Juliet. 

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2-Day Verona Itinerary Summary

Day 1: Full-Day Exploration of Verona

• Basilica di San Zeno
• Piazzale Castel San Pietro
• Optional stop: Museo Archeologico al Teatro Romano
• Ponte Pietra
• Piazza delle Erbe
• Juliet’s balcony if you want to see it
• Brusco Panini 
• Porta Borsari
• Arena di Verona
• La Tradision for apertivo 
• Antica Bottega del Vino

Day 2: Choose Your Own Adventure!

• Lake Garda Day Trip
• Winery day trip
• Explore more of Verona
• Tapa Sotto for dinner

Alright, let’s dive in below! 

Day 1: Full-Day Exploration of Verona

Today you’ve got a full day in Verona, so let’s make the most of it, but still leave time for enjoying the town!

Start out with a coffee at a bar! Don’t worry, I’m not recommending you pound a beer in the AM. Bars in Italy are little cafes with a counter where you can drink your espresso.

So to have coffee the Italian way, you can order a coffee and sip it at the bar before going about your day. You can also sit if you want a cappuccino and a breakfast pastry too. 

Some popular spots include Caffè Borsari, Bar at the Cathedral Cafe, and Valverde Cafe.

After that, you’re going to wander over to Basilica di San Zeno. The origins of this church go back to the 4th century, when a church was built over the tomb of Saint Zeno of Verona, the patron saint of Verona.

What is also special about this Medieval church is the bronze panels on the door, which show scenes from the Bible. It also features many frescoes and is honestly a really beautiful basilica.

After you’ve admired this church, I recommend walking over to Piazzale Castel San Pietro. And it isn’t just a casual stroll, as you will have to hike up the hill to get to the top. 

And if you listen to our podcast, you’ll know that Chris LOVES hills. So we climbed up it to Castle San Pietro. However, there is also a funicular should you opt out of a hilly climb. 

Regardless of how you get there, the views are magnificent! You’ve got the old city of Verona as well as the Adige River that bends around it. It is 100% worth going up here to check out.

And on the way down, you can even stop by the Museo Archeologico al Teatro Romano to see the ancient Roman amphitheater and the museum. We didn’t end up doing this, especially as you can see parts of it from the hill. However, if you’ve got the time and want to visit that and the museum, go for it!

Next up is Piazza delle Erbe, but you’re crossing over the Ponte Pietra on the way. This is the oldest bridge in Verona, and it dates back to 100 BC! Now, a lot of it was destroyed in WWII, but it has been rebuilt. So you can walk across it, enjoy the views of the city and river, and admire the tower there too.

Piazza delle Erbe is the oldest square in Verona, was once the Roman forum, and is now where you’ll find the market. It’s open every day but Sunday so you can walk around, get a souvenir, find a snack, etc. 

You’ll also enjoy the architecture here, as well as the Fountain of Madonna Verona, and the whale bone hanging under an arch that leads to Piazza dei Signori. It has been here for centuries, and it is located where political officials would walk on the bridge above between city hall and where they lived.

Legend goes that it will fall on the first innocent person to walk under the archway. It’s not moved in centuries…

After exploring this famous square, head over to probably one of the most overrated things to do in Verona (and honestly a place you can skip): Juliet’s balcony. 

The Casa di Giulietta has the famous balcony where Juliet is said to have met with Romeo. The thing is…it’s all made up as a story written by Shakespeare. This didn’t really happen and it’s honestly just… a cute balcony people stand under?

And the statue of Juliet is there but her top half is rubbed down for good luck (which I don’t like to see). Look, go and take a look at the place if you want, but it’s really overrated when there is so much else to see here. 

I even went to the museum to check it out one day while I was there, and it was mostly empty. They did have the bed from the 1968 Romeo and Juliet movie. And you can go stand on the balcony. It wasn’t worth the money if I’m being honest. 

After that, wander over to Brusco Panini to grab a delightful panini. I got the Guilieta sandwich with stracciatella, pistachio cream, and mortadella. It was SO good.

I ended up getting it to go, and then you can wander over past the Porta Borsari, where you can see an old 1st century Roman gate to the city! 

This is just a quick visit as you walk over to the little park across from the Arena di Verona. There are places to sit and enjoy your sandwich as you admire views of the arena across the way!

Then, after your lunch, you can head to the Arena di Verona. It’s been called the “most Italian place on Earth.” 

And it’s really cool to see! It’s even more intact than the colosseum in Rome! It’s almost 2,000 years old, and it is still used to this day! They even have the Arena di Verona Opera Festival!

This is a lot of fun to explore, climb to the top for views over the old city, and enjoy a glimpse at 2,000 years of history in a place still very much part of the community.

Pro-Tip: Don’t wait in that long line! Instead, Get Your Guide has the 24-hour Verona City Card with Priority Arena Entrance. This means you can skip the line! You just have to pick up the card at the tourism office on Palazzo Barbieri (it’s next to the arena). This includes this, and many attractions including the Basilica di San Zeno, the Museo Archeologico al Teatro Romano, and many more museums and attractions! 

After that, you’ve got the rest of the afternoon to just wander. Have a coffee somewhere, walk along the river, and embrace that la dolce far niente, or the sweetness of doing nothing.

Then, that evening before dinner, I recommend going for an aperitivo. That is pre-dinner drinks and small appetizers called cicchetti. 

The place to go is definitely La Tradision. This place serves up several spritzes, including the newer and growing in popularity Sarti spritz! You can also get a glass of wine and tasty cicchetti before going to dinner.

And for dinner, you’ve got to make reservations and go here: Antica Bottega del Vino was where we both had the best thing we ate in all of 2025! 

This wine-focused restaurant has a wine list that is a full on leather-bound book. And it is every bit as magnificent as you’d imagine. Being in the Veneto region, the wine here is very good!

You’ve got Soave and you’ve got that incredible Amarone, made with the appassimento technique, where grapes are partially dried to concentrate the flavors and sugar (it’s a dry wine, don’t worry!).

And it makes a very delicious wine. That is exactly what we got here as well as the Amarone risotto (which is a must try while in this area!). But the best thing we ate here was the starter: eggplant parmigiana. I’ve always been blown away by this dish in Italy, but this place made it perfectly! 

Enjoy, drink wine, have magnificent cuisine, and wrap up your day in Verona.

Day 2: Choose Your Own Adventure!

Yes, you could spend a full day in Verona and get the gist of it, so on this day, and because you’re in a great area for exploring the region, I recommend choosing an adventure!

The options include:

• Lake Garda: Yes, Sirmione at the bottom of Lake Garda is only about 45 minutes away or so via car! Admire the Castello Scaligero, walk along the lake, and perhaps visit the Roman ruins at Grottoes of Catullus. You can also explore Bardolino. If you have a car you can do this on your own, or you could go on a guided tour from Verona of Sirmione here!
• Wine Tour: Verona is also super close to nearby wine areas like Soave, known for its iconic white wine called Soave Classico (made mostly from the Garganega grape), as well as Valpolicella, where you can taste Amarone. Soave also has the most gorgeous Medieval fortress you can visit called Castello di Soave. Check out a wine tour of Valpolicella here!
• Explore More of Verona: You could also spend an extra day meandering through Verona. Visit Basilica di Sant’ Anastasia (a beautiful Medieval church in the heart of the city), Palazzo Maffei Casa Museo for its art, or even check out the Castelvecchio Museum featuring art and old weapons in a Medieval palace. And if you didn’t visit Museo Archeologico al Teatro Romano the day before, do that! Or you can wander, sit at cafes, and enjoy! Verona is the perfect place for that!

Regardless of what you choose to do, I recommend having dinner at Tapa Sotto. This delicious restaurant has many small plates, cicchetti, and great wine! 

2 Days in Verona Map

Where to Stay in Verona

Here are some great hotels to check out while in Verona:

Hotel Firenze: This is where we stayed for several nights and it was great! We had a room with a kitchenette and fridge which was so nice! The interior design wasn’t the greatest, but overall, it had everything we needed and was perfectly comfortable! It is about a 12-minute walk to the historic center where the arena is located. It’s 11 minutes from the train station as well.

Book it here!

Best Western Plus Hotel de Capuleti: Best Western hotels in Europe are next level for sure! I’ve actually stayed in one in Reims and will be staying in another on an upcoming trip. They’re a solid choice. And this one has all the essentials, and it’s near the river and 7 minutes from the arena. It’s also only 22 minutes on foot from the train station. 

Book it here!

Hotel Milano & Spa: I don’t think you can be in a better spot for exploring, as their rooftop bar literally has views of the arena! It’s also like a minute away. Enjoy that, their spa, and their lovely rooms and you’re all set for Verona! It’s about a 24-minute walk to the train station. 

Book it here!

What to Do if You Have More Time in Verona

If you have more time in Verona, I have ideas on my choose your own adventure day to choose from! Explore more wineries nearby, as you’re in prime Veneto wine country!

Visit Lake Garda, or just explore more of the delights of the most quintessential Italian city!

Check out a wine tour here and Lake Garda tour here!

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some helpful tips for your questions about Verona.

1. Is 2 days enough in Verona?

Yes it is! Verona isn’t a huge city, and a lot of the main attractions are fairly centrally located, making seeing the highlights doable in a day, and another day is perfect for exploring the nearby area.

As Verona is a prime location to use as a base for day trips, spending at least 2 days here is a good idea!

2. When is the best time to visit Verona?

Verona isn’t nearly as bad as cities like Venice, Florence, and Rome, but even so, avoiding summertime is best as that is when you’ll face more crowds.

Also, it can be quite crowded during the Verona Opera Festival, which has events mostly in June-September. 

As always, visiting in the shoulder season like April-May and mid-September-October is perfect for less crowds and good weather!

We were there in mid-October and it was lovely, especially with the autumn colors starting!

3. What are the must-see things to do in Verona in 2 days?

I would say you’ve got to check out the Arena di Verona, Porta Borsari, Piazzale Castel San Pietro, Piazza delle Erbe, and Basilica di San Zeno while in Verona.

But really, tasting Amarone or Soave wine and having delicious local cuisine is a must-do here too!

Personally, I think Juliet’s Balcony is overrated, but if you want to see it, you do you!

4. Is Verona walkable?

Verona is actually pretty walkable overall! We walked the whole time while there!

There is a bus system too. Check out routes here! 

5. How do you get to Verona?

While Verona does have an airport serving many places in Europe, with many being seasonal, you’ll probably take the train here. 

Fly into Milan or Venice before coming here. We actually flew into Venice for this particular trip and visited there before exploring Verona. 

It’s about 1.5 hours from Venice Santa Lucia’s train station to Verona Porto Nuova (the train station for Verona). 

From Milan Centrale station, it is just shy of 2 hours away. 

Lastly, if you want to drive, it is about 1 hour, 20 minutes from Venice and around 2 hours from Verona. Check rental car prices here! Don’t forget to check local driving rules here!

6. Can you take a day trip from Verona?

Absolutely! Verona is actually a fabulous place to base yourself for day trips! 

You can hop on the train and check out Venice or Milan in a day! Or you can go wine tasting or even take a tour of Lake Garda!

7. Do you need to book things in advance?

It depends. For hotels and train tickets, it’s a good idea. In fact, when we were going there, train tickets were selling out fast. One was because we were going for a conference for Chris’s work and many other people were also taking the train there, but two is was during Verona’s Hostaria (which is a giant festival dedicated to taverns and wine/food with plenty of both!), so it was busy. 

Regardless, get train tickets and hotels in advance! Also, for the arena, I’d prebook that too via the City Card. For dinners, I’d prebook too if you can, especially for Antica Bottega del Vino because it books up quickly!

8. What to wear in Verona?

This largely depends on the weather, but sneakers are great for walking around all day! Jeans are fine too! 

Like most places in Europe, I’d avoid athletic gear, heels, and booty shorts. Other than that, wear what you want! 

9. Is Verona worth visiting?

I’ll be honest, I never even thought about visiting Verona or knew much about it until Chris told me he had a conference there.

However, you never have to twist my arm to go to Italy. So I went and was delighted in the best way. Just wandering the streets here truly made me feel like “this is the real Italy.”

Yes, all of Italy is the “real” Italy! But strolling along the river, having a coffee, getting a glass of exquisite wine, and just enjoying this city for what it is feels like what one dreams of doing on a vacation to Italy.

And thankfully, as Verona isn’t a huge tourist destination, and outside of Juliet’s balcony and the arena, it’s not that crowded. So you can enjoy an Italian city without fighting tons of people to see something. 

Personally, on my first trip to Italy I went to the big cities (Rome, Florence, Milan, and Naples) and didn’t enjoy it quite as much versus when I’ve gone back and visited the smaller places. Verona won me over, and I 100% recommend it for a trip to Italy!

I hope you enjoy your visit to Verona and the surrounding area as much as I did! Between some of Italy’s finest wine, amazing cuisine, and historical sites, Verona very much Italy in a nutshell.