The Roman Arena, Piazza delle Erbe, Juliet's house and the Scaliger Tombs in the morning, San Zeno and Castelvecchio in the afternoon.
Verona, on the River Adige, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000: a Roman city, later ruled by the Della Scala family and Venice, perfect for exploring on foot. In the morning you'll see the Arena, Piazza delle Erbe above the ancient forum, Juliet's courtyard and Piazza dei Signori with the Gothic tombs of the Scaligeri. After lunch, the Basilica of San Zeno with Mantegna's altarpiece, and Castelvecchio with its crenellated bridge over the Adige.
Times are a guide: driving times are worked out without traffic, then come the visits and ten minutes at every stop to park. In summer towards the coast and at rush hour allow extra time.
Verona's Roman amphitheatre was built in the 1st century AD, outside the city walls of the time, and is one of the best preserved in the world. Only one section of the outer ring remains, the so-called 'ala', after the earthquake of 1117; the inner ring and tiers of seating are almost intact. Since 1913, with Verdi's Aida, it has hosted opera every summer before thousands of spectators.
Admission charge. On performance evenings in summer, visits close in the early afternoon.
It stands above the forum of Roman Verona and is still the market square. In the centre is the Madonna Verona fountain, commissioned by Cansignorio della Scala in 1368 with a Roman statue; around it are frescoed houses, Palazzo Maffei and the column with the lion of St Mark, the symbol of Venice. Next to it is the Torre dei Lamberti, 84 metres high: you can take the lift up and see the whole city.
The square is free to enter; the tower has its own admission charge.
In Via Cappello there's the mediaeval house of the Dal Cappello family, which tradition links to Shakespeare's Capulets. The famous balcony was added in the 1930s when the house was restored for visitors. In the courtyard there's a bronze statue of Juliet. Romeo and Juliet is a story, but the tale of the two feuding families was already being told in Verona before Shakespeare.
The courtyard is free to enter (often crowded: entry in turns); the house and balcony have an admission charge.
The government square of the Della Scala family, the lords of Verona in the 14th century, with a statue of Dante at its centre: Cangrande della Scala hosted him during his years of exile. A little further on are the Arche Scaligere, the Gothic tombs of the family, enclosed by wrought-iron railings with the ladder symbol. Above Cangrande's tomb is his equestrian statue (the original is in the Castelvecchio museum).
The tombs are clearly visible from outside.
This is one of the most beautiful Romanesque churches in Italy, rebuilt in the 12th century over the tomb of St Zeno, the patron bishop of Verona. The façade has a great rose window called the 'Wheel of Fortune' and a bronze portal with almost fifty panels depicting stories from the Bible. Inside, on the high altar, is the San Zeno Altarpiece by Andrea Mantegna, painted between 1457 and 1459, and in the crypt the body of the saint.
Admission charge; the cloister is included.
The castle was built between 1354 and 1356 by Cangrande II della Scala, with a crenellated bridge of red brick for escaping across the Adige. In 1945 the retreating Germans blew up the bridge, which was rebuilt using bricks and stones recovered from the river. Today the castle houses the civic museum, designed by architect Carlo Scarpa: sculptures, paintings by Mantegna, Pisanello, Bellini and Veronese, and the equestrian statue of Cangrande.
Museum closed on Mondays. The bridge and courtyard are free to enter.
How long it takes from each town, the drive back included. Tap a town to see the plan from there.
Almost every old town has a limited traffic zone (ZTL) with cameras: park outside and walk in. The fine reaches your home, abroad too. ZTL and car parks town by town
Romagna Transfer picks you up at your hotel, drops you in front of every stop and brings you back: no parking, no ZTL, and the wine is yours to enjoy.
The centre on foot in the morning, the sanctuary of San Luca, the Certosa and the Arca di San Domenico in the afternoon
10 h 30 from Cervia e Milano Marittima Full day
The plan
The Ducati Museum in Borgo Panigale, the Lamborghini Museum in Sant'Agata Bolognese, then Maranello and the Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena.
11 h 05 from Cervia e Milano Marittima Full day
The plan
The UNESCO World Heritage Cathedral and Ghirlandina tower, the Albinelli market, a vinegar cellar and the Ferrari Museum in Maranello.
9 h 35 from Cervia e Milano Marittima Full day
The plan
Mantegna's Camera degli Sposi, the squares and Leon Battista Alberti's Sant'Andrea in the morning, Giulio Romano's Palazzo Te in the afternoon.
10 h 15 from Cervia e Milano Marittima Full day
The plan
The Pilotta with the Teatro Farnese, the Cathedral with Correggio's dome and the pink Baptistery in the morning, the castle in the prosciutto hills in the afternoon.
10 h 35 from Cervia e Milano Marittima Full day
The plan
The Duomo with the Piccolomini Library and Duccio's Maestà in the morning, Piazza del Campo, the Palazzo Pubblico and Torre del Mangia in the afternoon.
10 h 45 from Cervia e Milano Marittima Full day
The plan
The Duomo with the Piccolomini Library and Duccio's Maestà in the morning, Piazza del Campo and the Palazzo Pubblico in the afternoon, and on the way back the walled village of Monteriggioni.
11 h 50 from Cervia e Milano Marittima Long half day
The plan
The Scaliger Castle, a boat trip and the Grotte di Catullo in Sirmione in the morning, the walled village of Lazise on the Verona shore in the afternoon.
11 h 10 from Cervia e Milano Marittima Full day
The plan
The Rocca Scaligera, a boat trip and the Grotte di Catullo in Sirmione in the morning, Lazise and Bardolino, the wine town, on the Verona shore in the afternoon.
12 h 25 from Cervia e Milano Marittima Too far
The plan
Medieval towers, the frescoed Collegiata and views over the Val d'Elsa, then the walled village of Monteriggioni.
10 h 55 from Cervia e Milano Marittima Full day
The plan
Piazza dei Miracoli with the Tower, the Cathedral and the Baptistery in the morning, Lucca with its tree-lined walls, Piazza dell'Anfiteatro and Torre Guinigi in the afternoon.
11 h 40 from Cervia e Milano Marittima Long half day
The plan
Piazza dei Miracoli with the Tower, the Cathedral and the Baptistery in the morning, the centre with Piazza dei Cavalieri, Borgo Stretto and Santa Maria della Spina on the Arno in the afternoon.
10 h 50 from Cervia e Milano Marittima Full day
The plan
The Rocca Sanvitale in its moat with Parmigianino's little room, the fortress of the Meli Lupi princes, then the lands of Giuseppe Verdi.
11 h 30 from Cervia e Milano Marittima Full day
The plan
The medieval village with the Rocca Viscontea, the walled town among the vineyards, then the fairytale village built by the Visconti di Modrone
11 h 35 from Cervia e Milano Marittima Long half day
The plan
The Torrazzo, the Cathedral and the Violin Museum in Cremona in the morning, the Gonzaga ideal city of Sabbioneta in the afternoon.
11 h 15 from Cervia e Milano Marittima Full day
The plan
The Teatro Olimpico and Basilica Palladiana in Vicenza in the morning, Palladio's wooden bridge and grappa in Bassano in the afternoon.
11 h 20 from Cervia e Milano Marittima Full day
The plan
Take the funicular to the old town: Piazza Vecchia, Santa Maria Maggiore, the Colleoni Chapel and the walls, then the Accademia Carrara
12 h 05 from Cervia e Milano Marittima Too far
The plan
The Legend of the True Cross and Piazza Grande in Arezzo in the morning, Cortona on the hill above the Val di Chiana in the afternoon.
10 h 25 from Cervia e Milano Marittima Full day
The plan
The castle where the emperor begged the pope's forgiveness, the red fortress of Rossena, then the mountain mentioned by Dante.
10 h 50 from Cervia e Milano Marittima Full day
The plan
Colourful seaside villages in Liguria, one after another by train: the view of Manarola, the harbour of Vernazza, the beach of Monterosso.
12 h 10 from Cervia e Milano Marittima Too far
The planTrips written by our editors from the facts of our monument pages and the official sites. Opening days and hours change: the note under every place tells you what to check before you leave. No prices: you find them on the museums' sites.
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