A trip to Verona: the heart of la dolce vita

We’re standing on platform 9 at Zurich main station and looking at the departures board, which says ‘Verona’ in large white letters. It’s hard to believe that you can travel from Zurich to the Italian city of love in less than five hours with no changes. After the train sets off, we first enjoy the view of the lakes in Central Switzerland before heading through the Gotthard Pass. With snacks and games, the time flies by. The first palm trees in Ticino exude a holiday atmosphere, and after Chiasso, the daily grind is literally left behind.

The city of Romeo and Juliet

The train slows down and, almost on time, pulls into the station beneath the large sign with white letters declaring: ‘Verona Porta Nuova’. Although it’s slightly cloudy, the heat of the late summer hits us as soon as we exit the train. On the way to our accommodation, we’re already enchanted by the many colourful houses with their small balconies. One of them is particularly special: a well-known scene from what is probably the most famous romantic tragedy in history is set there. ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is inextricably linked to Verona.

There are lots of cobblestone streets in the old town, and we’re glad we chose duffel bags instead of suitcases. It’s already late afternoon when we set off for a stroll through the many alleys. Again and again, the aroma of freshly baked dough makes our hungry bellies grumble, until we can no longer resist and treat ourselves to some fresh focaccia at a small shop.

Wir steuern hoch Richtung Castel San Pietro und entscheiden uns kurzerhand für die «Funicolare». Die Standseilbahn bringt uns über die Dächer der historischen Altstadt. We head up towards Castel San Pietro and decide to take the ‘Funicolare’. The funicular carries us over the rooftops of the historic old town. Those who prefer to walk can take a scenic staircase. We now arrive at one of the highest points in Verona. The city itself is only 59 meters above sea level. If you want to gain some altitude, you can climb the 368 steps of the historic spiral staircase of Torre dei Lamberti in the old town to a height of 84 metres.

The viewpoint at Castel San Pietro is not an insider’s tip, but is definitely worth a visit. From up here, you can also clearly see how the city is literally encircled by the Adige River. A sunset almost too picture-perfect to be true completes the experience. The golden evening sun literally makes the houses glow. To add to the mood, a street musician plays his guitar in the background. We weren’t expecting it to be this atmospheric.

Nature in the city

What surprises and delights us most is how quickly you can get into nature from the city. There are many beautiful and well-kept gardens in the region. The most famous of them, the Giardino Giusti, is within walking distance of the city centre. If you have a little more time, you can go on hikes through olive groves, woods and vineyards around Verona. There’s a well-developed network of cycle paths and countless hiking trails stretching from here to Lake Garda. Our short trip isn’t long enough to explore these, so we decide to walk up to the nearby Parco delle Colombare. There, we spread our picnic blanket under the trees and look out over the bustling city. We didn’t think we’d still need our mosquito repellent here. Pure nature, even in an urban area.

We soon discover during our stay that many places can be enjoyed alone and without the day trippers before 9 am and after 4 pm. A visit in the low season in spring or autumn is also worthwhile. We’re rewarded for getting up early today. We’re almost alone in front of the famous Arena di Verona. There are only a few children on their way to school, and a few adults grabbing an espresso as they head to work. In the morning, there’s no trace of the previous evening’s opera performances. The rising sun bathes the Roman amphitheatre – a structure older than the Colosseum – in orange light.

Even the lively Piazza delle Erbe in the centre of the old town is almost deserted at this time of day. Little by little, the city awakens and slowly there’s movement between the market stalls. Then, a short but intense downpour sets in, and we’re glad we have our rain jackets and small umbrellas with us. While we take shelter under an awning, we look in the window of one of the many bakeries in Verona: pastries filled with pistachio cream and all sorts of confectionery beckon to us from the window.

Between brick arches

After a hearty breakfast, we head towards the river for a stroll. The brick arches of the Via Sottoriva on both sides of the street remind us of the arcades in Bern. The colourful rows of houses with their bright shutters look highly photogenic. We stroll through shady alleys, cross the picturesque bridges of Ponte Pietra and Ponte Scaligero, and discover beautiful buildings from various eras everywhere we look. Well-preserved architecture from Roman times and the Middle Ages meets Baroque and Renaissance. Opposite the Castelvecchio castle, beautiful riverbanks invite us to linger – the perfect place for a gelato.

Music to our ears

On our last night, we decide to go for pizza. Tired from taking in all the sights of the city, we stroll back to our accommodation in the light of the streetlamps. Suddenly we hear music: amid old ornamental arches in a large courtyard that opens onto the street, we see people of all ages dancing the tango like figures in a music box. We’re completely entranced. A lovely surprise to cap off our trip – one that couldn’t have summed up the city’s elegant spirit for us any better.