"Ah Romeo, Romeo, why are you Romeo?“We all know the most famous love story of all time. Romeo and Juliet, the unfortunate lovers protagonists of the tragedy, live their love within the walls of the city of Verona. Here is an itinerary to rediscover the places linked to young lovers, a romantic path to discover the "City of Love".
The route begins where legend has it that one of the most famous and well-known scenes in the world took place at the Giulietta's home, in Via Cappello, in the historic center of the city of Verona. The entrance appears to be slightly hidden, even if it is easily identifiable at peak times given the large number of tourists who stop to be able to enter. Before reaching the real center of the action, you pass through the walls of Juliet, the walls that surround the entrance to the house, literally covered with the love messages of lovers from all over the world. A colorful and romantic collage that attracts young and old, where you can stop to declare your love for the beloved.
Thus we arrive in courtyard of Juliet, where the real protagonist is its balcony. It is easy to imagine the scene that we have all seen and reviewed in the cinema and in theaters, of the young Juliet looking out from the balcony and of the young Romeo declaring his love for her from the courtyard.
Here there are two other places worth stopping by: the statue of Juliet and wall of padlocks.
It is said that if you touch the breast of the statue of Juliet, it will bring good luck. This gesture has been done so many times that the effect on the statue itself is immediately noticeable, more lucid at the point where many tourists hoped to attract good luck. Unfortunately, recently, the statue has suffered some damage due to exposure to the elements and the numerous hugs received and has been replaced by a copy, while the original will undergo a restoration. Behind the statue is the wall of padlocks, where many couples in love wanted to seal their love. Don't miss the chance to become Juliet yourself and go up to the balcony, visiting the house inside as well. L'entrance is subject to charges, but I advise you to go there on the first Sunday of the month, as the ticket is reduced to € 1 (excluding the months from June to September).
The itinerary continues by getting to know the other protagonist of our story, Romeo, and visiting his house, a few steps away from Juliet's home. Reachable via a small walk that leads first in Piazza Erbe and then at the Arche Scaligere, passing through Piazza Dante, the lover's home is unfortunately can only be visited from the outside, being a private home. The building still retains all its ancient charm, and even if it is not possible to enter it, a plaque affixed to the outside of the building remembers its illustrious owner.
Continuing the visit towards the last stage, the Tomb of Juliet, cross the walls of Piazza Bra, where on the right side there is a small one bust of Shakespeare which he remembers as “Non esite mondo fuori delle mura di Verona”, a quote that recalls Romeo's exile in the nearby city of Mantua and a declaration of love for the city of Verona. After a walk, you reach Juliet's Tomb, the place where the unfortunate tragedy of our lovers is said to have ended. Here, a empty sarcophagus in red marble represents the burial place of the young heroine. Nowadays the place is made more joyful, thanks to the possibility of civilly joining in marriage. Admission is paid but here too, on the first Sunday of the month, the ticket is reduced to € 1.
If you are planning a visit to the splendid city of Verona and are unable to take advantage of the aforementioned reductions, I recommend that you buy the VeronaCard, which allows entry to the various monuments of the city. It can be purchased in major tobacconists and at the entrances of the main monuments, there are various versions and the flat rate changes according to the validity of the desired Card.
One last tip: if you want to make your visit even more romantic, be sure to visit Verona during Valentine's Day. In fact, in this period the city hosts Verona in Love, the event dedicated to love, during which numerous events are organized and the city is transformed into a magnificent ode to love and lovers.
