Verona

Verona

Prettier than Milan and less busy with tourists than Venice, Verona is one of Italy’s most immediately likeable cities. Best known internationally as the home of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Verona is a city whose ancient past is instantly visible.

Flights to Verona take you direct to this historical heart of northern Italy: its Roman arena, the site of one of Europe’s best-known opera festivals, remains almost intact, while grand Renaissance spaces such as its central Piazza della Signoria still act as an open-air living room for people-watching locals. Verona also a great place for strolling and shopping, whether you prefer exploring the designer boutiques of Corso Porta Botari or eating local dishes such as bigoli pasta with duck in the restaurants lining the River Adige. Verona’s environs are as popular with visitors as the city itself, with the mountain-lined shores of Lake Garda so close to the city that it forms the backdrop for much of the area’s summer nightlife.