Begin at the Arena di Verona (Piazza Bra), Verona's magnificent 1st-century Roman amphitheatre. Walk north along Via Mazzini to reach Piazza delle Erbe, the ancient Roman forum. Climb the Lamberti Tower for a panoramic view over the rooftops.

Cross into Piazza dei Signori to admire the Loggia del Consiglio and the Scaligeri Tombs — among the finest Gothic funerary monuments in Italy. Walk to Porta Borsari and Arco dei Gavi nearby.

The streets around Piazza delle Erbe come alive at dusk — ideal for an aperitivo with local Soave before sitting down to dinner.

Cross Ponte Pietra, the city's oldest Roman bridge, to reach the Teatro Romano on the northern riverbank. Take the funicular to the hilltop for sweeping views of Verona and the Adige. Visit the small archaeological museum inside.

Head to Castelvecchio, the magnificent 14th-century Scaligeri fortress, and walk across the Ponte Scaligero. Explore the Castelvecchio Museum — one of northern Italy's finest collections of medieval and Renaissance art.

Walk along the Lungadige as the light fades on the old city walls. Dinner in the Veronetta neighbourhood across the river — less touristy and genuinely local.

Arena di Verona (Piazza Bra) — explore the Roman amphitheatre thoroughly. Walk the full perimeter, noting the Palazzo Barbieri (city hall) and the Gran Guardia palace.

Via Mazzini to Piazza delle Erbe. Climb the Lamberti Tower. Duck into Piazza dei Signori, then find the hidden Arche Scaligere around the corner.

Aperitivo on Piazza delle Erbe — the atmospheric square at golden hour is unforgettable. Dinner nearby on Via Sottoriva or Via XX Settembre.

Cross Ponte Pietra to the Roman Theatre (Teatro Romano). Explore the theatre and the attached archaeological museum. Climb Colle San Pietro for panoramic views.

Castelvecchio and its Scaligeri bridge. Then walk to Porta Borsari and Arco dei Gavi — two of the best-preserved Roman monuments in northern Italy.

Dinner in the San Zeno neighbourhood, to the west of the centre — a genuine, working-class Veronese quarter with excellent trattorias.

San Zeno Maggiore — one of the great Romanesque basilicas of Italy. The bronze doors, the rose window, and Mantegna's altarpiece inside are breathtaking. Take time in the cloister.

Explore Porta Leoni (Via Leoni) and the church of Sant'Anastasia with its extraordinary Gothic interior and Pisanello fresco.

Final dinner in the centro storico. After three days of history, you've earned a proper Veronese meal with Amarone.

Arena di Verona (Piazza Bra) — a thorough visit. Walk the perimeter of Piazza Bra, noting the Palazzo Barbieri and Gran Guardia palace.

Piazza delle Erbe, Lamberti Tower, Piazza dei Signori, Arche Scaligere. Then Porta Borsari and Arco dei Gavi.

Aperitivo on Piazza delle Erbe. Dinner near Via Sottoriva.

Ponte Pietra and the Roman Theatre with its archaeological museum. Funicular to Colle San Pietro.

Castelvecchio Museum and Ponte Scaligero. Walk the medieval city walls section near Castel San Felice.

Dinner in the Veronetta neighbourhood — cross the river and eat where the university students eat.

San Zeno Maggiore — Romanesque masterpiece with cloister, bronze doors, and Mantegna altarpiece.

Sant'Anastasia (Gothic interior, Pisanello's St George fresco), then the Duomo di Verona with Titian's Assumption of the Virgin.

Evening walk along the Lungadige at dusk. Dinner in the San Zeno quarter.

Porta Leoni (Via Leoni) and Roman ruins visible beneath the street grating. The church of San Fermo Maggiore — a double-layered Romanesque/Gothic gem most tourists walk past.

Day trip to the Roman ruins at the Villa of Catullo in Sirmione on Lake Garda (40 minutes by car) — a dramatic Roman villa on a headland above the lake.

Return to Verona for a final celebratory dinner. Book a restaurant in advance for this last night.

Start with a colazione at a proper bar near Piazza delle Erbe — a cornetto and cappuccino standing at the counter, the Veronese way. Browse the morning market and visit the enoteca district around Corso Porta Borsari to pick up bottles of Amarone, Soave, and Bardolino.

Head north to the Valpolicella wine zone (20 minutes by car) — visit a family-run cantina for a tasting of Valpolicella Classico, Ripasso, and the king of all, Amarone della Valpolicella.

Dinner in Verona — seek out pastissada de caval, risotto all'Amarone, and pearà sauce. This is the real Veronese table.

Explore the Mercato di Piazza delle Erbe for local pecorino, Monte Veronese cheese, and salumi. Visit a traditional pasticceria for pandoro — the star-shaped cake born in Verona.

Take a short drive east to the Soave wine zone (30 minutes) — the medieval walled village of Soave is stunning and the local white wine is one of Italy's finest.

Sunset aperitivo on Piazza Bra with a Bardolino Chiaretto rosé. Dinner focused on bollito misto con pearà — the boiled meats with pepper-bread sauce that is Verona's great dish.

Piazza delle Erbe market — absorb the colours, smells, and the daily life of the city. Visit the historic Bottega del Vino (Via Scudo di Francia) — one of Verona's most iconic wine bars, with a cellar of over 2,500 labels.

Drive or take a bus to the Valpolicella Classico zone — visit the village of Sant'Ambrogio di Valpolicella and a local cantina for Amarone and Recioto della Valpolicella.

Dinner in Verona centred on risotto all'Amarone — the iconic Veronese first course where the wine IS the risotto.

East to Soave (30 min). Walk the walls of the medieval village, climb the castle, and taste the DOC Soave Classico whites — mineral, elegant, underrated.

Drive south to the shores of Lake Garda for Bardolino — the lakeside village where the light red and Bardolino Chiaretto rosé are produced. Lunch with lake views.

Return to Verona. Traditional dinner with lesso (boiled meat), pearà sauce, and local vegetables. Monte Veronese cheese to finish.

Cooking class in Verona — several local schools offer morning sessions in traditional Veronese cuisine. Learn to make pasta al torchio, gnocchi, or risotto all'Amarone with a local chef.

Visit the Mercato Coperto or browse the artisan food shops along Via Mazzini. Stock up on Monte Veronese, local honey, Valpolicella oils, and pandoro.

Final dinner with a full Veronese tasting menu and wine pairings — Verona's food, wines, and medieval setting make for one of Italy's great dining experiences.

Piazza delle Erbe market and the Bottega del Vino — start with the best wine bar in the city.

Valpolicella — winery visit and tasting of Amarone, Ripasso, and Recioto.

Dinner focused on pastissada de caval and risotto all'Amarone.

East to Soave village — walk the walls, visit the castle, taste Soave Classico.

South to Bardolino and the Lake Garda shore. Lunch with lake views, tasting Bardolino and Chiaretto.

Return to Verona. Bollito misto con pearà and Monte Veronese cheese.

Veronese cooking class — pasta, gnocchi, or risotto with a local instructor.

Artisan food shopping — Via Mazzini area, the covered market, local pasticcerie for pandoro and nadalin. Garda olive oil is exceptional and travels well.

Wine bar crawl in the historic centre — Piazza delle Erbe, Via Sottoriva, and the Veronetta neighbourhood across the river.

Drive into the Lessinia hills north of Verona — agriturismo country, where local farms serve carne salada, polenta, and mushrooms.

Stop in Grezzana or Cerro Veronese for the local Lessinia DOC wine. Return via the scenic Valpantena valley.

Final dinner — book somewhere special. End with a grappa from a Valpolicella producer.

Begin at Giardino Giusti (Via Giardino Giusti 2) — one of Italy's finest Renaissance gardens, climbing the terraced hillside above the Adige. The view from the top, framed by cypress trees, is among the most beautiful in Verona. Allow 90 minutes.

Walk along the Lungadige from Ponte Pietra to Ponte Navi — with the old city walls reflected in the water. Cross Ponte Pietra and climb Colle San Pietro for hilltop views over the city.

Aperitivo on the terraces of a bar with river views. The Veronetta neighbourhood on the east bank has excellent spots overlooking the water.

Day trip to Lake Garda — take the SS12 west (40 minutes by car). A morning walk along the Bardolino lakefront with coffee at a waterfront bar is a perfect antidote to city sightseeing.

Continue north along the Garda shore to Torri del Benaco, or take a ferry to Salò for a taste of the western shore. The lakeside olive groves and lemon gardens are extraordinary.

Return to Verona. Dinner in the San Zeno neighbourhood — sit outside if the weather allows.

Giardino Giusti (Via Giardino Giusti 2) — the Renaissance garden terraces and cypress-lined paths. Spend a full unhurried morning here. Then walk along the Lungadige toward Ponte Pietra.

Climb Colle San Pietro — the hill above the Roman Theatre. The summit park offers shade, benches, and the best free panoramic view in Verona. Picnic here with bread, local cheese, and a bottle of Soave.

Sunset from Castel San Pietro — watching the sun set over Verona's rooftops and the Adige bend is one of those moments you do not forget.

Drive north into the Lessinia Regional Natural Park (30-40 minutes). The high plateau offers walks through beech forests, gorges, and views to the Alps.

Walk the trail around Ponte di Veja — a natural stone arch considered one of the most impressive in Europe, hidden in the Lessinia hills. Picnic or lunch at a local agriturismo.

Return to Verona. Dinner in the Borgo Trento neighbourhood — a quiet, residential area west of the centre with good local restaurants.

Lake Garda — drive west to Bardolino (40 min) for a walk along the lakefront. Then take the short ferry from Torri del Benaco across to Garda town.

Explore the Punta San Vigilio headland near Garda — one of the most beautiful spots on the entire lake, with an ancient olive grove, a small private beach, and a historic villa.

Return to Verona in time for sunset drinks on Piazza Bra.

Giardino Giusti — Renaissance terraced gardens and panoramic views over Verona.

Lungadige riverside walk and Colle San Pietro hilltop — the best free view in the city.

Sunset from Castel San Pietro. Dinner in Veronetta.

Drive north to the Lessinia Regional Natural Park. Walk to Ponte di Veja natural arch.

Continue to the high Lessinia plateau — Bosco Chiesanuova village is a good base. Walks through beech and chestnut forests with views toward Monte Baldo and the Alps.

Return to Verona via the Valpantena valley — a green, rural valley almost entirely unknown to tourists.

Lake Garda eastern shore — Bardolino and Lazise (walled medieval village). Morning walk along the lake.

Ferry from Torri del Benaco to Toscolano Maderno (western shore) — the ferry journey itself is part of the experience.

Return to Verona. Dinner in the San Zeno neighbourhood.

Monte Baldo — take the cable car from Malcesine (1 hour from Verona) to the summit ridge at 1,760m. Views over Lake Garda and toward the Dolomites are staggering.

Hike along the Monte Baldo ridge. In spring, the wildflower meadows here are extraordinary — Monte Baldo is a UNESCO-recognised botanical zone.

Return to Verona for a final dinner. After mountains and lake, the city's medieval streets feel even more beautiful.

Stroll through Piazza Bra and around the Arena di Verona — even without attending opera, the scale of the amphitheatre is extraordinary. Browse the boutiques along Via Mazzini, Verona's elegant shopping street.

Visit Juliet's House (Casa di Giulietta, Via Cappello 23) — the famous balcony, courtyard, and bronze statue of Juliet are iconic. Wander Piazza delle Erbe for market atmosphere and street performers.

The crown jewel: an opera at the Arena di Verona during the summer festival (June–September). Experiencing Verdi's Aida in a 2,000-year-old Roman amphitheatre under the stars is one of the world's great cultural events.

Explore the antique and art galleries along Via Sottoriva and the streets around Piazza dei Signori. Verona has an active art scene with several excellent contemporary galleries.

Take the funicular up to the Roman Theatre (Teatro Romano) — in summer it hosts jazz, theatre, and dance as part of the Estate Teatrale Veronese festival.

Verona's aperitivo and nightlife scene — the streets around Piazza delle Erbe and Via Sottoriva fill up from 18:00. Cocktails, cicchetti, and the social energy of a city that knows how to enjoy itself.

Piazza Bra and the Arena exterior. Via Mazzini shopping and window browsing. The Galleria Borsari and boutiques around Corso Porta Borsari.

Juliet's House (Casa di Giulietta) and the surrounding streets. Piazza delle Erbe market atmosphere. Lamberti Tower for city views.

Arena di Verona opera — the main event. Aida, Nabucco, Carmen, or Rigoletto in the ancient amphitheatre. Book early, dress in layers, bring a cushion.

The Roman Theatre (Teatro Romano) complex across the river. Check the Estate Teatrale Veronese programme. Colle San Pietro views.

Explore the Veronetta neighbourhood — independent shops, street art, and bars popular with the local university crowd. Very different from the tourist centre.

Jazz or theatre at the Roman Theatre, or a concert at one of Verona's smaller venues. The city has a rich live music scene beyond the Arena.

Day trip to Mantova (Mantua) — 45 minutes by train. One of Italy's most beautiful Renaissance cities, with extraordinary art in the Palazzo Ducale and Palazzo Te.

Return to Verona. Last-minute shopping on Via Mazzini and Via Cappello.

Final aperitivo on Piazza delle Erbe and dinner at a restaurant you've been meaning to try. The summer evenings in Verona's centre — warm air, medieval buildings lit gold — are unforgettable.

Arena di Verona exterior and Piazza Bra. Via Mazzini shopping.

Juliet's House, Piazza delle Erbe, Lamberti Tower.

Opera at the Arena di Verona — the unmissable Verona experience. Book at arena.it months in advance.

Roman Theatre (Teatro Romano) and Colle San Pietro views.

Castelvecchio Museum and Ponte Scaligero — the collection is world-class and beautifully displayed.

Estate Teatrale Veronese at the Roman Theatre — jazz, dance, or theatre in a hilltop Roman setting.

Veronetta neighbourhood exploration — street art, independent cafés, local market.

Day trip to Mantova by train (45 min) — Palazzo Ducale, Palazzo Te, the medieval centre.

Return to Verona. Aperitivo bar crawl around Piazza delle Erbe and Via Sottoriva.

Final morning in the city — revisit your favourite piazza, have a long breakfast, buy last gifts at the artisan shops along Via Mazzini.

Check the Veronafiere (Viale del Lavoro 8) programme — when not hosting Vinitaly, the complex hosts concerts and cultural events throughout the year.

Farewell dinner — a proper sit-down meal with Amarone, pearà, and pandoro for dessert.

Begin at the Castelvecchio Museum (Corso Castelvecchio 2) — the undisputed highlight of Verona's museum world. Carlo Scarpa's 1960s renovation of the 14th-century Scaligeri fortress is itself a masterpiece of design. Allow at least two hours for Pisanello, Mantegna, Bellini, Tintoretto, Veronese, and the celebrated equestrian statue of Cangrande I.

Walk to the Museo Lapidario Maffeiano on Piazza Bra (founded 1745 — one of Europe's oldest public museums) for its extraordinary collection of Greek, Roman, and Etruscan inscriptions and sculpture. Nearby, the Museo degli Affreschi G.B. Cavalcaselle contains detached fresco fragments and the so-called Tomb of Juliet in a medieval convent garden.

Aperitivo in the lanes near Piazza dei Signori — the working heart of old Verona.

Palazzo Maffei Casa Museo (Piazza delle Erbe) — inside the magnificent 17th-century Baroque palazzo at the top of Verona's most famous square, Luigi Carlon's private collection brings together extraordinary works by Picasso, Kandinsky, Braque, Dalí, De Chirico, Fontana, and Morandi. The combination of Baroque architecture and 20th-century masters is quietly astonishing. Then the Biblioteca Capitolare (Via Vescovado 13, beside the Cathedral) — founded around 517 AD and considered the oldest library in continuous operation in the world, with illuminated manuscripts and ancient codices of the highest importance.

Day trip to Mantova by train (45 minutes). The Palazzo Ducale is one of Italy's great Renaissance complexes; inside, the Camera degli Sposi by Andrea Mantegna — painted in 1474 — is among the most beautiful rooms in European art. If time allows, add Palazzo Te for Giulio Romano's dizzying frescoes.

Return to Verona for dinner. The Veronetta neighbourhood across the river is ideal — local, unaffected, and far from the tourist circuit.

Castelvecchio Museum — plan a full, unhurried morning. The Scarpa-designed sequence of rooms rewards slow attention. The Cangrande statue, displayed at head height, is unforgettable up close.

Museo Lapidario Maffeiano on Piazza Bra. Then the Museo Miniscalchi-Erizzo (Via San Mammaso 2) — a largely unknown private-collection museum inside a Renaissance palazzo: arms and armour, bronzes, ivories, medieval and Renaissance decorative objects. One of Verona's best-kept secrets.

Dinner in the San Zeno neighbourhood, west of the centre.

Palazzo Maffei Casa Museo (Piazza delle Erbe) — Picasso, Kandinsky, Braque, Dalí, De Chirico, Fontana, and Morandi inside a 17th-century Baroque palazzo on Verona's most celebrated square. One of northern Italy's finest private collections, and one of its least crowded. Then the Museo degli Affreschi G.B. Cavalcaselle and the Tomb of Juliet — a quiet, scholarly gem in a medieval convent garden.

Biblioteca Capitolare (Via Vescovado 13, beside the Cathedral) — the oldest library in continuous operation in the world, founded around 517 AD. Its collection of illuminated manuscripts, Gospels, and ancient codices is exceptional. Spend time in the adjacent Duomo di Verona, where Titian's Assumption of the Virgin hangs above the altar.

Aperitivo on Piazza delle Erbe. Dinner on Via Sottoriva — the most atmospheric street in the old city.

Day trip to Mantova by train (45 min) — Palazzo Ducale, Camera degli Sposi, and Palazzo Te. Giulio Romano's frescoes in the Sala dei Giganti at Palazzo Te are among the most extraordinary in Italy.

Return via the countryside. Stop in Valeggio sul Mincio — a beautiful medieval village with a castle and riverside park.

Final dinner back in Verona. After three museum days, you have earned a proper Veronese meal with Amarone.

Castelvecchio Museum — Verona's masterpiece. Take the full morning.

Museo Lapidario Maffeiano and Museo Miniscalchi-Erizzo — two very different collections within walking distance of each other.

Dinner in the Veronetta neighbourhood.

Palazzo Maffei Casa Museo (Piazza delle Erbe) and Museo degli Affreschi with the Tomb of Juliet.

Biblioteca Capitolare (Via Vescovado 13) — the world's oldest continuously operating library, with illuminated manuscripts and ancient codices beside the Cathedral.

Aperitivo on Piazza delle Erbe. Dinner on Via Sottoriva.

Full day in Mantova — Palazzo Ducale (Camera degli Sposi), Palazzo Te (Sala dei Giganti), and the medieval centre of one of Italy's most beautiful small cities.

Continue exploring Mantova: the Rotonda di San Lorenzo, Piazza delle Erbe, and the remarkable Basilica di Sant'Andrea.

Return to Verona. Dinner in the San Zeno quarter.

Vittoriale degli Italiani (Gardone Riviera, Lake Garda — 1 hour by car): Gabriele D'Annunzio's extraordinary home-museum, a theatrical, obsessive monument to Italian culture with a warship in the garden, a biplane suspended in a hall, and rooms frozen in time. One of the strangest and most compelling places in Italy.

Walk along the Garda lakefront at Gardone Riviera. Return to Verona via Bardolino and the eastern shore.

Farewell dinner in Verona — book somewhere special for this final night.