On our way to Bolzano in the Italian Alps, we visited Verona. This northern Italian city is famous for being the setting of Shakespeare’s "Romeo and Juliet." It's home to a 14th-century house said to have “Juliet’s balcony,” even though the building’s connection to the play is fictional.
As the legend goes, rubbing the bronze right breast of the Juliet statue in the courtyard will turn around your luck with love. The statue had to be replaced in 2014 when that part of her anatomy had been rubbed thin.
Verona is also famous for its Roman amphitheater, the Arena, found in the city's largest piazza, the Piazza Bra. Completed around 30 AD, it is the third largest in Italy and at one time could seat some 25,000 spectators. It has remained in use even today for public events, fairs, theatre and open-aired opera during warm summer nights.
Porta Borsari is an ancient Roman gate in Verona. It dates to the 1st century AD though it was most likely built over a pre-existing gate from the 1st century BC. An inscription on the gate reports another reconstruction in 265 AD.
The frescoed Mazzanti Houses from the late 1500’s can be found in the Piazza delle Erbe (Market's square). It was once the town's forum during the time of the Roman Empire.
We all decided we would love to spend a few days exploring Verona so we reluctantly returned to our bus and headed towards Bolzano. After enjoying the beautiful scenery of the Alps, it didn’t take long for us to get excited about our next adventure.
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