** Sorry that I didn't continue to post as I went, but internet was sometimes difficult to get and by the end of most nights, I was exhausted! I'm home now, but will continue to share my trip (in a series of blog posts). One perk is that the iPad wouldn't let me separate my paragraphs, and here I can.
Today was a full day in Verona - and it has to be one of the prettiest cities/towns in Italy. Yes, there were tourists, but it was the least touristy place we went (except for Juliet's balcony). I'll explain more in my recap post.
Our bed-and-breakfast was reasonably comfortable, and I'd stay there again. The only issue we had (besides poor wifi availability) was the door - it was a door with a really old, old-fashioned lock and key and we struggled to lock it and unlock it. Sometimes we'd get "home" and just leave it unlocked because it was such a hassle! Our first morning's breakfast was presided over by the owner's "Zia" - a very adorable old aunt who couldn't speak a lick of English. I was willing to try Italian, so we chatted - with lots of arm gesture and pointing at maps. She told me of the best places to see, which was nice to hear from a local.
After we left, we hopped on a Hop-on/Hop-Off bus tour, which was thoroughly enjoyable. Verona has an amazing mountainous skyline, and this bus tour took us into the mountains for a memorable site at the Sanctuary. We stopped off there for a while for lunch (with local Verona wine, some of which I brought back with me) and photographs. The view allowed us to see the medieval city walls, which are very well-preserved. Back on the bus, we stopped at the Teatro, where we got to climb the usable ruins (the stage was set up for a show that night) and then the Arena, which is known for their amazing operas. The arena is the best-preserved Roman amphitheater and is still in use today. That night's performance was "Carmen," which we didn't see because of time and money, but they had the set pieces for the other operas outside. We saw Juliet's balcony, Aida's Egypt, etc., which was quite nice to see.
We continued all around the city, culminating in a trip to Castlevecchhio, a beautiful castle, and massive sunburn, but it was totally worth it. Dinner was in the Plaza d'Erbe, where I tried spaghetti carbonara - and it was one of the best things I ate on the trip - I have to learn how to make it!
In retrospect, Verona is one of the two cities that I wouldn't mind coming back to. It's peaceful, historical, and manage-able (whereas Rome can be very overwhelming). I could even see myself owning a small house in the area.
Next post: Bologna.
Ciao!
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