VERONA AND A JUMP TO LAGO DI GARDA

Verona is a beautiful city in the Veneto region of northern Italy. It is the second largest after Venice. Goethe and Mozart once named it a great place for a vacation. Thanks to its mild weather and beautiful architecture, it is an ideal place to spend a long weekend. The city center itself is not very large and you can get everywhere on foot, so you won’t even have to use public transport. The city really has a romantic charm and of course everyone remembers the scene of Shakespeare’s tragedy Romeo and Juliet. Italy is really beautiful all over and I love coming back here. And what about you? Which city in Italy is your favorite?

IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF ROMEO AND JULIET

JULIET’S HOUSE (CASA DI GIULIETTA)

Who doesn’t know the beautiful epic play by William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, set in this romantic city? You can find the house on Via Cappello and it is essentially a fictional building from the famous scene where Romeo greets Juliet and she speaks to him from the balcony. And if you’re worried that you won’t find the building, don’t worry. There’s a long line.

The entrance to the famous balcony is completely covered in graffiti. Yes, it really is graffiti. People think this is the best place in the world to write a declaration of love. It seemed more like vandalism to me. A lot of people are heading towards the small balcony, so they shorten their route by painting on the walls.

While I was waiting in line to get into the house, I observed what was going on around me. Basically, most people who go into the house just want to see the famous balcony and take a picture with Julia.

When we stood in line, my first impression was “WTF, is this place so small??!!”. Yes, it really is. Movies can be quite different from reality. But I wasn’t put off by that. I continued on, excited to get inside.

STATUE OF JULIET

The statue of Juliet (whether it resembles Juliet or not) is associated with a legend. It is said that whoever places their hand on one of Juliet’s breasts will be lucky in love. Another legend says that if two lovers touch their breasts at the same time, their love will remain eternal. Single people touch this statue, expecting it to bring them the true love of their life.

Unfortunately, during our visit, a canvas had been hung behind her statue to cover the spot where lovers used to stick various messages with chewing gum. These were mostly messages and letters for Julia.

In this small space there is a small shop where you can buy padlocks, letters etc. They will embroider your name on a piece of paper for free, and if you buy a chef’s apron they will embroider the exact same name on it, also for free of charge. You can leave a letter for Julia and there is now a mailbox at the entrance to the shop for this.

The area in front of Juliet’s House, including the view of the famous balcony or Juliet’s statue, is free of charge. You pay for entry here if you decide to visit Juliet’s House. The price of an adult ticket also includes entry to Juliet’s Tomb. Children pay nothing, only entry to Juliet’s Tomb.

AND WHAT WILL YOU SEE IN THE HOUSE?

I have to admit that I was very disappointed with the house. There’s basically nothing there. I had two scenarios running through my head the whole time. Either they tried to recreate it based on what was in the original movie or it was a location where they filmed one of the movies.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

I don’t think there is any evidence that the Capulets (Juliet’s family) lived here. We do know for sure that Verona was the city Shakespeare chose for his work. Throughout the house you will find excerpts from the play that you can read.

JULIET AND ROMEO DRESS

In one large room you will find two disguises, one supposedly belonging to Juliet and the other to Romeo.

Probably the nicest room was the bedroom.

But I think we can all agree that the most important part of the house is the balcony. Although it is an artificial balcony and however embellished the truth has been, this house is still a great attraction. Inside the house is a selection of informative displays about the most tragic love story of all time.

JULIET CLUB

You may have seen the movie “Letters to Juliet“. If not, I recommend watching it before visiting Verona. The main character, an American named Sophie, travels to Verona and meets a group of volunteers. Their job is to answer letters from longing women who insert them into the gaps in the walls of an ancient house. It is here that Sophie discovers a letter written fifty years ago! And a touching and playful love story begins to unfold.

.. where people who are suffering can leave a message and ask Juliet for help.

(from the movie “Letters to Juliet”)

It is not just a film-maker’s invention, but a real club. The story of Juliet’s letters began in the 1930s, when Ettore Solimani, the custodian of Juliet’s tomb, began collecting the first letters left by people at the tomb and, fascinated by the phenomenon, began to answer them, becoming the first “Juliet’s secretary“. The Juliet Club was founded in Verona in 1972, based on the idea of Giulio Tamassi and a group of artists and scientists who were united by a passion for the Shakespearean legend.

I think that in today’s technological era, dominated by instant messages such as emails, text messages and WhatsApp, handwritten letters are a privileged means of expressing feelings. But this is probably very rare these days. In all countries, there are still thousands of people who take a pen and a piece of paper to write to Juliet.

The Juliet Club has been processing mail for many years. A team of volunteers responds to each one in the name of the most famous heroine in literature. Each letter is read, translated, replied to and then stored in an archive that contains thousands of love stories and countless words of love. The Juliet Club is a non-profit cultural organization, chaired by Giulio Tamassia and managed by his daughter Giovanna Tamassia, together with a group of passionate and competent volunteers.

The Juliet Club also organizes the “Dear Juliet” award, a prize awarded to the most beautiful letters, “Juliet’s Birthday”, which celebrates this famous literary figure, as well as “Writing for Love” (Scrivere per amore), a literary prize for romance novels, and other cultural events.

And if you feel like it, write your own letter too and send it to Verona in the way that suits you: by post, by email or by dropping it in the club’s mailbox.

Write to Julia–HERE

JULIET’S TOMB (TOMBA DI GIULIETTA)

If you visit Juliet’s House, the ticket price includes Juliet’s tomb. Yes, it is said that Juliet rests peacefully here. It is a very nice place located quite far from the city center. Almost no one has been here, perhaps because people do not want to go that far. Previously, the tomb was located in the ancient monastery of San Francesco al Corso. The tomb is a simple sarcophagus made of red marble, which became a place of pilgrimage in the early 19th century. Famous writers and poets have visited the place, including George Byron and Charles Dickens. Like many other tourists, even Maria Luisa of Austria, the widow of Napoleon, took a few stones to make a precious necklace in 1822. Today, the tomb has been moved to a suggestive crypt, where people can still live in the romantic atmosphere of Shakespeare’s poetry.

It is said that the red marble sarcophagus is just a prop from a movie shot in the monastery in 1937. But don’t be disappointed, the marble sarcophagus is empty. Juliet is not in it. The tomb stands in the middle of an empty crypt. The edges of the sarcophagus are jagged because many souvenir hunters have chipped off pieces of marble from it.

There is even a ceremony hall, so you can get married in style in the city of love.

In the former monastery garden, near the arcaded portico, stands a marble bust of William Shakespeare.

DID ROMEO AND JULIET REALLY LIVE OR IS IT JUST FICTION?

Popular tradition says “yes”, but the 13th century Veronese chronicles do not provide any historical evidence for this sad story, which according to literary sources took place in Verona in 1302 during the reign of Bartolomeo della Scala. The “Montecchi” (or “Monticoli”) and “Cappelletti” (or “Dal Cappello”) families did indeed live here in the 13th century. The first to write about the two rival families was Dante Alighieri in his comedy. The literary origin of the story of Romeo and Juliet dates back to 1530, when the story was described by the Italian novelist Luigi Da Porto. A few years later, Matteo Bandello also used the plot in his novel, which was a huge success and was translated into French. This work was then taken up and rewritten into verse by Arthur Brooke. The poem was certainly a major source of inspiration for Shakespeare, who in 1596 wrote his play “Romeo and Juliet”, which became the most famous of all his works.

The Capuleti family (originally Dal Cappello) have lived since the thirteenth century in a beautiful house at Via Cappello 23, now known as “Juliet’s House”. On the foundation stone of the inner arch leading from the street to the courtyard we see the emblem of their ownership, with a hat embossed in marble.

Whatever the truth, this unique phenomenon has made Verona known worldwide as the “capital of love”.

ARENA

Forget the Colosseum in Rome! Verona has its own version that is just as magnificent and perhaps better preserved. It’s located in the middle of the historic center of the city. This national monument may not be known to many people, but it is a triumph of Roman engineering and a true marvel. It’s a very nice, functional open-air amphitheater that dates back two thousand years to ancient Roman times. It now hosts all kinds of concerts and performances, including an excellent summer opera festival. And if you’re not sure what to do with the evening, it’s a great place to spend a summer evening.

PIAZZA DELLE ERBE

Verona has an amazing number of charming squares and Piazza Delle Erbe is one of the most beautiful. This beautiful square is located right in the heart of Verona’s historic center, so there really is no excuse not to visit it. The square is lined with various important buildings, including the Torre Lamberti, Palazzo Maffeia and the Case dei Giudici.

The square is full of beautiful architecture, including the town hall (on the north side) with the impressive Torre dei Lamberti. The houses are decorated with beautiful frescoes and the fountain in the square is very pretty. The only thing I didn’t like was that right in the heart of this city, vendors sell kitschy souvenirs.

CITY VIEW – PIAZZALE CASTEL SAN PIETRO

A beautiful view of Verona can be found at Piazzale Castel San Pietro. It is truly an unbeatable view.

WHERE TO SHOP IN VERONA?

Maybe it’s the Italian love of all things beautiful and fashionable, but Verona’s shopping scene is excellent! The centro storico (old town) is home to one main shopping street (Via Mazzini) that has everything from H&M to Valentino. You’ll also find a number of really “funky” Italian shops selling a huge range of creatively designed and patterned clothing items.

And if you don’t feel like shopping, just go and get some delicious ice cream in one of the shops.

If you’re staying in Verona for a longer period of time, consider a day trip to Lake Garda to explore this beautiful area of natural beauty.

LAKE GARDA

There are many great lakes in Italy, but none are as impressive and massive as Lake Garda. Covering an area of 369 square kilometers, it is one of the largest lakes in Italy and also a popular holiday destination due to its mild climate, beautiful scenery and the number of attractions available.

We visited the town of Malcesine.

MALCESINE

The town of Malcesine is located about 49 km from Verona on the shores of Lake Garda. The town was built under the mighty Monte Baldo mountain and offers a beautiful view of the lake. It is often called the “Pearl of Lake Garda” and for many visitors it is the most picturesque place in the region.

In the past, the German poet and writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was also enchanted by the city. He was even questioned at the local town hall on suspicion of espionage because he had drawn a sketch of the castle.

You will probably associate the town most with the Scaliger Castle above the lake. The tower offers a beautiful view of the surrounding landscape. The lake has pebble beaches and allows for pleasant swimming. Water sports enthusiasts can have a great time here, because the lake is perfect for an active holiday. Popular sports include sailing and windsurfing.