We’re finishing our Verona travel series with a breakdown of the fundamentals of exploring one of Europe’s most romantic cities. Today’s post reviews:
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- How to get to Verona,
- when to visit Verona,
- where to par in Verona, and
- where to stay in Verona.
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Combine these with our other Verona posts for all the insight you need for a lovely 48-hours (or more!) in this amazing city.
A special thanks to Sara and Virginia of Verona tour provider Romeo and Juliet Guide for their input on this series. And, make sure to use our Verona tour special!
How to get to Verona
Situated in Northern Italy’s Veneto region on the Adige River, Verona is the third-largest city in northeast Italy. It is accessible by air, road, railway, and is close to other tourist destinations like Lake Garda and Venice.
Verona by plane
Aeroporta di Verona: International Aeroporta di Verona is serviced by BA, Easyjet, RyanAir, United, Lufthansa, and a handful of smaller airlines. Take the shuttle bus from the airport to the Verona Railway Station for easy access to the city center; buses run every twenty minutes from 5:30 to 20:30. The trip is 15 minutes at 6 euros / each way.
Milan: You’ll find more flight options in / out of Milan’s Linate and Malpensa airports. Linate is the fastest with trains directly to Verona running approximately once an hour, 1 hour 30 minute travel time at 15 euros.
Verona by train
Travel across Europe to / from Verona is easy via the well-connected Verona Porta Nuova Railway Station as it is an intersection of the Milan-Venice and Rome-Brennero lines. Check Trenitalia for travel times to nearby cities and RailEurope for longer routes in and outside of Italy.
The Verona Railway Station is about 1.5 km / .9 miles from the city center, so consider that if you have luggage. The bus is the most cost-effective route into the center; click for bus schedule for Verona Porta Nuova station to Piazza Bra. Taxis are also easily accessible from the front of the station.
Find it! Verona Porta Nuova Railway Station, Piazzale XXV Aprile, Verona
Verona by car
Easily accessible by car, Verona is connected by the A22 Autostrada (Modena-Brennero) and A4 Autostrada (Brescia-Padova). The A4 provides city access west to east (take exits Verona Est or Verona Sud) and the A22 offers access north to south (take the Verona Nord exit).
Once in the city center, be mindful of the limited traffic speed limit zones (ZTL / zona a traffico limitato). Click for Verona city center ZTL details.
When to visit Verona
Verona is a popular location for a lot of international events, so in terms of availability and prices, at times lodging appears irregular. It is useful to know some of the main events affecting the Verona travel budget.
During busier times, expect a more crowded city center, full restaurants, and premium hotel rates. If you plan to visit Verona during these dates, book early.
For travelers looking for quieter Verona travel times, Romeo and Juliet Guide suggests November, January, and February. But, they caution that some of the best Verona restaurants may be closed.
Vinitaly International Italian Wine Fair, April 19-22, 2020
During Vinitaly the global Italian wine trade takes over the city’s hotels, restaurants, and pretty much everything else. It is our annual trek to the city.
When I post Vinitaly photos on social media I am often met with comments of envy. But, here’s a little secret: it’s pure chaos and many of us in the industry don’t really enjoy Verona travel in April.
That said, Vinitaly International does offer a consumer component. A lot of would-be wine travelers fancy it a great opportunity to explore and experience all Italian wine in one place. But, I’d caution you against going it alone. Unless you are a really big collector, you won’t get much time with producers as their first priority is meeting with importers, resellers, distributors, journalists, etc.
If you plan to be in Verona during Vinitaly, consider engaging an operator like with Romeo and Juliet Guide for a wine-focused program. Owner Sara is also a sommelier, so she can help you navigate wine opportunities throughout the city during the trade show, which doesn’t necessarily even mean entering the fair itself. I can almost guarantee it would be a more relaxed and educational experience than braving the Fiera on your own.
I love the international atmosphere of Vinitaly, you can breath it all in – the events, the presentations, the parties; wine tastings are happening in every corner of the city the entire three days.
Sara Valitutto, Romeo and Juliet Guide.
Marmomac International Marble Fair, September 25-28, 2018
One of the things I found most interesting to learn during our day with Virginia and Sara is that Verona isn’t only the city of Romeo and Juliet. It is also the city of marble. Verona marble, Marmo Rosso di Verona, has been used since Roman times for its elegance and quality and is still used for buildings today. Naturally, it makes sense that the biggest global event for the natural stone industry would be in Verona. I just note this to be mindful of the dates and for that extra little history lesson.
The Opera Festival, June 21 to September 7, 2018
Sara explains that the Opera Festival is always a consistently popular time to visit Verona, but is easier to manage because it attracts a more niche audience – opera lovers. Of course, when more internationally known stars perform, the crowds increase in size and vary in age.
Verona Parking
For those traveling by car, parking in Verona is an important consideration. Find a complete list of Verona parking options here.
See below on Verona parking lots for tips and lots nearest to the city center. During our Verona travel, we personally used Parcheggio Cittadella and Parcheggio Arena. Cittadella is just about 100 meters closer to Piazza Bra than Arena. Both are user-friendly in terms of navigation from the autostrada as well as once you enter the garage.
Budget Travel Tip: Save money with free parking at Piazzale Porta Palio — about a 15- /20-minute walk to Piazza Bra. Sara recommends arriving early if you plan to use this location.
Parcheggio Cittadella
If your Verona travel calls for city center parking (as it does for most), Parcheggio Cittadella is ideal. The well-lit parking garage is located near Piazza Bra and the Arena.
- Address: Piazza Cittadella; 500 meters on foot / about a six-minute walk to the Arena.
- Spaces: 750 (open 24 hours)
- Payment: Cash, Credit Card, TelePass
- Rates:
- 1 hour = €1.00 every 20 minutes or fraction
- 2 hours = €3.00 per hour or fraction
- Maximum daily rate = €18.00
Parcheggio Arena
- Address: Via M. Bentegodi; 650 meters on foot / about an eight-minute walk to the Arena.
- Spaces: 870 (open 24 hours)
- Payment: Cash, Credit Card, TelePass
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Rates:
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Hourly rates: 1 hour = €2.00; 2 hours = €5.00; 3 hours = €8.00; 4 hours = €11.00; 5 hour = €14.00; 6 hours = €17.00
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Daily (24 hours) = €17.00
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Parcheggio Piazza Isolo
Parcheggio Piazza Isolo is located across the river, closer to Piazza delle Erbe.
- Address: Via Ponte Pignolo 6/c; 700 meters on foot / about a seven-minute walk to Piazza delle Erbe.
- Spaces: 489 (open 24 hours)
- Payment: Cash, Credit Card, TelePass
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Rates:
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Hourly rates: 1 to 3 hours = €2.10; 3 to 4 hours = €2.50; 5 to 6 hours = €2.80
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Daily (24 hours) = €15.00
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Where to Stay in Verona
We are yet to find the perfect Verona lodging for us. During Vinitaly, we’ve stayed outside of the city in Garda or Vicenza, both easily accessible to Verona by train and car.
On our other visits, we’ve stayed at perfectly fine locations. But, we still want that hidden gem we can always return to for our Verona travels. That said, we asked Romeo and Juliet Guide for their recommendations on Verona lodging. During our visit with them last month, we made a stop at Hotel Milano & Spa and the staff was kind enough to show us some rooms. We have that high on our list for our next trip. But, the other places they recommended sound pretty great as well. And, we’ll be updating this list as we try more places!
Antica Valopolicella / Residenza Verona: I stayed at one of the rooms on a recent visit. It’s not luxury, but very practical, clean, the location is perfect – just minutes by foot from Piazza delle Erbe. And, for budget travelers, you can’t beat the price with the prime city center location — and breakfast!
Hotel Milano & Spa: Located just behind the Arena with well-appointed rooms and a terrace bar with an amazing view of the Arena. The Terrazza Bar also has a jacuzzi for guests. As noted in my other Verona travel posts, a visit to the Terrazza bar is a must whether you are staying there or not.
Escalus Luxury Suites Verona: Recommended by Romeo and Juliet Guide, a boutique hotel steps from the Arena.
Hotel Giulietta e Romeo: We stayed here during a visit a few years ago. It was perfectly comfortable and well priced. The accommodations weren’t fancy, but the location is fantastic, just behind the Arena.
Wallace House: Also known as “Stella house”, offers a car park and is just a few minutes from the Arena.
There you have it, our Verona travel series.
Use this with our other Verona travel posts to round out your trip:
If you have any Verona travel tips, please let us know below!
