Verona is known as the ‘city of love,’ given its connections to Shakespeare’s renowned play, Romeo & Juliet, the star-crossed lovers. The city is jam-packed with people wanting to visit the infamous balcony and statue of Juliet (or Giulietta in Italy) as well as the home of her modern-day secretaries who were publicised in the film ‘Letters to Juliet.’ There are many places throughout the city where you can post your letter to Juliet, seeking her advice on any affairs of the heart. Her secretaries, known as the ‘Club di Giulietta’ do, in fact, exist but are quite hard to find.
I stayed in San Zeno, right next to the river Adige and Castelvecchio Bridge, a short walking distance from town. There is an abundance of history and architecture to explore in Verona, not to mention gorgeous food. Trying an authentic Italian pizza is a must! Despite my worries, there was plenty of places to eat and I didn’t manage to try each one on my list. Some of their food is accidentally vegan quite often, including bruschetta and marinara pizza which is popular in Europe and contains no cheese.
One thing that is noticeable in Italy, unfortunately, is the amount of fur products being sold (and leather). I aim to write a full page on this, but there is a lot of merchandise, particularly on the market stalls, with pom poms or bobbles. Some are fake but some are real, so if in doubt, don’t buy it. I managed to intercept/speak to one couple looking at a hat that contained real fur but had no idea, thinking it was fake. I could talk about this topic all day but instead I will write a page about the difference between real and faux fur in the upcoming future, so please comment if this is something you’d like to see. Fur products seem to be commonplace in Europe in both markets and high street shops. Britain has a much different attitude to this, so prepare yourself for the upset – I found it a little overwhelming to see all the products and it made me feel quite helpless and hopeless. However, things are changing and we can use our voices to tell people about these issues.
On a more positive note, the atmosphere in Italy is amazing. The evenings are so vibrant because Italian dinner time seems to be around 9pm-10pm. I adored the fact that older ladies were walking around in the evenings on their own and it felt safe. The shops are also open late, which is surprising given the opening hours in Britain. It was just wonderful to have extra browsing time in the evening which is very difficult in England with a full-time job! The people are also very accommodating. Most speak English and seem to detect the Brits a mile off, so it is much appreciated if you learn some of the language which isn’t too difficult and makes even “where’s the toilet?” sound romantic.
Without further ado, here are some of the places I visited during my 4-day venture:
1. Torre de Lamberti (Lamberti Tower)
You can climb this tower and soak in the gorgeous panoramic views of the city. Bring your sunglasses!
2. Ponte Pietra & Funicolare (Pietra Bridge & Funicular)
Ponte Pietra is one of the bridges in Verona and is located right next to the funicular. Walk across the street and purchase a ticket for a few euros which will take you on a ride to some beautiful gardens. Lose yourself just walking around or stop and have a drink in the bars overlooking the city before making your way back down.
3. Arena di Verona (Roman Arena)
Possibly my favourite activity out of the whole trip. I spent hours just wandering the arena in the sunset and climbing up to the top for views of the Piazza Bra. During my visit I was lucky enough to be present during an event in which a band and choir was playing in the square, which was a massive treat.
4. Casa di Giulietta (Juliet’s House)
This photo was almost impossible to get! Julliet’s house is a major tourist attraction that is usually full to the brim with people. Don’t be freaked out here because it is a tradition to touch Juliet’s breast for good luck – a lot of people want a photo! The whole experience was slightly ruined for me by all of the chewing gum and sticky notes littered across the wall. There is an embroidery gift shop right next to the statue where the talented crafters will embroider your name on paper for free as a little momento.
5. Adigeo Centro Commerciale (Adigeo Shopping Centre)
Home of Universo Vegano and lots of authentic Italian shops, or so I thought… I caught the bus to have a day of luxury shopping only to find that Primark has established a base in Italy! Who’d have thought?!
6. Via Mazzini (High Street Shopping)
Here is the home of all the major designer brands including Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Valentino, Gucci etc. The streets are old and cobbled with a lot of charm and you could easily lose yourself spending an afternoon here, exploring.
7. Club di Giulietta (Juliet Club)
My absolute top activity in Verona – I think this even beats the arena. I managed to spend an afternoon doing the absolute privilege of responding to some of the letters written to Juliet ! There are different drop-off points throughout the city, where you can send your letter to Juliet for love advice, as well as a post box right inside the Casa di Giulietta. I could have honestly sat there for the whole month responding to letters and I would definitely love to go back and do this again. You can contact them through their website to inquire about this.
8. Museo di Castelvecchio (Castelvecchio Musem)
Located right next to my accommodation, this old castle has a bridge across the river Adige. Walk across the bridge to a public park or look inside its museum to learn the history of this grand structure.
Places To Eat & Drink
- Universo Vegano – located in the Adigeo shopping centre, this was the main reason for my visit (amongst gorgeous Italian shoes!) I didn’t think it was the greatest meal ever, and was slightly disappointed by the cheesecake that I had but at least I tried.
- La Lanterna – a very rustic little restaurant offering home cooked food where everything is vegan. I ate a seitan burger with the most delicious potatoes I’ve ever eaten.
- La Piazzetta – here I ate a delicious vegan spaghetti with cherry tomatoes, pesto and pine nuts. The dessert was truly gorgeous which was a chocolate orange mousse with hazelnuts. I would definitely come back to this restaurant and try their other vegan options.
- Sorbet is located all around Verona and you should definitely try some.
- The Piazza Bra is a great location for evening drinks with gorgeous views of the arena. I spent an evening here, sat eating pizza with a cocktail and people watching. Bliss! P.S. in Italy you seem to get crisps with a cocktail (!?) and bread with a meal.
Useful Information
- Italy is part of Europe and uses the currency euro (€)
- There is a bus directly from the airport into Verona – this is Aerobus and tickets are available to purchase on a machine in the airport or from the driver. Timetables and prices can be found here.
- Here is the map I used to navigate around Verona, including tourist destinations.
The Solo Vegan 
