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Verona in Love – Celebrate Valentine’s Day with Your Loved One

For a romantic Valentine’s Day voyage it is difficult to find a more seductive destination than the Italian city of Verona. Famous for inspiring William Shakespeare to write Romeo and Juliet, there is a lot more to discover here than that world-famous balcony.

Each year around February 14, Verona organizes a series of romantic events entitled “Verona in Love.” Not surprisingly, ‘Romeo and Juliet’ are the highlight of the event, with guided tours following in the footsteps of the star-crossed lovers, culminating with an award for the best love-letter sent to Juliet. There are also restaurants offering candle-lit dinners, art exhibitions and poetry readings, plus a series of free, early evening concerts.

In Piazza dei Signori there are tastings and sale of local products, plus the market is filled with gifts of all kinds dedicated to love. The stalls are arranged in a classic heart shape, while the red flooring makes this a special and romantic stop on any visit to the city.

In the center of the city is the Verona Arena, which dates back to the year 30 AD. The sheer size and grandeur of the ancient Roman amphitheater is breathtaking. It is also the perfect destination for a midnight kiss under a starlit sky.

The Giardino Giusti is one of Italy’s most romantic Renaissance gardens. Hidden away on the other side of the Adige River, it was designed in 1570 by Agostino Giusti, a Knight of the Venetian Republic. It is spread out over a series of terraces ending at a high belvedere with a panoramic vista. The garden features avenues planted with tall cypresses, fountains and mythological statues, a small maze, pergolas and grottoes. It is a step back in time to the height of the Italian Renaissance.

The vineyards that cling to the rolling hills around Verona produce some of Italy’s finest wines, from the well-known Valpolicella and Soave, to Recioto, a luscious dessert wine or bubbly Prosecco and Franciacorta. It is a wonderful place to pass some time during a leisurely afternoon sipping wine at a local enoteca.

The historic center of Verona is beautifully preserved and as the sun sets there are a number of romantic walks with spectacular views. Across the water from the town center, follow a footpath down from the Teatro Romano through a grove of cypress trees that eventually leads you in front of Castel San Pietro which has panoramic views of the city. You can also follow the Lungadige Panvinio, an embankment walk that follows the Adige River from the Garibaldi Bridge right up to the medieval Castel Vecchio. For a classic romantic setting, there is nothing like being in love in Verona.