There are three Veronas that exist simultaneously, layered like strata in a fresco. The first is medieval and silent, hidden behind via Mazzini. The second smells of red wine and mountain butter, and arrives at the table a deep shade of violet. The third descends underground, into a crypt of red marble. No printed guidebook tells their story together — and none of them updates when visiting rules change.
Verona's Jewish Ghetto: a thousand years of history between via Mazzini and via Pellicciai
Few tourists notice that the heart of Verona's shopping district — via Mazzini — runs directly over the boundaries of the ancient ghetto. The Jewish presence in Verona is documented as far back as 978, and some scholars trace it all the way to the age of Theodoric, in the 5th century. The formal enclosure of the ghetto came in 1600, at the behest of Bishop Agostino Valier. The ghetto remained active until 1797, when Napoleonic troops opened its gates.
What survives today is an urban landscape to be read slowly: between via Mazzini and via Pellicciai stands one of the largest synagogues in northern Italy, capable of holding a thousand people. Completed in the early decades of the twentieth century by Veronese architect Ettore Fagiuoli, the building has preserved its original furnishings and nineteenth-century decorations intact. The synagogue stands at via Pertici, 3 — it is a place of worship and is not normally accessible to the public. But that is not the point. The ghetto is visited by walking through it, recognising the low doorways, the narrow alleyways designed to contain the community, the buildings that seem to grow taller than their neighbours — because when the space was closed and expansion forbidden, the only way left was upward.
Local tip: your walk through the ghetto can be enriched by the audio tour "Tracce e memorie del ghetto di Verona", available for free on the Izi.Travel app or by scanning a QR code. For guided visits, you can write to memoriastorica@comune.verona.it. The free guided walks organised by the Amici dei Musei typically depart from via Mazzini 18. Keep an eye on the calendar of the Comunità Ebraica di Verona at comunitaebraicavr.it for events open to the public.
Amarone Risotto: three ingredients, an entire landscape on a plate
There is a dish that brings together the plains, the mountains, and the hills of the Valpolicella in a single spoonful. Amarone risotto is made with three ingredients that represent the Veronese territory in the fullest sense: Vialone Nano IGP rice from the Bassa veronese, the prestigious Amarone DOCG wine from the Valpolicella, and Monte Veronese DOP cheese, produced in the area of the Lessinia mountains and Monte Baldo.
The risotto is violet, almost purple. The dish has a creamy texture on the palate, with the rice grain still firm and compact. Amarone della Valpolicella is a dry passito red wine, a DOCG produced exclusively in the Veronese, made by drying the grapes for around four months. Using it for cooking horrifies the purists — but it is exactly what Veronese families have done for generations.
Where to find it in the city centre? A short walk from via Stella, the Taverna di via Stella offers an authentic atmosphere: a menu centred on the purest local tradition, with sarde in saôr, bigoli with duck ragù, Amarone risotto, salt cod with polenta, and home-made desserts. In via Dietro Pallone, steps from the Arena, another traditional restaurant serves classic Veronese cuisine with great care in selecting its ingredients: salt cod salad, Amarone risotto, bigoli with duck, pastissada de caval, and mixed boiled meats with pearà.
Juliet's Tomb 2026: what has changed and how to visit it now
Juliet's tomb is the place in Verona most likely to catch visitors out with outdated information. In 2026 the access rules changed significantly — and anyone arriving with information from a year ago risks finding the door closed at the wrong entrance.
The red marble sarcophagus is located in the former convent of San Francesco al Corso, now home to the Museo degli Affreschi "G.B. Cavalcaselle", and is traditionally held to be Juliet's burial place. The legend dates to the 16th century and, since the 19th century, the tomb has been a destination for romantic pilgrimages. In 1938 the sarcophagus was moved to its current position in the crypt.
2026 update — know this before you go: from 1 April 2026, entry to the Cortile and Casa di Giulietta is exclusively through the Teatro Nuovo in Piazzetta Navona, where visitors are welcomed by multilingual staff and a dedicated exhibition on the story of the two lovers. For both itineraries, tickets must be purchased online at verona.midaticket.it. Booking is required even for those entitled to free admission, including VeronaCard holders. The ticket for Teatro Nuovo, Cortile and Casa di Giulietta costs 12 euros; Teatro Nuovo and Cortile only, 5 euros. Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 9 to 19. The Museo degli Affreschi and Juliet's tomb are located at via Luigi da Porto, 5.
Local tip: in one of the museum's richly frescoed rooms, inside the now-deconsecrated monastery, the City of Verona holds its civil wedding ceremonies. If you happen to pass by on a weekday morning, you may witness a wedding. This is the real Verona — not the one on the postcards.
How long does it take to visit Juliet's tomb?
The crypt requires 20–30 minutes. The Museo degli Affreschi, if it interests you, adds another 30–40 minutes. Total: a generous hour, ideal in the early morning when the cloister is still quiet.
Is Juliet's tomb authentic?
Not in the historical sense. Giulietta Capuleti is a literary character. The tradition that placed the burial of the two lovers at this site goes back to the 16th century, according to the testimony of the scholar Girolamo dalla Corte. The sarcophagus is empty, with no inscriptions. But the crypt itself — in red stone, underground — is real and powerful. The emotion does not depend on the literal truth.
How to reach Juliet's tomb on foot from the city centre?
From Piazza Bra, follow via Pallone to the junction with via del Pontiere, then turn right: after about a hundred metres you reach the gardens of the former convent of San Francesco al Corso. Around 10 minutes on foot from the Arena.
For your next stay in Verona, The Verona Stay offers apartments in the heart of the city: The Verona Stay Arena in Via Roma 21 (steps from Piazza Bra and the Arena) and The Verona Stay Ristori near the Teatro Ristori. From both properties, all three destinations in this guide are reachable on foot.