A hundred foreign newspapers voted it the most beautiful square in Italy, beating Piazza del Duomo and San Marco. The reason? "The astonishing architecture and the relative absence of tourists." That verdict, however, referred to a very specific time of day — not eleven in the morning in July with guided groups queuing up. It referred to dawn. And if you'd rather not wait for dawn, 8:00 a.m. is enough.
What happens in Piazza Erbe before the tourists arrive
At 7:30 the market's official opening time kicks in. Monday through Saturday, the piassaroti — the name given to the square's historic traders, a term passed down from generation to generation — begin setting up their stalls beneath the distinctive white umbrellas of the toloneo, the central zone that traces the exact perimeter of the ancient Roman Forum. By 8:00 the market is already in full swing, yet the square still breathes. Organised tour groups almost always arrive after 10:00.
What you find in those two hours is hard to describe without having lived it. Crates of freshly unloaded peaches and apricots scent the cool morning air. Bunches of fresh basil and lavender are still tied with twine. The vendors talk among themselves in thick Veronese dialect. The Case Mazzanti — the frescoed façade that closes the square to the north — displays the colours of its Renaissance paintings with no body in front to obscure them. It is the version of the square that the Veronese know and that outsiders almost never see.
The gastronomic corner not to miss: the piassaroti selling local specialities lay out oil, loose wine, and in summer whole watermelons and melons — produce from the Veronese countryside, not from a supermarket. Strike up a conversation, ask where the fruit comes from: it is the quickest way to discover the most authentic neighbourhood fruit and vegetable market in the city.
The right breakfast and the detail almost nobody notices
Before or after your stroll among the stalls, take a seat at one of the café tables that open onto the perimeter of the square. At 8:00 counter prices are still the normal ones — without the tourist premium that kicks in later — and you can savour a cappuccino with your eyes on the Fontana di Madonna Verona, the Roman statue from 380 A.D. that Cansignorio della Scala reassembled here in 1368. Two thousand years of history in the middle of a fruit market: that is the strange and wonderful thing about Piazza Erbe.
Before leaving the square towards Piazza dei Signori, look up at the Arco della Costa. Hanging from that arch is a long, curved bone — probably a whale rib, perhaps an ichthyosaur fossil from the Monti Lessini, perhaps a relic brought back by a crusader. Nobody knows for certain: it has been there since at least 1700 and the theories multiply with each generation. At 8 in the morning you can stand beneath it and study it at leisure, without having to step aside for anyone.
What time exactly should you arrive?
Between 7:45 and 8:15: the market is already open and running, but the square is still quiet. After 9:30 it begins to fill up. In summer, with the long evenings of opera at the Arena, many tourists sleep in late — making the early morning even more uncrowded.
Is the market open on Sundays?
As a rule, no: official hours run Monday to Saturday, from 7:30 to 20:30, with occasional Sunday openings on select dates. If your stay covers only the weekend, check the Comune di Verona website during the summer weeks — exceptions are more frequent in high season.
Is it worth buying something?
Yes, but choose carefully. Fresh fruit, local oil, cut flowers: excellent. The souvenirs featuring Romeo and Juliet T-shirts are identical to those on any other stall in the centre. The gastronomic value lies in locally produced goods — always ask before you buy.
To sleep just a short walk away and be able to step into the square at 8 without taking any transport, The Verona Stay Arena is at Via Roma 21, less than ten minutes on foot from Piazza Erbe through the historic centre. Getting up early, here, becomes a privilege.