There are mornings in Verona when you stop at the centre of Piazza Erbe and realise you are looking at the same place from three different levels at once. Beneath your feet, the Roman forum. Above your head, 84 metres of Torre dei Lamberti cutting through the sky. And to the side, wedged between via Mazzini and via Pellicciai, the tower-houses of the old Jewish ghetto that grew vertically because there was no longer any room to grow horizontally. Three levels. One single square.
Piazza Erbe: Verona's ground floor, though it has never been ordinary
Piazza Erbe is Verona's oldest square and stands on the exact site of the Roman forum. The elongated shape you see today follows the original layout of the Latin agora: the same length, the same urban axes. In the Middle Ages, the market replaced the baths and the temples, and it has never stopped since. Even now, beneath the white canvas canopies that the Veronese call toloneo, you will find spices, fruit and souvenirs on sale — exactly as they were a thousand years ago.
At the centre stands the fountain of Madonna Verona, commissioned in 1368 by Cansignorio della Scala. He reused a Roman thermal basin in red Veronese marble and the body of an ancient statue that had lost its head and arms. Cansignorio had them added, crowned the figure, and turned it into an allegory of the city. The scroll she holds still bears the old civic motto: «est iusti latrix urbs haec et laudis amatrix» — this city is a bearer of justice and a lover of praise. She is not a Christian Madonna: she is Verona itself, portrayed as a medieval princess with a Roman body.
A little further on, the Berlina — a marble baldachin from the 13th century — is not a place of punishment as its hanging chain might suggest: the hooks were used to measure bundles of firewood, while the outlines of bricks and tiles, the standard units of the Veronese market, are carved into its base. The Scaligeri had an obsession with accurate measurement. An obsession, you will find, that continues higher up.
Torre dei Lamberti: 84 metres of history to climb on foot or by lift
From the corner of the square, Torre dei Lamberti cannot be taken in whole: you need to step back to appreciate its scale. It stands 84 metres tall, built in 1172 by the Lamberti family in tufa and fired brick — a powerful family of whom, curiously, almost nothing is known. Expelled from the city, they died out without leaving any written record. The tower remained. In 1295 two historic bells were installed: the Marangona, which marked the end of the working day for craftsmen and rang in the event of fire, and the Rengo, which called the city council to assembly. In the 15th century, after lightning had destroyed the top in 1403, the tower was raised to its current 84 metres with the addition of an octagonal bell chamber in white marble.
How to visit: the entrance is in the courtyard of the Mercato Vecchio, in Via della Costa — it is slightly concealed and many visitors walk straight past it. You can choose to climb on foot (368 steps along the spiral staircase) or take the glass lift directly to the panoramic terrace. At the top, the 360° view takes in the entire historic centre of Verona, the Torricelle hills, and on clear days the Pre-Alps. Allow around 30–45 minutes, or 45–60 if you climb on foot. The bells ring every 30 minutes: step back if you are nearby when they strike.
Opening hours: Monday–Friday 10:00–18:00, Saturday–Sunday and public holidays 11:00–19:00. Closed 25 December. The combined ticket (tower + Galleria d'Arte Moderna Achille Forti) costs 8 € full price. Entry is included with the Verona Card. For the latest prices, check the official website torredeilamberti.it.
The Jewish ghetto: tower-houses that grew skyward for lack of space
A short walk from Piazza Erbe, between via Mazzini, via Pellicciai and via Sella, lies what remains of Verona's old Jewish ghetto. The Jewish presence in the city dates back to at least the 10th century, but it was in 1604 that the community was officially confined to the ghetto, following a papal bull by Pope Paul IV imposing segregation. The ghetto survived until 1797, when Napoleonic troops tore down its gates.
What still strikes you today, walking through that area, are the tower-houses: narrow, extremely tall buildings reaching seven or eight storeys. The reason is simple: the community was growing in number but could not expand beyond the ghetto boundaries imposed by the authorities, so the only possible direction was upward. In the 1920s the neighbourhood was demolished on sanitary grounds, but the tower-houses on the corner between Piazza Erbe and via Mazzini were preserved for their historical value. They are still there, legible if you know what to look for.
The current synagogue, on a side street off via Mazzini, was inaugurated in 1864 and can be visited by appointment through the Comunità Ebraica di Verona. Inside, the Orientalist decorations on the vault and the aron wall are of rare beauty. A plaque commemorates the 31 Veronese Jews deported during the Second World War. To navigate the route, a free audio tour of the ghetto is available to download via the Izi.Travel app.
Can I visit everything in half a day?
Yes. Piazza Erbe, Torre dei Lamberti and the perimeter of the Jewish ghetto all lie within 200 metres of one another. A morning — or an afternoon in golden light — is enough to read all three levels without rushing. Add the synagogue if you have booked ahead.
How do I get to Piazza Erbe from the centre of Verona?
From Piazza Bra and the Arena, Piazza Erbe is about a 10-minute walk along Via Mazzini, the shopping street that links them directly. Leave the car behind: the area is a restricted traffic zone.
Is it worth climbing Torre dei Lamberti in winter too?
More so than in summer: in winter visibility over the Pre-Alps is at its best, queues are almost non-existent, and the afternoon light turns Verona's rooftops a deep shade of orange. The tower is open every day of the year except 25 December.
If you are planning a stay in Verona to explore these corners without intermediaries, the apartments at The Verona Stay are located in the heart of the historic centre — just a few minutes' walk from Piazza Erbe, the tower and the lanes of the ghetto. The most direct way to make Verona your base.