Everyone stops at the market stalls of Piazza Erbe, photographs the Madonna Verona on the 1368 fountain, gazes up at the frescoed palaces. Few ever wonder what lies beneath their feet. The answer, roughly nine metres down, is one of the most remarkable things you can encounter in this city: the beating heart of Roman Verona, still there, in the silent darkness beneath the noise of the market.
What you actually see beneath Piazza Erbe
Beneath Piazza Erbe and the palaces surrounding it, three distinct archaeological sites survive, each with a different entrance and a different story to tell. Together they form an underground system that covers almost the entire footprint of the ancient Roman forum.
- The Capitolium beneath Palazzo Maffei. In the basement of Palazzo Maffei, below the wine cellars of the restaurant of the same name, lie the remains of the Capitolium — the principal temple of Roman Verona, dating to the 1st century BC, where the Capitoline Triad was worshipped: Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva. At the underground site, 9 metres below street level, you can see the remains of honeycomb-patterned brick foundations, part of a pronaos built from limestone blocks, several columns in the Tuscan order, and a marble podium that likely supported a cult statue.
- The Curia and the Roman street. Close to Piazza Erbe, in the cellars of a well-known restaurant, the remains of the curia are preserved — a Roman public building from the 1st century AD — including part of the base's decorative facing with a simple cornice, and a full 37 metres of the outer façade of a religious complex possibly dedicated to the imperial cult. Running alongside the curia wall is a Roman street whose full width is clearly legible, complete with pavements and, at its centre, the drainage channel that ran along its entire length.
- The Scavi Scaligeri. Located in the courtyard of the courthouse, right in the historic centre, a few steps from Piazza delle Erbe, they allow visitors to see Roman, Lombard, and medieval finds preserved beneath the ground. Underground, you can see the remains of Roman buildings — in particular a 2nd-century AD mosaic floor and a room with an apse from the 4th century — as well as the earliest traces of Scaligera presence dating to the 13th century.
How to book a visit: the summer 2026 calendar
This is the development that changes everything for anyone visiting Verona in 2026. After ten years of restoration work, the Scavi Scaligeri have reopened: one of the city's most captivating sites had remained closed for a lengthy and significant programme of restoration and enhancement. The project, representing an investment of approximately 2 million euros, has redesigned the visitor route through the archaeological area, making the experience more accessible and rewarding.
From 20 June to 11 July 2026, the newly restored spaces of the Scavi Scaligeri will be open every Saturday at 17:00, with a guided tour lasting approximately one hour — meeting point at Cortile Mercato Vecchio, 8. The cost is 8 euros per person and booking is mandatory, with tickets purchased online through the Aster website. Beyond the Saturday tours, it is possible to arrange special openings for groups from Tuesday to Sunday, also with a guided tour of approximately one hour, at a cost of 90 euros for a tour conducted in Italian.
A local tip: places are limited and sell out faster than you might expect. If you're visiting Verona in July, book as soon as you arrive in the city — or better yet, before you even leave home.
The restaurant above the Capitolium: where the wine tastes of ancient stone
There is, however, a way to descend beneath Piazza Erbe without booking a guided tour: come for dinner. Palazzo Maffei stands directly above the ancient Capitolium dating to the 1st century BC, and by heading down to the lower level, guests can dine surrounded by the archaeological excavations. The cellar of Ristorante Maffei is set among the evocative ruins of the Roman Capitolium: the wine list celebrates Veneto viticulture, from ruby-red Valpolicella to crisp, fresh Soave.
Among the most sought-after experiences is the Giulietta e Romeo table, situated at the very heart of the excavations: an intimate corner available from March to October, for personalised lunches and dinners enveloped in history and limestone. Pairing a glass of Amarone — the most important wine of the region, produced on the hills of the Valpolicella just a few kilometres from the centre — with the remains of a two-thousand-year-old temple is an experience no museum can replicate. The number to book is +39 045 8010015 (Ristorante Maffei, Piazza Erbe).
How long does a visit to the Scavi Scaligeri take?
Guided tours last approximately one hour. The route is accessible, with the new entrance from Cortile Mercato Vecchio. It is not recommended for those who suffer from claustrophobia: the spaces are underground and narrow in places.
Is a Verona Card required for entry?
No. The ticket for the Scavi Scaligeri is purchased separately through the Aster website at a cost of 8 euros. For group enquiries: Segreteria didattica dei Musei del Comune di Verona, tel. 045 8036353.
Can you visit the Capitolium beneath Palazzo Maffei without dining?
The Capitolium beneath Palazzo Maffei is accessible primarily through a visit to the restaurant or wine bar. For a purely archaeological visit, the recommended site remains the Scavi Scaligeri, with its own independent entrance and dedicated route.
If you're planning your stay in Verona and want all of this within easy reach — the Piazza Erbe market in the morning, the excavations in the afternoon, dinner above the Capitolium in the evening — the apartments at The Verona Stay place you at the heart of the historic centre, just a few minutes' walk from every underground entrance.