There are mornings when you climb to the top of the Torre dei Lamberti and everything makes sense. Then there are Septembers when the streets of the Veronetta neighbourhood smell of sawdust and laughter. And there is always that moment, walking across the cobblestones of the centre, when you remember that the first poet to write "I love you and I hate you" was from here. Three voices of Verona that no standard itinerary ever brings together — yet they all inhabit the same historic centre, just a few minutes apart from one another.
Torre dei Lamberti: the viewpoint that recalibrates the city
In 2–3 sentences for those in a hurry: The tower stands 84 metres tall and counts 368 steps. Visitors can take a paid lift to reach the panoramic terrace in the bell chamber. From up there you can see everything — the Arena, the ribbon of the Adige, the Torricelle hills — and the centre of Verona stops feeling like a labyrinth.
Built by the Lamberti family in 1172, in tuff and brick, following the Romanesque style typical of the period, this tower was never a bell tower: from the very beginning it was the voice of civic life. The Marangona rang to signal the end of the working day for craftsmen and sounded the alarm in case of fire, while the Rengo summoned the city council and called citizens to arms whenever the city was in danger. Two bells, two precise functions. Today they ring every half hour: if you are up there, step away from the bell chamber before the chime.
The entrance is at Via della Costa 2, in the heart of Piazza delle Erbe. Monday to Friday it is open from 10:00 to 18:00; Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 to 19:00. The tower is open every day of the year, except 25 December. The full-price ticket also includes the Galleria d'Arte Moderna Achille Forti. My tip as a local: go up on weekdays after 16:00 — the light is warm, the groups have thinned out, and you will have the terrace almost to yourself.
Tocatì and Catullus: street games and the poet who never came back
Every third weekend of September, Verona does something unusual: the Veronetta neighbourhood transforms into a vast urban space devoted to traditional games as a living cultural expression, capable of generating encounter, participation and new relationships between people and communities. It is called Tocatì, and the name says it all: it comes from the Veronese dialect and means "it's your turn." It is not a spectacle to watch — it is not an event for spectators in the conventional sense: visitors are invited to roll up their sleeves, learn the rules and play.
In 2026 the dates are 18 to 20 September. The guest country of honour will be Ireland, featuring a rich programme that weaves together traditional games, music and dance. 2026 will also bring an important new development: the opening of Casa Tocatì, a new space in the Parco delle Colombare conceived as a permanent centre dedicated to traditional games and sports. Admission to the festival is free. Among the Veronese games on offer, keep an eye out for the Penacio della Lessinia — a precision throwing game that comes down from the valleys above the city and that most tourists have never heard of.
And then there is Catullus — not the airport, but the person. Born in Verona in 87 BC, Gaius Valerius Catullus was one of the greatest poets of ancient Rome. The expression of emotional intensity was a genuine novelty in Latin literature: Catullus was the first to speak in this way, in his Catulli Veronensis Liber. He left for Rome as a young man, fell devastatingly in love with Clodia — whom he called Lesbia in his verses — and died at thirty. He never came back to live in Verona. His life unfolded between Verona and Rome; in his poems he laments having only a single crate of books in Verona, because by then his entire life was in Rome.
The connection with the centre of Verona is both physical and literary: the Biblioteca Capitolare di Verona, founded within the cathedral complex, is considered the oldest library in the world still in operation. Some historians argue that an apograph of Catullus, now lost, was sold in the 10th century by Raterius, Bishop of Verona. The manuscript that saved his work passed through here. Visiting the Capitolare — in Piazza Duomo, five minutes' walk from the Torre dei Lamberti — means understanding why Verona is not only the city of Romeo, but also the city that preserved the most intense love poetry of antiquity.
How much time should you allow for the Torre dei Lamberti?
Allow 45–60 minutes: 10 minutes for the lift or the stairs, 20–30 minutes on the terrace, and a few minutes in the Galleria d'Arte Moderna included in the ticket. If you want to avoid queuing, book by email at torredeilamberti@agec.it or call +39 045 9273027.
Is Tocatì suitable for families?
The festival is particularly well suited to families: many of the games are designed with younger visitors in mind, and the dedicated areas often offer simplified versions of traditional games. Free admission, no booking required.
Where is the Biblioteca Capitolare?
In Piazza Duomo, within the cathedral complex of Verona. Guided visits can be booked on the website bibliotecacapitolare.it; the indicative price is around 8–10 euros for a guided tour [⚠ PLEASE VERIFY on the official website for 2026 updates].
For your stay in central Verona, the apartments at The Verona Stay — close to the Arena and the Teatro Ristori — place you just a few minutes' walk from all three of these experiences. Verona's historic centre, after all, is best explored when you sleep right inside it.