Ciao and welcome to this travel guide that takes a closer look at how many days in Verona is really enough to make the absolute most of its beautiful historic centre.
If you didn’t already know, Verona is one of the 7 provinces of the Veneto region and it’s situated in north east Italy and is renowned for its rich Roman heritage, well-preserved mediaeval castle and walls and Renaissance architecture.
This city is like an open air museum, everything is at a walkable distance and you can simply lift your head and fill your eyes with beautiful architecture and art.
Verona is also a UNESCO World Heritage for being an outstanding example of a city that harmonically developed progressively over two thousand years.
Keep reading this guide to find out how many days you should spend in Verona, what you can do every day and ideas of day trips you can take from Verona.
How many days in Verona
Ideally, you’ll want to spend 3 days in Verona because if you can stay in the city for 3 days, you can visit all the main attractions and even some of the hidden gems.
I recently spent a few days here, and even with just 3 days it is worth visiting Verona as you’ll be able to take it easy and relax knowing you have time to see the main attractions. Not to mention, time for a coffee at one of the many bars in the centre.
Also, consider the time you’d want to spend doing some (window) shopping or simply strolling around the historic centre and along the Adige river.
You can also aim to include a half day trip to Lake Garda or Valpolicella from Verona, if that’s something you might be interested in experiencing too.
However, for those with less time to spend…
Is 1 day enough for Verona?
One day in Verona is only enough to give you a glimpse into its charm and history, but I would have to say not enough to fully appreciate all the city has to offer.
With one day in Verona, you can cover the most popular attractions such as:
- The Roman Arena
- Juliet’s Balcony
- The picturesque Piazza delle Erbe
From there you could then continue towards the Lungadige and Ponte Pietra. You also might have time for a walk on top of the mediaeval walls of Castelvecchio.
To do all this in one day, I suggest that you get a 24 hour Verona city card that allows you to skip the queue at the Arena and free entrance in the sites mentioned above.
However, I know for certain and can assure you that Verona’s charm lies in the hidden narrow streets, the leisurely riverside walks, and the seemingly endless chance to savour local cuisine in a cosy trattoria. Unfortunately, in one day you can’t do all that!
A rushed visit is a missed opportunity to live and breathe the city’s romantic atmosphere that is so known well for, even beyond the country’s borders!
Is 2 days in Verona enough?
The good news is that by spending two days in Verona, it will give you extra time to delve deeper into the city’s multi-layered history and culture.
In this case you can get the 48 hours Verona Card and more attractions that you could objectively cover in only one day, and also do it at a slower pace.
On the first day, you can comfortably explore the heart of the city, starting from Piazza Bra and the Roman Arena, then moving to Juliet’s House, and finally Piazza delle Erbe and climbing Torre dei Lamberti for a bird eye view of the city. From there you can keep walking to Piazza dei Signori and see the Scaliger Tombs.
With an extra day, you can walk on the Castelvecchio’s walls and visit its museum. You can also visit the Duomo of Verona, and the Basilica of San Zeno Maggiore, one of the most outstanding examples of Romanesque architecture in Italy.
In the price of the Verona card, there’s the entrance to these churches plus the Santa Anastasia Church. Then, to top it all off, with 2 days in Verona you can also take time to admire the sunset from Ponte Pietra or even from the top of San Pietro hill.
Notice that by spending at least one night in Verona, you can also experience aperitivo time, a much beloved ritual by locals, and try Veronese cuisine.
However, two days may still leave you yearning for more, maybe to simply allow you to take your visit at a slower pace or visit other places in the area while you’re here.
Where to stay in Verona? Last time I was in Verona I stayed at Domus Verona, a one bedroom apartment, 5 minutes walk from the Arena of Verona.
It’s an ideal place to stay in the heart of Verona, not only for the strategic position but also if you want to cook your own meal or have breakfast at home in the morning.
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How to spend 3 days in Verona
I suggest spending 3 days in Verona to truly experience the best of its sights and local culture. This duration allows you to not only explore iconic attractions as well as lesser-known gems but give you chance to better connect with the city.
Below you can see my Verona itinerary outline for inspiration:
Day 1 in Verona
- Piazza Bra
- Roman Arena
- Juliet’s House
- Piazza delle Erbe
- Torre dei Lamberti
- Scaliger Tombs
- Castelvecchio
Day 2 in Verona
- Giardino Giusti
- Archaeological Museum at the Roman Theatre
- Underground Verona
Day 3 in Verona
For day 3 you would pick one of the following day trips from Verona:
- Lake Garda
- Valpolicella
- Gardaland
After testing this out myself I can confirm that this 3 day Verona itinerary provides you with the perfect balance, allowing you to connect with Verona’s famous sights, delve into its rich history, and experience the local culture at a leisurely pace.
The cost of spending a week in Verona
But what about the cost? Spending a week in Verona will definitely give you ample time to explore the city, with its main attractions, lesser beaten neighbourhoods.
You’ll also have time to travel to nearby places such as Lake Garda, Gardaland and the Valpolicella wine region or even to another city like Milan or Venice if you want.
Those travelling on a budget may want to make slight adjustments to the time spent in each place, reconsider some paid attractions or even be selective on where to eat.
Below I’ve done a breakdown of a week stay in Verona based on my time in the city. I hope it can come handy so you know how much you can expect to spend:
Accommodation in Verona
When it comes to places to stay in Verona, budget options such as hostels or budget hotels start at around 40-70 euros per night. A mid-range hotel can cost you about 100-150 euros per night, and luxury hotels go up to 250 euros or more per night.
A couple with a medium-range budget can expect to spend around 700-1050 euros for the week and have a comfortable experience without restricting themselves.
Food in Verona
Daily food expenses can vary a lot. Budget travellers can expect to spend about 20-30 euros per day on meals by eating in local trattoria and osteria.
If you have a lunch or dinner for around 15 euros (lunch menu) and then the other meal at a mid-range restaurant you can expect to spend 50-70 euros daily.
For a week, this totals 140-210 euros (per person) for budget travellers and 350-490 euros for mid-range dining.
Attractions in Verona
Helping you save time, money and energy the Verona Card, which provides access to many major attractions, costs 27 euros for 24 hours or 32 euros for 48 hours.
A guided half day tour visit to Lake Garda, Amarone or Valpollicella, the renowned wine region for a wine tasting experience can cost you between 95 to 120 euros per person. Whereas a self-organised trip to Lake Garda (popular option!) is much cheaper because you’d only pay the bus or train ticket which costs between 3 to 5 euros.
If you decide to do 2 half day tours and get the 48 hours Verona card expect to pay around 250 euros per person on attractions.
Transportation in Verona
It is also worth noting that whilst you have your Verona Card handy, you will have unlimited bus rides on all ATV buses within the historic centre of Verona.
One day transport pass costs 11 euros, 3 days pass costs 22 euros and the weekly pass costs 44 euros and gives you unlimited travel on Verona city and provincial bus lines (including the Airlink-the shuttle bus from Verona airport to the city centre).
With that said, if you’re a budget traveller you can expect to spend around 1000-1300 euros for the week, but if you’re in the look out of a more comfortable stay with mid-range options the weekly budget is around 1600-2200 euros.
How many days in Verona: Final words
All in all, I found that spending 3 days in Verona offers the perfect balance to explore its iconic landmarks, hidden gems, and vibrant local culture.
By starting from the historical centre, and making your way to the famous Roman amphitheatre, to the mediaeval Castelvecchio, and charming cobblestoned piazzas and streets, there’s a lot to keep you entertained and busy for a few days.
You can both dedicate time to visit the city’s top attractions like the Roman Arena and Juliet’s House but also less touristy places like Giardino Giusti and do a day or half day trip to Lake Garda or somewhere else in and around the Veneto region.
If you’re visiting Verona soon and looking for further inspiration on where to go and what to see in northern Italy, see my 10 day northern Italy itinerary for detailed tips.
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