"The Most Italian Place on Earth"
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| Arena di Verona |
This ancient Roman amphitheater was built in the 1st century AD. It actually served as a model for the largest Colosseum in the world! It's also the most preserved and has most recently (since 1913) become synonymous with one of the greatest Italian arts: Opera.
We took a fabulous walking tour of the historic area of Verona. Walking along small streets and alleyways, we learned about the history of Verona through its architecture and historical figures. Here are a few views from our walk:
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| Palazzo della Ragione |
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| Ponte della Vittoria - Adige river |
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| Piazza dei Signori |
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| Statue of Dante Alighieri Italian poet, writer and politician |
A trip to Verona would not be complete without seeing Juliet's balcony. Instead a paying the fee to go into the courtyard with hundreds of tourists, our guide led us through a nearby gift shop and upstairs for a view of the courtyard and balcony. What a treat to have such an exceptional view of the (fictitious) balcony!
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| Juliet's house & balcony |
We had beautiful weather for a day at the lake. We took a tour that began with a boat ride on Lake Garda, out of the village of Sirmione. Lake Garda, the largest lake in Italy, cuts into the edge of the Italian Alps.
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| Lake Garda |
Our boat ride provided us with views of the Grottoes of Catullus.
These ruins of a Roman villa allegedly belonged to the poet Catullus. The oldest part of the structure dates back to the first century B.C., but most of the villa was built about 100 years later.
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| Grottoes of Catullus |
We also had fantastic views of Castello Scaligero di Sirmione!
This castle was built as a fortress around the 14th century by the Veronese Della Scala family.
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| Castello Scaligero di Sirmione |
After our relaxing boat ride, we wandered through the streets of Sirmione. This idyllic garden was dedicated to Grazia Deledda, an Italian writer who received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1926.
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| Giardino Grazia Deledda |
Our last stop for the day was Borghetto. This little hamlet is built on the banks of the Mincio River.
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| Borghetto |
We relaxed with our new friends as we tasted the local tortellini (also called Knot of Love) and wine. What a perfect ending to a perfect day!