The origins of the city of Verona are not known, but there are records of 1st century BC that it was a wealthy and prosperous city of the Roman Republic.
At the center of the city, is an ampitheater known as the Arena. It was built in the 2nd century AD and is the largest arena from ancient Rome after the Colosseum in Rome.
The Arena is still used today to stage operas and Shakespeare plays. We watched as they used cranes to place large set pieces over the walls for an upcoming play.
Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet also draws visitors to Verona. The play takes place in Verona and while the characters are fictional, the tradition has it that the house of Capulet lived in a home in Via Cappello.
The 13th century house had a restored balcony and courtyard with a bronze statue of Juliet and visitors are encouraged to visit and leave notes to Juliet.
The city was once surrounded by a wall during Roman times. Those walls are still mostly standing around the expanded city.
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