Bella Verona

The romantic city of VERONA! -The name alone conjures up dreams filled with forbidden love, balconies, wine and Italian history. Home to one of the earliest Roman Arena’s (older than the Colosseum) the site still hosts live concerts and events making it one of the oldest continuous running arenas in the world. Sometimes overlooked because of their southern neighbors, the region boasts some well known and famous wine growing regions. Valpolicella may be the most well-known but nearby Bardolino, Custoza and Soave also produce some of Italy's finest wines.

My advice! Take a tour with my friends Sara and Virginia with Romeo & Juliet Tours http://www.romeoandjulietguide.com

These ladies have grown their business over the years recently adding a wine store but it’s their passion for their hometown that will make you friends for life and keep you coming back.

Piazza Bra is the place to be for a morning coffee and pastry. People-watch, take a deep breath and you will start to feel like a local within minutes. The arena dominates the piazza and the streets spider-web from its center in all directions and although near impossible to go down them all, you should try!

Amarone is the king of wines here and there is no shortage of places to find this bold red. Sara will help you learn about the history of the city, meet new people and see how much Verona has to offer.

A special treat is tasting homemade truffle ravioli in a local pasta shop and no trip to Verona is complete without eating the famous Amarone Risotto! Only something this good can overshadow the ambiance of being just a few steps from where Romeo and Juliet enjoyed their lunch. Sara and Virginia know everyone—ask if they have any friends willing to cook in their home. One night making fresh pasta and ricotta gnocchi just steps away from Juliet’s balcony will have you humming “o solo mio’ and day-dreaming about living here forever!

For a quieter evening outside the city, why not stay at the growing trend of Agriturismos! These farmhouses turned Bed and Breakfast are the perfect way to connect to nature and culture. At Agriturismo Acinatico, the beautiful setting is only matched by the hospitality. This Bed and Breakfast on the Stefano Accordini family land should not be missed! The rooms are clean and new and the breakfast is a small feast—we literally asked that they not bring us so much on our second day! Mark, the youngest son runs the lodging portion and the rest of the family is around the corner at the winery where they work and sell their wines, serve great farm to table food and make their own Amarone Risotto! Tour the cellar but be prepared to leave there with several boxes of wine! Their Ripasso and Paxxo are too good to pass up and their hospitality will keep you coming back! Where to eat? At the base of the hill is lovely local ristorante, Osteria Numero Uno in Fumane! This local, no frills location has some of the best bolognese I’ve ever had. After finishing a bottle of their ripasso, not only was I full but I was fluent in Italian!

Another less known fact about Verona is it is a spectacular location to celebrate New Years. Fireworks are encouraged here and the although the crowds grow large you still feel like you are a part of this smaller city.

The people and atmosphere are what keeps me going back! Add Verona to the bucket list and see just how much northern Italy has to offer!

At Una mass, we say yes to ‘one more’ day in Verona!