Verona is one of the most fascinating cities in Northern Italy. The hometown of Romeo and Juliet, wonderful squares, churches, bridges and the majestic Arena.

There is no doubt that under the sun the city reaches the peak of its beauty, but even in bad weather, it can be fascinating. So what to do in Verona if it rains and how to enjoy it to the fullest?

With an umbrella and a little spirit of adaptation, the Scaliger city can be visited easily even in the rain. If you really don’t want to stay outside, find below some indoor activities.

Juliet’s house is located in Via Cappello 23 and it is an unmissable stop for anyone who has read the Shakespearean tragedy. The street is an extension of the famous Via Mazzini, and a few steps from Piazza delle Erbe, one of the jewels of the city. Its entrance would go almost unnoticed if it wasn’t for the crowds of tourists who usually queue to enter. After passing the gate you will step into the entrance hall, where lovers from all over the world stick notes or write a love sentence directly on the walls. After the hall, you will be in a small internal courtyard from which you can admire the famous balcony where, according to the legend, Juliet leaned out to speak with Romeo.

Inside the courtyard, you will notice a bronze statue depicting Juliet and a plaque where some verses of the tragedy of the English writer are reported.

The house is on multiple floors and it is a reconstruction of a Venetian stately home of the time, with frescoes, inlaid chests, fireplaces, wooden stairs and walkways. Take a picture overlooking the balcony described by Shakespeare in his poem!

Open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9.00am to 7.00pm, Juliet’s house ( 045.8034303) can be visited upon purchase of a ticket. A full ticket costs € 6, for groups or over 60s of age costs € 4.50. You can also purchase a single cumulative ticket of € 8 (full) or € 5 (reduced) to visit Juliet’s house, Juliet’s tomb and the Museum of Frescoes.

It is one of the major monuments of Verona, its bridge is still used to cross the Adige river. Castelvecchio was built between 1354 and 1357 by Cangrande II della Scala, to defend the city from the wars that spilled over the territory at that time. The building is made of two parts: on the left is the Scaligeri palace, on the right, there is a large courtyard originally used as a square for weapons. In the center, you can see the massive main tower, which was part of the defensive system of the castle. The fortress has been used in many different ways over the years: during the Napoleonic era, it was turned into a factory, while during the Austrian domination it was used as a barracks.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, Castelvecchio was restored and transformed into a museum, and, after being damaged during the bombings of the Second World War, it was again restored by the architect Carlo Scarpa, one of the most prominent of the twentieth century. Scarpa also worked on the layout of the rooms, making the building a work of art admired by architects and enthusiasts from all over the world.

Today, the Castle houses the Civic Museum of Verona, which features a picture gallery, a sculpture gallery and an art library. In the museum, you will see collections of Medieval, Renaissance and Modern art, including paintings, sculptures, weapons, prints and much more. In the art gallery, you can admire paintings from the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries by artists such as Pisanello, Girolamo dai Libri, Francesco Caroto and Paolo Veronese.

The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00am to 6.00pm. The cost of a full ticket is € 6, while a reduced ticket costs € 4.50.

The castle is located in Corso Castelvecchio, 2, 37121 Verona.

The Cathedral of Verona stands in a small and austere square, which almost hides its beauty. The monument consists of a baptistery, a cloister, the Church of Sant’Elena and the remains of an early Christian basilica from the 4th century. At the time of the Roman Empire, where the church now stands, there were villas with private thermal baths and probably also small temples in the area. The first early Christian basilica was built where the Church of Sant’Elena now stands: inside, you can still admire the mosaics of that era.

At the entrance, you will see the Romanesque baptismal font, a block of marble and the Baptistery. Between 1444 and 1513 a Gothic nave was added and later a Renaissance bell tower. Walking inside the church you can admire the numerous frescoes and chapels, all beautifully decorated. In one of these, there is the famous Altarpiece of the Assumption by Titian, built-in 1525.

If you feel like taking a break at the end of the visit, go to the coffee bar at the Duomo, which is located just across the street. The restaurant has a familiar and relaxing atmosphere and it is the perfect place for a coffee or where to enjoy a sweet break.

More about the Cathedral of Verona.

After a cultural trip, you can walk (and hide) in the shops of Via Mazzini, the road that connects Piazza Bra to Piazza delle Erbe. At the beginning the road was without flooring, it was paved in the early nineteenth century and it is now the main shopping district of the city. Here you can find all kinds of shops: from Gucci to Zara, from Calzedonia to Tiffany & Co.

Besides the shops of the major Italian and international brands, some buildings are worth stopping to observe. The first is the Arvedi loggia, one of the prominent examples of Veronese neoclassicism, and the second is the church of S. Tommaso Apostolo (better known as S. Tomio ). Although the church is small, it will amaze you with its beauty and elegance. Built on top of an ancient pagan temple, it was a former Benedictine monastery before being transformed into a theater in 1815. In 1842 it was consecrated again and since 1919 it has been managed by the Missionary Sons of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Comboni Missionaries).