Aww Italy, Part III

 Verona, We Love You

Piazza Erba

We travelled by train from Bergamo to Verona. We had located a nice airbnb on line, which even the taxi driver had a hard time finding. The managers of the room were so hi-tech that it took quite a bit of time to figure out how to use our phones to download info to eventually get into the building then up to our room. No keys were involved! Once again, we faced the traveller's woe of trying to wander through tiny streets of old Italy and get back to our room. Thankfully, again there was a landmark Torre dei Lamberti which we could locate from afar.

Aside from seeing the famous historic art and ancient buildings of Verona, we had wonderful meals, (Mike ordered donkey meat in a pasta dinner), visited leather shops, and were just a block away from a piazza with a big marketplace. We also learned to look down as the city streets have stone sidewalks with remains of nautilus fossils.

As you might guess, this is a very attractive town for tourists. This is partially because it is the setting of Shakespeare's play, Romeo and Juliet. One of the big things tourists do is pay for a tour to see Juliet's balcony. We avoided this for three reasons: we hate standing in line, Juliet was a fictional character, and there is no evidence that Shakespeare was ever in Italy. However there is so much more to see and enjoy in Verona.

Giardino Giusti and Palace

This garden was designed in the 1500's and was one of the most spectacular private gardens in Italy. It is full of statues, mazes, pots and citrus trees. Between storms and wars, the garden has been restored several times, but continues to reflect the style of the Renaissance period.

After enjoying the beauty of the gardens, we visited the "Giusti Apartment" which is a small part of the Palace and was lived in until 1984. This property is still owned by the Giusti family.

A glimpse of the elegance.

            

View of the garden entrance from The Apartment.


Castelvecchio Museum

Built in 1355, this is a structural masterpiece. Inside it's doors are pieces of Gothic and Romanesque art, as well as a few more modern pieces. As you can see from the picture there is a walkway around the castle itself which provides great views of Adige River and Verona itself.

I found this statue of a friend holding Mary up after the crucifixion especially moving.

 

Having gotten our steps in each day in this very walkable town, we sadly said goodbye to Verona. 

Our next stop Venice.