After a bit of healthy exercise in the morning, we went to Lazise and Sirmione. Lazise is a charming little village located on the east shore of Lake Garda. The first thing you see as soon as you arrive are the Medieval walls, perfectly preserved, that give to this town an elegant and noble flair. They were built, along with the Castle, under the rule of the Scaligeri family of Verona (XIII century). The most majestic building of the village is anyhow the Castle. Over the centuries it was expanded destroyed, restored, and it became property of Verona, Lombardy, Venice, France and Austria. Finally it was purchased in the 1850s by Count Giovanni Battista Buri who restored it and surrounded it with a beautiful park. It can not be visited, unfortunately, because it is still inhabited by Buri’s heirs.
Rich families from Roman times used to come on holiday to Sirmione and Lazise when they needed to take a break from wining, dining and feasting. Tennyson wrote: “There beneath the Roman ruin where the purple flowers grow”. The beautiful purple flowers were everywhere.
But we had to say our goodbyes to Lake Garda and take the road again, this time to Verona…..
Verona is intriguing to many and made world famous because of the star-crossed lovers of Romeo and Juliet. However …this is a Shakespearean tale.
Contrary to her literary reputation, Verona is not a city caught in the wild throes of love, but one that drips with old-time romance. Her summer opera, world-famous balcony and Renaissance galleries bring in the tourists – but it’s her secret gardens, underground remains and hidden churches that offer the most mystique. Even the Veronesi remain resolutely in love with their city, despite the sloppiness and Shakespeare.
I heard that in Verona there is a ‘golden hour’. It starts around 6pm – the city is then bathed in the gilded light of dusk, the squares fill up with spritz-drinking couples and elderly locals on a pre-dinner passeggiata. In Piazza Erbe the bell tolls, glasses chink and Verona comes truly to life.
Walking through Centro Storico, we admired the sites, stopped for a coffee, took pictures and just enjoyed the vibe. Of course we also visited the shops at Via Mazzini and I just had to make a bathroom stop at the luxurious Sogno di Giullietta hotel. Amazing!
The most well-known attraction of Verona is naturally its arena, located at Piazza Bra. Dating back to the 1st century, this arena is one of a few that’s still functional and the best-preserved Roman amphitheater in the world, with frequent operas and concerts hosted in the summer. The arena seats up to 30.000 spectators. We will see more of the arena in a bit, but now we need find our quirky hotel near Verona….
Isabelle's travel stories 