Day 1 Verona, Italy
After we landed at Verona Airport we got our luggage and headed out to get our rental car. We arranged everything beforehand with SunnyCars who has always been a good partner and always provides us with excellent service. We got a Ford Fiesta and we didn't have any problems during our trip! After an extensive car check (always do that) we drove to a Verona viewpoint next to Castel San Pietro. The viewpoint gives you an amazing panoramic view over Verona and there is also a drinking fountain in case you want to go with the flow and satisfy your thirst.
Verona is a medium-sized city located in the Veneto region and just a small drive from Lake Garda. Verona was already an important city in Northern Italy in the Roman era. Fortunately, a number of sights from this time have been preserved.
We continued driving into Verona and headed for the Cathedral Complex. The Cathedral, which is dedicated to S. Maria Assunta, is the central structure of a complex of architectural buildings which include S. Giovanni in Fonte, S. Elena, the Canons’ cloister, the Capitular library, the square in front of the church and the bishop’s residence. We parked the Ford Fiesta and bought tickets to do all 4 churches in Verona. Tickets are decently priced at €6,00 a person.
Cathedral Complex
The Basilica of San Zeno
The Basilica of Saint Anastasia
The Church of Saint Fermo
After visiting the Cathedral Complex we walked to a nearby local craft beer / cocktail bar Archivio. We enjoyed an India Pale Ale from Birrificio Mastro Matto. You can follow all our beer adventures on Instagram @TheHopsters you can also follow @ArchivioVerona and @BirrificioMastroMatto
We went back to the car and drove off to see the second church on the list. The Basilica of San Zeno is a beautiful and better preserved examples of Romanesque architecture in the Northern Italy. The Basilica is constructed between 967-1398 AD. It's probably more famous for the tradition that its crypt was the place of the marriage of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. It stands adjacent to a Benedictine, both are dedicated to St Zeno of Verona, an early Christian Bishop of Verona. St Zeno is also the Patron Saint of Fishermen and Anglers, the city of Verona, newborn babies as well as children learning to speak and walk.
The Basilica has a beautiful courtyard and the interior of the church is on three levels with an extensive crypt on the lower level, the church proper and a raised presbytery. Since 921, the crypt has housed the body of St. Zeno in a sarcophagus, his face covered by a silver mask. The crypt has a nave with eight aisles the arches of which are supported by 49 columns, each having a different capital.
After visiting the Basilica we drove to our Airbnb and checked in, we bought some groceries and headed to the Castelvecchio Bridge and on our way bought some Greek Mythos beers at a Greek festival that was taking place at Arsenal Franz Josef I We then chilled by the bridge and enjoyed the warm spring time sun.
We did a small walk near the bridge and came in brief contact with some doves and a questionable statue. We returned back to the Airbnb to chill and relax before dinner. We found a very good restaurant near the Airbnb called Il Cappero, we loved it so much that we returned the next day. After dinner we decided to see the Verona night life and ended up in Osteria la Mandorla near the Arena. We had some beers and called it a night.
Check out day 2 of our Verona trip.
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