Travel blog: Verona, Italy Day 2
- Lemayee
- 24 jan 2020
- 4 minuten om te lezen
Day 2 Verona, Italy
The second day of our Verona trip started with a visit to ELK Bakery, where we all ordered a double espresso to go. We then crossed the Ponte della Vittoria which gives you a nice view of the Ponte Garibaldi and the San Giorgio in Braida, which is a Roman Catholic Church. We continued walking to the Porta Borsari.
The Porta Borsari is an ancient Roman gate that dates to the 1st century AD. An inscription dating from emperor Gallienus reign reports another reconstruction in 265 AD. It was then the city's main entrance and was therefore richly decorated. It also originally had an inner court, now disappeared. The façade, in local white limestone , has two arches flanked by semi-columns with Corinthian capitals.
We walked through the gate and ended up at Piazza Delle Erbe. The Piazza del Erbe is one of the two most beautiful squares in Verona. The Piazza delle Erbe has beautiful buildings on all sides, which are worth seeing on their own. These are for example the Palazzo Maffei, the Palazzo del Comune (with the Torre del Carceri) and the Casa dei Mercanti trading house.
Arco della Costa brings you to the via della Costa. On the Arco della Costa there is a bone hanging from the arch, the bone, believed to be a rib, hangs in the centre of the medieval Arco della Costa (Arch of the Rib), the entry point between Verona’s Piazza Erbe and Piazza dei Signori. It’s been hanging there, suspended from an iron chain, since at least the 1700s, though some estimates suggest much longer, possibly since the 15th century.
In the Middle Ages and Renaissance era, the walkway above the arch provided a safe passage for judges and magistrates between the city hall and their living quarters, so that they needn’t associate with the common or “corrupt” people bellow. This may be the ironic origin of the myth of the whalebone’s magic: It’s claimed that it will fall on the first innocent or truthful person to walk under the archway.
We first had a small photoshoot at the stairs near de Torre dei Lamberti and afterwards we decided to go up the Torre dei Lamberti. For €8,00 a person you will get a beautiful panoramic view of Verona, just be mindful when the bells start ringing.
Now the moment we have been waiting for, Juliet's House! We wanted to see the Balcony and the statue. As expected we were not alone. After waiting in line a bit, we finally got to be next to Juliet. As you can see from the pictures, I was a gentleman and merely held her hand.
We continued to church number 3 on our list, the tickets are still valid until the end of the year so that was perfect. The Basilica of Saint Anastasia is a church of the Dominican Order. The Basilica extends over three large aisles supported by twelve impressive pillars in red Veronese marble. To the left of the transept a splendid marble entrance opens onto the Giusti chapel which was at one time the oratory of the Dominican monastery.
We had started to get a bit hungry so we decided it was time for lunch. We visited Tigella Verona which was on the way to the final church on our list. For lunch we had different kinds of meats and salads with fresh bread and good vino.
The Church of Saint Fermo was the last church on the list. Each Church on the list has its own remarkable style and interior. This Church is a refined example of the gothic style spread throughout Italy by the Order of the Friars Minor, it is a singular example of the references to French architecture seen especially in the higher parts of the building, with spires and ornaments which are quite unusual in this city. Inside, like a treasure chest, one finds the lower Benedictine church, which is a jewel of the local Romanesque architecture.
After we had completed all the Churches it was time for.... Gelato! We bought some gelato near the Ruins of the old city and we did not hold back, we finished in style and had an espresso at the Casa del Caffè. Now we had some more energy to walk to the Arena di Verona, which unfortunately was closed. We decided to sit and relax at the Palazzo Barbieri which is next to the Arena.
After chilling we wanted to chill some more and went back to the same bar as we went last night Osteria la Mandorla. Here we ordered some more beers and watch people pass by. A while later we walked back in the direction of our Airbnb and made a last minute decision to visit the Castelvecchio Museum. For €6,00 you can see a collection of sculpture, statues, paintings, ancient weapons, ceramics, goldworks, miniatures and some old bells. Also you can walk outside on the castle walls and get a beautiful view on the Castelvecchio Bridge.
We went back to Il Caperro and had a fantastic dinner once again, if we visit Verona in the future we will definitely come back here. We toasted to our last day in Verona as we the following day we will be headed for Venice in our Ford Fiesta.
Comments