42 Time 4 Me, May 2009
travel
SPECTACLE: Verdi’s Aida
at Arena di Verona
Bravo, Verona
NIGHT at the opera VERONA is compact, with the River Adige
for the masses” was travelpointwinding through it, making it easy to see on“A
the dismissive
comment of afriend when he foot. NIGEL WILLIAMS spends aweekend ● Nigel Williams was aguest
learned we were off to Verona. of Citalia, part of the TUI-taking in the sights and sounds of the Italian city
Actually,hewas rightabout the Thomson group, which offers
masses: up to 20,000 of us soldiers, slaves,priests, courtiers statuesand frescoes,stylish shortbreaksthisautumnto
poured into theRoman and to liberate the surging power shops, intriguing side streetsand Verona from £286 per person
amphitheatre wheregladiatorsdid of the choral voices. busyrestaurants. for three nights in November
battle almost 2,000 years ago. Brief silences after ascene or a If you love art and the ambience at the three-star Hotel
But what anight. As the sky particularly beautiful aria were of an Italian city, then it’s difficult Mastino, with flights from
darkened andthe moon rose, punctuated by aman’s voice to thinkofanywherebetter, apart Gatwick. Regional options
thousands in the audience lit somewhereinthe crowd. “Viva from perhaps Venice, for a includeManchester(£287)and
candles which glinted and Verdi” or “Bravo”would ringout weekend break. Glasgow(£342).
danced like fireflies. clearly, followed by athunderclap We found it easy to get around ● Call Citaliaon0871200
We had chosen Verdi’s Aida, of applause from everyone else. the main landmarks on foot, 2005 or visit www.citalia.com
which has been packing them in We were in the gradinata – though it pays to make an early
at the Arena di Verona since it cheap, unreserved seats –onthe start in the heat of summer, and vineyards on the Venice to Milan
was chosen for the inaugural stonesteps high abovethe stage. we took frequent breaks for line. You can’t expect to see
production at thefirst annual The arenaalsoprovides chilled drinks or arefreshing cup much in that time of the largest of
opera festivalthere in1913. excellent opportunitiesfor of fresh fruit from amarket stall. the Italian lakes, but it’s enough
Thedramatic story of love and people-watching. Close by is the Piazza Signori, for ataste.
betrayal set in the Egypt of the Streamingout with thecrowds with its statue of Dante gazing We got off at Desenzano and
pharaohs lends itself to the vast wellafter midnight, we found a down on the tourists and its had lunch on the palm-lined front
arena, where you probably need city pulsingwithlife. Restaurants palazzi built by the Scaligeri before catching asteamer to
all that space to hold hundreds of were taking orders, family, who ruled the city in the Sirmione, apeninsula juttingout
bars were packed, 13th and 14th centuries. Their into thesouthernend of thelake.
streets thronged. gothic tombs topped withspires There wasn’t time to see more
Afew minutes’ seem like abizarre prop from –wehad to getbacktoVerona
walk from thePiazza some epic fantasy film. after deciding there was only one
Bra, site of the If you’re in the mood, it’s worth way to spend our last night there:
arena, took us to the climbing the275ft Lamberti Tower the opera again.
heart of the old city, for views out over the city’s We had bought tickets for Aida
Piazza Erbe. Here terracotta roofs and river bridges onlineweeks earlier, which is
we lingered over a to the surrounding hills with their always advisable for the more
drinkatapavement cypress trees. popularperformances. But for
cafe,admiringthe Later we crossed the river to Puccini’s La Boheme we were
floodlit fountain stroll and unwind in the Giusti able to buy more expensive
topped with a gardens, laid out in 1570 and tickets on the day, this time by
Romanstatue of the describedbyone Englishtraveller the side of the stalls.
Madonna of Verona. as a“second paradise”. But we found that spending
Verona is Thelower garden is formal with less was definitely more. You may
compact, with the tall cypresses, statues, box- be closer to the action, but you
River Adige winding clippedhedges, gravel drives and lose that panoramic view and
throughit, making it lizards sunbathing.Asyou climb, someatmosphere.
easy to see on foot. it becomes amore natural space One thingdidn’t change
It boasts many with good viewsbackover though.That man, the mystery
attractions: Roman the city. voiceinthe crowd, wasback.HEART OF THE CITY:
ruins, Renaissance We set aside one day for atrip “Bravo,” he bellowed. It wasPiazza Erbe in Verona
architecture, to Lake Garda, which is just 20 the perfect way to sum up our
churches with minutesawaybytrain past feelings about Verona.
TIME 4 ME 042 May 2009
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