44 | ENCHANTING VERONA


www.nitravelnews.com


June 2026


medieval motifs and art, including 1838 Cosroe Dusi painting, ‘Juliet and Romeo.’ Far from Juliet’s balcony, Verona still oozes with romance and allure. Far above the city’s cobbled streets and interwoven passages is Castel San Pietro on St Peter’s hill. From Ponte Pietra,


the


bridge that faces Verona’s Roman Area,


tourists


can get a cable car up to the castle. Enjoying spectacular views of the city as life passes by.


A popular


Sonnets, Statues, and Shakespeare : Exploring ITALY’S CITY OF LOVE


BY ERIN ENGLISH erin@nitravelnews.com


‘IN fair Verona, where we lay our scene,’ a city immortalised on the tragic fate of star-crossed lovers where romance embeds itself into the very essence of Verona. Located


in Italy’s


northeastern Veneto region, Verona provides the illustrious backdrop for one of the world’s most famous love stories, Romeo and Juliet. A tragic


tale of fated romance, centuries,


ill- the


impact of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet has spanned across the globe for


inspiring


numerous books, films, musicals and songs that we engage with on a daily basis. A story so engrained within our media and culture, one might think they know it all about the feuding House Montague and House Capulet, but on a visit to Verona, the story truly steps out of the pages and invites you to bask in the romance. After all,


Shakespeare does


say ‘there is no world without Verona’s walls.”


A global pilgrimage for hopeless romantics, loved-up couples, or perhaps just starry- eyed dreamers, is of course, Juliet’s balcony. Despite being grounded in fiction, Shakespeare was provided inspiration for ‘Romeo and Juliet’ from a poem by Arthur Brooke titled, ‘The Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Juliet,’ which in itself was derived from older works by Italian writer and historiographer, Luigi De Porto. However, the mystique of Romeo and Juliet lives on, with many tourists


opting to believe in the fantasy and intrigue of the tale of two lovers torn apart by family rivalries and tragedy. Interestingly, the tale of the two feuding


Italian families is based on fact, and was first mentioned in Dante’s Divine Comedy before being retold in De Porto’s work. The Montecchi (Montagues) and Cappelletti were real


(Capulets) aristocratic


families who resided in the Verona region in the 13th century, and their feuding political factions have stood the test of time, having trickled down through the artistry of multiple storytellers. Residing at Via Cappello 23, located in


Verona’s old town, Juliet’s Balcony is a 20th century addition to a 13th century tower house. The tower house is the residence of the Dal Capello


family, and was purchased by the City of Verona in the early 20th century. The courtyard is free for visitors, with admission to the house costing around 12-15 euros. Romeo, Romeo, where art thou Romeo! Glancing up at the balcony, one feels truly embraced by the romance of it all. The walls below the stone balcony are adorned with love messages, and manifestations.


In


recent years, the success of the Hollywood movie, ‘Letters to Juliet,’


sees


tourists and visitors from around the globe write their own love-letters, addressed to


‘Juliet, Verona, Italy.’


While many may believe that the letters will go unanswered, and remain a notary depiction of inner thoughts, feelings and sonnets. There is actually a Juliet Club, who receive an estimated 50,000 letters each


year. Many of these letters, that have their sender’s address or email address written are actually responded to. A novelty token of the heart, quite literally.


A statue of Juliet has stood at the centre of the courtyard since 1972, however due to age and wear and tear, the original was replaced in 2014. Many tourists believe that touching the statue will bring good-luck, a welcome superstition for many who visit Juliet’s house. Inside the museum, tourists can view the original statue, alongside a range of memorabilia and artefacts from the 1968 film adaptation of ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ including the wooden bed. There is also an array of 16th and 17th century period furniture on display, alongside a range of


engagement spot, the area is renowned for its wonderful sunset views and enchanting atmosphere. On a trip to you


Verona,


can understand why William Shakespeare opted to keep Verona as the


backdrop to his play, maintaining the illustrious Italian city to tell the tale of star-crossed lovers. The city’s magnetic charm, illustrious beauty, and historic might is enough to make you long to stay, and as Shakespeare says, ‘parting is such sweet sorrow.’


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