Our journey starts in Piazza Bra, the second most important square in the city, and home to the world famous amphitheater, Arena di Verona. After its birth in the first century AD, the Arena went through a series of transformations, as it was used for several different purposes. There was a time when the Roman amphitheater was the place where prostitutes had their headquarters, only to be transformed into an area for selling fruits and vegetables some years later. The first opera concert ever held here was by Verdi, and since then, the Arena has possibly become the most famous place in Italy for opera singers to perform (after La Scala di Milano).

All eyes on Via Mazzini now, the most fashionable street in Verona, housing the poshest shops and the biggest theater in town. The street takes its name from Giuseppe Mazzini, one of the most important people to have contributed to the unification of Italy, and there may be no coincidence in the fact that it links the two major squares of Verona: Piazza Bra and Piazza delle Erbe. In this large pedestrian area, you can find luxurious shops and numerous souvenir stores, while the street artists are likely to entertain you with their unique talents. Should you wander into the back alleys, you might also discover some typical bars and pubs, where you can quench your thirst with a tasty Italian aperitivo. Even though this shopping street is mostly high-end, if you come to Verona during the sales you will find some serious discounts here. A lot of shops also offer a discount just before the sale period starts, especially if you put on your best smile and ask!

After reaching the end of Via Mazzini, we find ourselves at a crossroad. Here, we turn left into the amazingly elegant Piazza Erbe, with its imposing tower, and lively cafes and bars that celebrate the old buildings above them (on which beautiful frescoes still reign). Some of Verona’s oldest buildings are situated here, as this was the most important gathering place for political and economic life during ancient times. In the center of the square, you can admire the Madonna Verona fountain, which consists of a beautiful Roman statue with an epigraphy dating from the IV century. Just next to the Madonna Verona fountain, you will also notice a covered square pavilion, boasting a strange giant handcuff and some geometrical forms beneath it. This peculiar structure is one of the best-kept secrets of Verona and few people know exactly what purpose it truly served. Contrary to the popular belief that this used to be a place for handcuffing and torturing people, this was actually the heart of Verona’s commerce. People used to get on top of the pavilion and try to sell their merchandise (mostly raw materials, like wood or stone) to anyone interested. In order to prove that their logs of wood were the width they claimed, they used to slip them through a metal cuff which was a standard measurement. The same thing was done with bricks and roof tiles that had to fit the dimensions of the geometrical forms, which you can still see today embossed in the lower part of the edifice.

This is a medieval tower that you cannot miss once you are in Piazza delle Erbe. It measures 83 meters (272 feet) in height and dominates the historical center of the city of love. At the beginning of the 1700s, the clock was added to the tower, most probably because the previous mechanical clock, which reigned on top of Torre del Gardello (South-West angle of Piazza Erbe,) had stopped working.

Does this even need an introduction? Cappello Street, number 23. Probably the most romantic address in the world, presumed to be the house of Giulietta Capuleti and favorite wooing spot of Romeo Montecchi. Visitors from all over the world, anxious to learn about the place of eternal love, are invited into a small but very welcoming front yard from where they can access the famous house and admire the prominent balcony. Juliet’s bronze statue, created in the 60s by the Veronese sculpture Nereo Costantini, guards the entrance, bearing some lines from the famous Shakespearean tragedy. Legend says that touching the right breast of the bronze statue of Juliet will bring you luck in finding your own true love; however, you will notice that this part of the sculpture has changed color because of the high number of tourists that do this, so please be gentle (the photo will look the same if you only pretend to touch it.)

Our day is coming to an end and we will end it in style by having a drink and something to eat at Mazzanti's. This place is just great for anything you could possibly be in the mood for, from a multiple course menu to a traditional Veronese Spritz Aperol to a simple hot chocolate. It is one place where I never been met with a dish I didn't like!

Just next to Piazza delle Erbe, look up and you will notice a whale rib pertruding from the arch that marks the entrance to Piazza dei Signori. The Lodge of Consiglio is the most important building here; a Venetian Renaissance palace unique in Verona, it's neo-classical in design and was built in the second half of the 15th century. The statue of Dante is now in front of us, erected as an initiative of the Academy of Agriculture and the Society of Fine Arts and uncovered on 14 May 1865. Dante wrote a very big part of the Divina Commedia in Verona, but left the city one year before his death.

From Piazza dei Signori, it is a one-minute walk to the Arche Scaligere: five impressive Gothic funerary monuments that represent the most significant rulers of the city. The most important of these is Cangrande della Scala, an Italian nobleman who was the most celebrated member of the della Scala family, who ruled Verona from 1277 until 1387. Back in those days, Italians traded a lot with Asia, and were very impressed with the knowledge and fine silks of the Asian sovereigns. This is how 'Cangrande' got his name — after Genghis Khan, 'grande' means big in Italian and 'Khan' was transformed into 'Can.'

Next stop is Ponte Pietra, a beautiful Roman arch bridge over the river Adige, and the oldest bridge in Verona. From here one can see the hills surrounding the city and the actual place where the original inhabitants of the city first set-up camp and built their houses. On one side of the river, you'll find the inscription, 'Irene, io e te, tre metri sopra il cielo.' This means 'Irene, you and I, three meters above the clouds,' which comes from a scene in a famous love story by the Italian author Federico Moccia. Having just made love, the girl tells the boy how happy she is, and asks him if he feels the same. He replies: 'No. I am not happy. I am more than that. I am three meters over the sky.' Since its publication, adventurous lovers all over Italy have been writing this message wherever they think it easiest for their better halves to read it; places like bridges and high city walls.

Verona’s Roman Theater is considered to be the most important Roman theater in Northern Italy and is the oldest structure in Verona. It was built in the 1st century BC, taking advantage of the natural inclined slope rising from the land beneath the hills, just like the Greeks used to build their terraces before the Romans (flat stage and terraced audience.) Inside the archaeological museum you can admire gorgeous mosaics, Etruscan and Roman sculptures, Greek vases, glass objects, and everyday tools used a long time ago, along with sacred inscriptions and gravestones dating back to the birth of Christ.

This restaurant is just above the Roman Theater and can also be reached by car from the center of the city. This is the ideal place for lunch, a sunset dinner, or just a simple drink. A breathtaking view from the panoramic terrace is guaranteed, the service is quick, qualified and efficient, and the food menu and wine list is sure to satisfy every taste. The only problem will be that you will not want to leave!

We are now climbing the many steps that take us to Castel San Pietro, but the exercise is well worth it. This is one of my favorite spots in town and the view is just amazing; a magnificent and utterly romantic city viewpoint for a memorable photographic session. Best of all, it is completely free! Remain in awe at the esplanade in front of you and just take in the view.

This ancient Roman gate dates back to the 1st century AD and is located very close to the city center, five minutes away from Piazza delle Erbe. It used to be the city’s main entrance and its modern name derives from the word 'bursarii,' which refers to the people who once collected custom duties from anyone who entered the city for commercial purposes. 'Borsa' means ‘bag’ in Italian and that’s where the bursarii used to put all the money they collected from traders. Talk about Italian bags!

Once a military fortification, the Castelvecchio Museum is nowadays one of the most important museums in Verona, housing one of the most exquisite collections of Italian and European art across its 29 rooms. It was restored by the famous Italian architect Carlo Scarpa between 1957 and 1975, and currently boasts an impressive selection of sculptures, paintings, antique weapons, ceramics, old jewelry, and ancient city bells. There is also a more recently constructed part of the museum, called the Napoleonic Wing, which today houses The Museum of Modern Art.

Juliet’s Tomb is located in the vaults of the Abbey of San Francesco al Corso, not very far from the Arena di Verona. It is quite an isolated place, as any tomb should be, and dates back to 1937, when Italian artist Antonio Avena decided to give the cloister a new look and dedicated it to the famous Shakespearean heroine. In the underground crypt, you can find the red marble tomb without a cover, surrounded by graffiti. There is also a redecorated room in the monastery where weddings can be celebrated on some days of the week. Just outside the tomb’s entrance you will notice a beautiful white statue depicting two characters from one of the most famous Chinese legends: the love story between Liang and Zhu, also known as the 'Far East Romeo and Juliet.'

Apart from being an excellent restaurant and osteria, Antica Bottega del Vino is an institution in Verona; its atmosphere simply oozes history, and it's a place where Veronese cuisine comes together with one of the most extensive wine lists in Italy. An illustrious survivor of the hundred osterias that once dotted Verona, La Bottega del Vino offers local specialties to delight the most selective of palettes, and is the only restaurant in Verona to be officially recognized as a 'historic establishment.'