Rev. 3/24/21
If you’re using my How to Spend 2 Weeks in Italy and planned your 2 Days in Milan, you’re now wrapping up your Italy travel planning with finding out how to see my fair Verona on a budget in 2 days solo that include scenic views, a nod to Shakespeare, roman ruins, an amazing wine festival, and an optional day trip to Padua and opportunity to soak in a little more Italy.
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Your Verona Travel Resources
Verona on a Budget (or Not) Guide
To help with your Italy travel planning, remember to check out my great Italy travel guide along with my travel resources.
Don’t forget to also peruse my Guide to Budget European Accommodations for additional accommodation-planning information.
Let me state here that when I say “budget”, I mean your daily travel expenses should total €100 or less. Yes, it is very possible to visit Verona on less than €100. It’s up to you and your budget. The following travel guide can work for anyone, budget or not. The key factor that can push you out of the “budget” range is the accommodations you choose, not the attractions. Nice, huh?
Ok, now let’s get you to Verona on a budget.
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Prices in this post reflective at time of writing.
Why Go to Verona?
Verona is a lovely little city with a medieval old town built along the Adige River. Verona is famous for being the setting of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”, where you can see a balcony at “Juliet’s House”, however, it’s a bit of a tourist trap. Thankfully, it’s free. The Verona Arena, a large, 1st century Roman amphitheater, is in the historic city center that holds concerts and large-scale opera performances. When in Verona, try not only the wine, but the grappa made from wine stems, skins and seeds.
Verona Transportation
From most Italy locations, it is more than likely you will arrive at the Verona Porta Nuova railway station. From there you can take other trains or regional or local buses. The Verona historical center can really be done on foot, but if you’re staying within my recommended area (see map below), you can or take a shuttle or bus to/from the Verona railway station.
Where to Stay in Verona
Verona is very walkable. If you stay on the Southern end of the Verona Arena, you could walk 15-20 minutes from the train station. If you stay further than that, I suggest a quick bus ride. Buses are outside of the train station and are inexpensive. For optimum ease of walking and seeing the sights, I recommend staying within the circle on the map:
For budget purposes, my hotel recommendation/value for the money with breakfast and taxes included at €65/night is B&B Al Teatro. It is in a great location – walking distance to the train station and city center – with a nice breakfast, and includes all of the lovely amenities you could need.
If you want cheaper accommodations, there are other hotels and hostels to choose from starting at around €20/night, depending on what amenities and location you want. Hostelworld has some great, Verona listings.
Conversely, if you want to pay more, take a look at Verona accommodations. I would still recommend staying in the suggested area noted above.
Many accommodations may not let you check in until 3-4pm, but if available, have them store your luggage until your room is ready so you can get out and enjoy Verona!
Verona Attractions
What I love about Verona is that it is very laid back and easy to see. And beautiful. Verona is a place to wander, eat and drink. You can see these attractions in a day. Or two.
- Torre dei Lamberti – climb the 84-meter watchtower for panoramic views of Verona
- Piazza delle Erbe (Market Square)
- Piazza dei Signori
- Galleria d’Arte Moderna Achille Forti
- Ponte Pietra
- Casa di Giulietta (Juliette’s House)
- Arena di Verona (Roman Arena)
- Giardino Giusti
- Basilica di Sant’Anastasia
- Palazzo della Ragione
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Verona Events Calendar
If it helps in planning what you would like to see, here is a list of annual events held in Verona.
Note: if you are in Verona in mid-April and enjoy wine, I highly recommend attending the annual Vinitaly event for great music and wine tasting events. I planned my last visit to Verona around this event and was not disappointed in the wine selections. Tickets can be bought when you are there, but I do suggest you plan your Verona accommodations well in advance as places book quickly during this event.
Verona Dining
- Outdoor cafes abound in Verona. Find one with your favorite view and enjoy those Aperol spritzes.
- Here’s a fantastic list of Verona cheap eats.
- Want some more suggestions? Check out this informative breakdown on eating and drinking locations in Verona.
Padua Day Trip
I can understand if you are enjoying Verona and want to just sleep in and be lazy on your second day, wander around sightseeing and sit in a café sipping Aperol spritzes. I know I have! If you wish to see more of Italy, however, why not catch a train to Padua for the afternoon?
Padua is one of the oldest, established cities in Italy and is a 42-minute train ride East of Verona. Padua holds the famous Giotto frescos in the Cappella degli Scrovegni (Scrovegni Chapel).
From there, wander to the Padua Cathedral andBasilica di Sant’Antonio, followed by Piazza dei Signori for some shopping and lunch.
If Padua peaks your interest, check out the top Padua attractions. Depending on what you want to see, you may want to consider a 48-hour Padua Card for €16.
At the end of the day, it’s just a quick train ride back to Verona in time for drinks and dinner.
Verona on a Budget: 2-Day Itinerary
My suggested Verona hotel can be booked for €130 for 2 nights (breakfast and taxes included). If you get a better deal or choose a more budget-friendly accommodation, then your average daily costs with all meals could be way less than €100.
That said, here is my suggested 2-day Verona itinerary so you can see how budget-friendly Verona can be without sacrificing comfort or skimping on the sites.
Note: prices below do not reflect lunch or dinner meals, and attractions prices may have changed slightly since time of writing.
Verona Day 1 = €73
- Casa di Giulietta (Juliet’s balcony) – I don’t recommend paying to go inside but that is up to you
- Piazza delle Erbe (Market Square) – great for shopping and having lunch
- Torre dei Lamberti– climb this 84m-high watchtower for panoramic views
- Galleria d’Arte Moderna Achille Forti (included with Torre dei Lamberti)
- Piazza dei Signori – Verona’s beautiful open-air salon
- Ponte Pietra
- Hotel (breakfast and taxes included)
Verona Day 2 = €78
- Verona Arena – from the Roman Empire, see a live event or just take a tour
- Basilica di San Zeno (aka San Zeno Maggiore) – Romanesque church
- Grappa tasting
- Want a FREE guided tour of Verona?
- Hotel (breakfast and taxes included)
Alternatively, if you wish to spend your last day outside of Verona:
Day Trip to Padua – Day 2 = €95
- Verona train to Padua
- Cappella degli Scrovegni – tickets need to booked 24 hours in advance
- Piazza dei Signori – shopping, people watching and lunch
- Padua Cathedral
- Basilica di Sant’Antonio
- Train to Verona
- Hotel (breakfast and taxes included)
Let Me Hear From You
I would love to hear if this Verona 2 day itinerary was helpful to you. Post me your thoughts or questions in the Comments section below. Thank you!
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