Arena di Verona – a mighty amphitheater in the middle of Verona

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated: August 2026 | Verona is a historic city in northern Italy, best known for its well-preserved Roman amphitheater Arena di Verona and as the city where Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet takes place. We visited Verona during a campervan trip with Peter's son Robin and his wife Alexandra. Above all, we wanted to experience the mighty arena, but we also had time to stroll through the city center and get a little taste of this beautiful Italian city.

Arena di Verona – Roman amphitheater

In the middle of Verona, on the large square Piazza Bra, lies perhaps the city's most impressive attraction: the Arena di Verona. The Roman amphitheater was built in the first century AD and has therefore stood here for almost 2,000 years.

The arena was used during Roman times for large public performances, including gladiatorial games. Originally the building was larger than it is today, but parts of the outer wall were destroyed in a major earthquake in the 12th century. Despite this, the Arena di Verona is still one of the best-preserved Roman amphitheaters.

We visited the arena with Robin and Alexandra and walked around the old stone stands. It's a special feeling to be in a building where people gathered for entertainment back in Roman times – and even more fascinating that the arena is still in use almost 2,000 years later.

Our visit to the Arena di Verona

We visited the Arena di Verona on a hot summer day, and it was really cool to walk around the huge arena. History is really embedded in the walls here, and it is dizzying to try to imagine how people gathered in this place already a thousand and two thousand years ago. We can imagine that it is a special experience to see and hear an opera performance here.

Arena di Verona as an opera venue

The Arena di Verona is not just a historical monument. During the summer, the ancient amphitheater is transformed into one of the world's most spectacular opera stages.

The great opera festival in the arena has been organized since 1913, when Giuseppe Verdi's Aida was performed here to mark the 100th anniversary of the composer's birth. Since then, opera performances have become an important part of Verona's cultural life.

The enormous size of the arena makes it possible to create magnificent scenes with large ensembles, choirs and advanced scenography. Sitting on the ancient stone stands on a warm summer evening and experiencing opera under the open sky must be something truly special – and a good reason to return to Verona.

Piazza Bra and a walk in Verona

The Arena di Verona is located at Piazza Bra, a large and lively square that serves as a natural starting point for discovering central Verona. Around the square are historic buildings, restaurants and outdoor cafes, while the Roman arena dominates the setting.

After visiting the arena, we strolled through central Verona with Robin and Alexandra. We hadn't planned any extensive sightseeing, but mostly wandered aimlessly around the streets and took in the atmosphere.

From Piazza Bra, the pedestrian street Via Giuseppe Mazzini leads further into the heart of the historic city. Those with more time than we had can continue to Piazza delle Erbe, Juliet's House, Torre dei Lamberti and the Adige River, among others.

For us, Verona was above all about the encounter with the almost 2,000-year-old arena and a pleasant walk through the city. Sometimes you don't actually need to browse through a long list of attractions to get a nice memory of a place.

Nice end to the day

We ended the day with some delicious finger food outside the camper, while we talked about the day's experiences. What's better than some Italian specialties when traveling in Italy?

More to see and do in the neighbourhood

Here you will find more tips on places to see and visit nearby.

• Guide to Lake Garda
• Things to do in Venice
• Chioggia in Italy