The Città Antica is a historic center replete with spacious piazzas, imposing churches and inspiring palaces. It lives up to its billing as the setting for Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, with a romantic ambiance created by Roman ruins and renaissance art. Allow a few days for visiting Citta Antic and get to know the sights and eccentricities that make this district so exceptional.

Walk in the footsteps of William Shakespeare and gaze up at the balcony of Juliet’s House, said to have inspired the Bard’s most romantic play. It has a Gothic design and dates back to the 14th century. Visit its companion structure of Romeo’s House nearby, resembling a Gothic castle from the 1300s.

Just west stands the Piazza dei Signori. From its center rises the sculpted figure of Dante Alighieri. Take photos of the preserved medieval buildings surrounding the square, including the Palazzo della Ragione, the Palazzo del Podestà and the Loggia del Consiglio.

Pass through the magnificent Arco della Costa and notice the large whale rib bone hanging from its arch. Its origins are a mystery, but it is thought to have hung here since the 18th century or earlier.

On the other side of the arch is the magnificent Piazza delle Erbe, home to a charming fountain and the old public stocks. Look skywards for the Lamberti Tower that dwarfs the square.

Much of Città Antica was cordoned off as the Jewish Ghetto in the 1600s. Admire the preserved Roman architecture and watch opera in the 1st-century Arena di Verona.

Città Antica is right in the heart of Verona, beneath a bend in the Adige River. From the Valero Catullo Airport, drive northeast for a little over 6 miles (10 kilometers) to get here in roughly 20 minutes. You can also travel by bus to arrive in the city center in around half an hour.

While you are in the area, visit some of the neighboring districts, such as Veronetta, Borgo Trento and San Zeno.