Tag: Veneto region

Valentine’s day in Verona: join the giant heart in Piazza dei Signori

san Valentino, Verona CC BY-NC 2.0, Stefano Bussolon

Valentine’s day in Verona: a great way to spend the day in love and happiness, surrounded by the beauty of incredible monuments and Shakesperian inspiration.

Although Valentine’s day history began in Italy, and it is an Italian culture traditions like it has become  over the years ‘Verona in Love’ (‘Un Cuore da Scoprire’), which takes place on 13th and 14th February in Veneto every year. Romeo and Juliet’s town is perfect to bring your Valentine into a romantic atmosphere especially during those days.

Piazza dei Signori is Verona’s main square,  known locally as the “heart of Verona”.where most of the celebrations take place and also the event for Valentine’s day.  A wonderful Valentine’s market is waiting the visitors here;  the stalls are set out in the shape of a heart.

Everything you could wish to find in a romantic market is here: locally produced food and drink, cheeses, heart-shaped decorations, cushions, paintings, ceramics.

There’s a large red stage placed at the top of the ‘heart’ of market stalls in the Piazza where Italian artists play a variety of music from modern to jazz, all day and most of the night.

A free chocolate tasting  is there for you and your beloved, and if you buy it, it will be always beautifully wrapped! Afterwauds, climb the belltower, the Torre dei Lamberti, to get an impressive view of the heart-shaped market is  which overlooks the square, using  a “two for the price of one” offer. Via Mazzini and the streets nearby will be lit by dozens of gorgeous red heart-shaped lights.

Do not miss a visit to Giulietta’s (Juliet’s) house! It is naturally one of the highlights  for the celebrations.  The house itself is free to visit on the two days of the Valentine’s party, and the front door is completely covered in love letters!!! On 14th they are taken down and judged for the massive love letter competition  at the ‘Casa Giulietta’,  where you will find also an archive of the best love letters from decades of celebrations.

Romantic hotspots in Northen and Central Italy: Italians do it better (1st part)

Italy:  one of the most romantic countries on the planet, shows some high-rate romantic spots and destinations. Italy’s seaside towns, delicious and small villages, beautiful and historic cities are proper romantic pilgrimage for a trip to Italy.
Verona is the start point of our top ten with the sad and enchanting Shakespearean story of Romeo and Juliet. The famous balcony is almost one of the most visited place in Italy!

Visit Juliet’s house, and go rubbing the right breast of Juliet‘s statue for luck! Do not forget to  take a picture of the balcony kissing your lover or your mate! What other romantic things we can do in Verona? Going to see an opera in Arena di Verona, going on a carriage ride, “flauneuring” along the river hand in hand. A deep breath and we go to…Venice! One of the most beautiful town in the world Venice is well-know for its romantic canals at nights and pretty narrow streets. With your beloved, look for one of the many small squares and churches and …kiss each other!

Still in the North of Italy? Go and visit Lake Como, embraced by its beautiful villas and its well-know resort villages. Bellagio is the pearl of the lake, and one of the most romantic villages in Italian Peninsula. Near Switzerland, you can also take the funicular from Como town to the village of Brunate and enjoy a spectacular sight of the lake and Alps.

Going in the central regions of Italy, you will find an incredible variety of romantic spots on the coast close to  the famous Cinque Terre, in Liguria, try also the Gulf of Poets (Golfo dei Poeti), part of the itinerary in 18th century among the British romantic poets. Down in Umbria, we find a lovely place called…Perugia, famous medieval hill town in central Italy and recently became a chocolate amateur paradise (see Eurochocolate festival article).