Verona - more than Romeo and Juliet
Medieval tyrants, fine churches, and a Roman theatre
Verona is best known for Romeo and Juliet, and tourists come from all over the world to see Juliet's house.
But Verona has many other sights of interest, including a fine collection of Romanesque churches, a bustling market square, a medieval castle, and a Roman theatre.
Our first tour shows you the centre of the medieval city, the 
home of the Scaliger tyrants. They eventually made themselves so unpopular that when they came to build their castle, they built it against internal, not external enemies - and with a covered bridge that led out of the city as an escape route. But they were great patrons of the arts, and ensured the prosperity of the city; and we'll see their exuberantly assertive tombs, as well as the Scaliger palace.
Our second tour heads out of the centre, past fine Renaissance palaces, to the Scaligers' castle, and ends at the fine Romanesque church of San Zeno, with unique carvings and marvellous bronze doors.
Both tours come together so you can 'mix and match' your route if you're short of time.
Price: £5
Podtours nearby:
- Venice - walk from San Marco to San Zanipolo, mausoleum of the Doges; or wander the little known streets of the Cannaregio and see undiscovered Tintorettos and Titians.
Free tour of San Zeno basilica. This huge Romanesque church lies slightly outside the city, and it is a museum of marvellous Romanesque sculpture, with a finely carved facade and a pair of huge sculpted bronze doors.
Other things to do in Verona:
- Piazza Bra is one of Italy's most vibrant piazzas. Come here in the evening for a great time people-watching, as the locals strut their finery in the local bars.
- The Museo Africano is an intriguing museum to find in an Italian town - it was founded by a missionary order who had worked in Africa. Recent refurbishment has made it into an interesting collection which gives a positive and colourful view of African culture.
- The Castelvecchio Museum is well worth a visit if you've been excited by the art works in the city's churches - there's another Pisanello painting, some fine Romanesque works, and some lovely Mantegna and Bellini works.
- Just off Piazza Bra is the Museo Lapidario Maffeiano, a collection of antique stone sculptures. It's an intriguing museum if you are interested in lettering and inscriptions - probably not worth visiting if you aren't.