Rarely have I been more pleasantly surprised by a destination than I was by my visit to Verona. Yes, it's very busy and filled with lots of tourists, but it's a historic city, filled with beauty and exuding great charm. There are many wonderful places to explore in Verona, all very popular, like Piazza Bra and its forum, Castelvecchio, Piazza della Erbe, and a number of wonderful old churches.
(approach to the Ponte Pietro from the old city)
My favorite part of Verona was the region around Ponte Pietro ("Stone Bridge" in Italian), which we visited during our first night in Verona. We spent well over an hour enjoying the lovely light of the setting sun on the river and old city, and many of the photos in this blog were taken during that hour.
Ponte Pietra is a Roman arch bridge built across the Adige River. The bridge was originally completed around 100 BC and is the oldest bridge in Verona. Originally built of wood, it was replaced by a stone bridge during the Roman occupation. During the Middle Ages, the Ponte Pietra was destroyed a few times by floods but was always rebuilt. The five-arch bridge we see today was completed in the 16th century.
Four arches of the bridge were blown up by the retreating German army during World War II, but the bridge was rebuilt in 1957 with original materials. Today it has an old-age charm and continues to provide great views in the region.
We returned to the bridge several times during our stay in Verona, mostly to enjoy the cooling breezes and lovely views.
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We learned that the bridge provides a popular backdrop for wedding photographers.
If you need another reason to visit, consider getting some gelato at nearby Gelateria Ponte Pietra, said by at least one expert (PHeymont) to offer the finest gelato in the country.
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