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V E R O N A
But the visitors don’t seem to
mind. They’re more interested
in the story of two young lovers
from the rival patrician Capulet
and Montague families, who
would rather die than be apart.
Juliet’s house isn’t the only
place in Verona where visitors
can immerse themselves in love
and tragedy. There will also be
plenty of high drama and
heartache to be had in the
Verona Arena, the third-largest
Roman amphitheatre in the
world, during its 90th Opera
Festival in 2012.
“The story of Romeo and
Juliet will definitely be
performed here in the near
future. It’s a tradition,” says
Nicoletta Sandrone, the open-
air theatre’s spokesperson. The
arena was built 30 years after
the birth of Christ, and
originally seated around
30,000 people. Gladiators once
fought bloody battles where
actors now recite their lines.
The 15,000-seat arena is one of
the city’s landmarks, and is
famous for its opulent and
colourful performances. But
while the spectacles in this
historic location may be a feast
for the eyes, they come at a less
than dramatic price, with
tickets starting at €15.
An hour away by car lies the
tourist magnet Trentino, which
offers beautiful lakeland for
hiking in spring and even skiing
in winter. There is a direct
shuttle service fromVerona
airport to the skiing resorts.
Lake Garda, a popular tourist
attraction boasting numerous
historic sights, is an hour’s drive
away. It’s worth making a day
trip to the Riva del Garda,
where you can still soak up a
little Belle Époque glamour.
The area is blessed with a
decidedly mild climate and has
been a popular holiday and
health resort for over a century.
Much of the action used to
centre around the Hotel Lido
Palace, which has welcomed
literary giants such as brothers
Heinrich and Thomas Mann,
Franz Kafka and Friedrich
Nietzsche. The building, which
was completely renovated and
reopened in 2011, is the only
five-star hotel in the Trentino
region north of Lake Garda.
Not far off, you’ ll find its
sister hotel, the Du Lac et Du
Parc. Football giants FC Bayern
München once used its
70,000m
2
lakefront park as a
summer training camp.
Visitors looking to unwind
and give their skin a treat
should book a peat treatment in
the hotel ’s spa. Peat is a
3,000-year-old natural product
from the region, rich in
minerals and inorganic acids,
which is mixed with the
sulphurous bromide saltwater
from the Terme della Versilia. A
peat treatment is relaxing,
reduces puffiness and restores
the skin’s pH balance. It’s also a
great way of banishing stress.
And who knows, maybe it’ ll
even help get rid of some of that
heartache, too.
Verona Arena: www.arena.it
Julia Club: www.julietclub.com
Hotels: www.lido-palace.it,
www.dulacetduparc.com,
Trentino: www.visittrentino.it,
www.flyskishuttle.com
Julias Balkon in der
Via Cappello ist
Veronas größte
Touristenattraktion
Balcony scene:
lovers flock to Verona’s
Casa di Giulietta
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