Verona is a beautiful city straddled along the Adige river, in northern Italy. Supposedly one of the major tourist destinations in Northern Italy, having visited Firenze a few weeks before coming to Verona, and also coming during the tourist low season, we found Verona refreshing and in many situations our own personal city to wander through, as we enjoyed the city before the throngs of tourists arrived.
We were blessed to stay with our lovely friends who live in Verona, so we had a more intimate, insider's approach to the area, and experienced the local culture more intensely and better than if we had done on our own, or even with a tour for that matter.
Having visited Firenze earlier, we weren't visiting the museums and as for any of the "must see" attractions, if they were in the path of our very casual strolls around the city, then we visited them, but felt no pressure or obligation to find them and tick them off a checklist. Rather, we had a luxurious coffee at a chic cafe in the old town, a place where one would find a celebrity making an appearance at, getting lost down the old narrow street and walk ways; the kind of walk ways people look at in glamourous travel magazines with enviable wishes to go there themselves, and best of all, with no tourist crowds!
We wandered into quaint wine shops where the wine merchant would get nervous as we spent a long time studying the wine bottles, ( Chris is a true wine aficionado), wander into cathedrals where a concert would be playing, and when we felt a bite to eat, wander into a friendly shop and sample local specialties, which we had friendly and kind assistance once the owner of the shop came to know we spoke English, it was her opportunity to practice some with us.
Having stayed with local friends in the city, we were taken to their favourite places in the city as well as around the environs away from the cultural attractions like a Roman town Soave nearby, which was indeed very fun to wander those ancient streets in that town as the sun set.
Some of the fun attractions included a visit to a local olive oil factory where we got a personal tour from the owner as well as a sampling of locally grown and pressed olive oil,
a local winery which had amazing wine, an all you can eat pizzeria , ( all you can eat for 10 Euros) which gave opportunities to meet our friends other friends, as this pizza place had a party atmosphere. We had a great time looking over our friend's shoulder as he cooked a famous noodle dish, and since we were hanging around his informal and friendly kitchen, he would open up favourite special foods which are found only in the Verona region and have us sample them. Other friends of his would come over bringing some of their own home made specialties and contribute them to a huge banquet which we all thoroughly enjoyed, of course with plenty of wine flowing, the next morning taken to a famous pastry shop for breakfast and coffee! We are extremely grateful to experience everything from our friends there.
Being taken to a local Verona Farmer's market was a special treat as we came to know how local people supported the local farmer's in the community. We bought some goat meat salami, some local cheese and our friends bought organic vegetables, as we continued to wander and learn where local food in Verona comes from.
Verona, although being famous and old, was a very clean city, and felt like a giant museum. One could immediately sense that people were proud of their city, taking great care to keep it up and looking its best. Verona had a good transport system,but since we were staying near the old city with our friends, and the city having a compact feeling, we chose to do how local people got around, and that was by walking. We walked everywhere and enjoyed every moment of who and what Verona had to show us!
We were blessed to stay with our lovely friends who live in Verona, so we had a more intimate, insider's approach to the area, and experienced the local culture more intensely and better than if we had done on our own, or even with a tour for that matter.
Having visited Firenze earlier, we weren't visiting the museums and as for any of the "must see" attractions, if they were in the path of our very casual strolls around the city, then we visited them, but felt no pressure or obligation to find them and tick them off a checklist. Rather, we had a luxurious coffee at a chic cafe in the old town, a place where one would find a celebrity making an appearance at, getting lost down the old narrow street and walk ways; the kind of walk ways people look at in glamourous travel magazines with enviable wishes to go there themselves, and best of all, with no tourist crowds!
We wandered into quaint wine shops where the wine merchant would get nervous as we spent a long time studying the wine bottles, ( Chris is a true wine aficionado), wander into cathedrals where a concert would be playing, and when we felt a bite to eat, wander into a friendly shop and sample local specialties, which we had friendly and kind assistance once the owner of the shop came to know we spoke English, it was her opportunity to practice some with us.
Having stayed with local friends in the city, we were taken to their favourite places in the city as well as around the environs away from the cultural attractions like a Roman town Soave nearby, which was indeed very fun to wander those ancient streets in that town as the sun set.
Some of the fun attractions included a visit to a local olive oil factory where we got a personal tour from the owner as well as a sampling of locally grown and pressed olive oil,
a local winery which had amazing wine, an all you can eat pizzeria , ( all you can eat for 10 Euros) which gave opportunities to meet our friends other friends, as this pizza place had a party atmosphere. We had a great time looking over our friend's shoulder as he cooked a famous noodle dish, and since we were hanging around his informal and friendly kitchen, he would open up favourite special foods which are found only in the Verona region and have us sample them. Other friends of his would come over bringing some of their own home made specialties and contribute them to a huge banquet which we all thoroughly enjoyed, of course with plenty of wine flowing, the next morning taken to a famous pastry shop for breakfast and coffee! We are extremely grateful to experience everything from our friends there.
Being taken to a local Verona Farmer's market was a special treat as we came to know how local people supported the local farmer's in the community. We bought some goat meat salami, some local cheese and our friends bought organic vegetables, as we continued to wander and learn where local food in Verona comes from.
Verona, although being famous and old, was a very clean city, and felt like a giant museum. One could immediately sense that people were proud of their city, taking great care to keep it up and looking its best. Verona had a good transport system,but since we were staying near the old city with our friends, and the city having a compact feeling, we chose to do how local people got around, and that was by walking. We walked everywhere and enjoyed every moment of who and what Verona had to show us!
( We are enacting the part of Romeo and Julliet at Julliet's "grave")
Well done! I miss you, my lovely friends :-)
ReplyDeleteWe miss you too and want to meet with you again and please stay in contact with us!
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