Page 193 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Venice & The Veneto

THE VENE T O AREA B Y AREA  191

VERONA AND

LAKE GARDA

Verona is one of northern Italy’s most alluring cities, its noble
palaces, quiet cloisters and ancient streets every bit as romantic as
you would expect of Romeo and Juliet’s city. On its doorstep are the
well-known vineyards of Soave, Bardolino and Valpolicella, set against the rugged
slopes of the Little Dolomites. To the west lie the beautiful shores of Lake Garda,
a mere 30 minutes’ drive from Verona by car, but a world away in atmosphere.

Set within the curves of the Adige river, The massive Arena amphitheatre fills
Verona has been a prosperous and with crowds of 20,000 or more, who thrill
cosmopolitan city since the Romans to opera beneath the stars. All over the
colonized it in 89 BC. It stands astride city, art galleries and theatres testify to
two important trade routes – the a crowded calendar of cultural activities.
Serenissima, connecting the great Italy’s largest lake, Lake Garda,
port cities of Venice and Genoa, and is renowned for its beautiful scenery.
the Brenner Pass, used by commercial The broad southern end of the lake,
travellers crossing the Alps from with its waterfront promenades, is very
northern Europe. This helps to explain popular with Italian and German visitors.
the Germanic influence in Verona’s Those in search of peace can escape
magnificent San Zeno church, or to the heights of the Monte Baldo
the realism of the paintings in the mountain range, rising above the
Castelvecchio museum, owing more eastern shore. The ridge marks the
to Dürer than to Raphael. western edge of the mountainous
Verona’s passion and panache, region north of Verona. Here is the
however, are purely Italian. Stylish great plateau of Monti Lessini, with
shops and cafés sit amid the impressive its little river valleys that fan out
remains of Roman monuments. southwards to join the Adige river.

Giardino Giusti in Verona, one of Italy’s finest Renaissance gardens
Ponte Pietra on the Adige river, with San Giorgio in Braida in the background, Verona

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