Where art thou? Verona – the backdrop for Romeo and Juliet, the city of love, and it’s easy to love Verona. The cobblestone streets, pedestrian only piazzas, marble columns, the arena doting the main Piazza Bra where you can sit on a park bench and watch the evening pastime of the locales – passeggiata – strolling.

Bordered on three sides by Flume Adiage and guarded by Castillo Vecchio the streets are small, quaint, and filled by flower-studded balcones. The many basilicas offer a sheltering reprieve from the sun and the heat with a plethora of frescos, mosaics, marble and ornate sculptures, woodwork, and decorum. The shopping is Italian chic (wait till you see the pants I bought here!!). With minimal tourists you can sip and savor a more pure Italian city.

Castillo Vecchio

Ahhh - a man who can shoulder his own weight!

I love the terraced and flower-potted balcones that line the small streets and alleyways.