Things to do in Verona & Lake Garda

Verona sits on a bend of the Adige river and packs two thousand years of history into a walkable centre. Its Roman arena is still used for summer opera, Piazza delle Erbe has been a market square since Roman times, and the city plays on its link with Romeo and Juliet.

Lake Garda is about half an hour west. Sirmione's castle stands on a narrow peninsula with Roman ruins at its tip, Desenzano has a lively old harbour, and boats link the lakeside towns all summer.