Posted on February 04, 2010 by Fiona Hilliard

The city of Verona is up there with the most romantic places on earth at this time of year.  You could even go as far as saying Verona is the thinking man’s Paris.  Afterall, ‘fair Verona’ is where William Shakespeare chose to lay his scene for Romeo and Juliet.

Verona is situated in a suitably dreamy location that can be reached via a scenic two-hour drive heading west from Venice. Once you reach Verona and have sorted a safe parking space for your Verona car hire, take your time to explore the city’s many wonderful buildings. The house known as Juliet’s residence is located right in the heart of the city and dates back to the 13th century. When you’ve gotten the obligatory photo by the balcony, head further into the city and check out the beautiful Roman buildings and examples of architecture which range from Medieval times right up to the 19th century.

The city is also a great place for shopping (or window shopping), depending on how many romantic dinners you’re splashing out on.

Once you’ve sussed out Verona, you may wish to check out the nearby attractions of Padua.  Padua is situated around 70km (43 miles) from Verona. The cathedral is its main attraction and is dedicated to St Anthony.  The altar of the church is adorned with bronze statues created by Donatello, who also created the nearby statue of General Erasmo da Narni in Piazza del Santo.

If you happen to be visiting the Venice area over the next 7 days, look out for the colour and pageantry of the Carnival of Venice.  The city’s annual carnival plays host to a collection of clowns, acrobats, musicians, magicians, puppeteers, masks, costumes and parades. People visit from just about every corner of the globe. This year’s carnival takes place from 5th-16th February 2010.