Fair Verona, as Shakespeare once wrote, is where we lay our scene. This mythical home of the star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet, is more then just fair though. It is positively pulsating with passion and vibrance with a rich, colourful past that manages to seep out of every nook and cranny. From breathtaking architecture to awe-inspiring opera, opportunities to revel in art and beauty are everyone in this romantic Italian city. Yet the Veneto region, in which Verona is nestled, is not just for culture vultures. There are an abundance of alternative pursuits and child-friendly activities to keep even the most energetic entertained.
The two Verona Airports are Villafranca Airport and Brescia Airport, which provide cheap flights to Verona from Gatwick and Stansted. Of the two, Villafranca offers the widest choice of Verona car hire companies with a total of 8. These are Autoeuropa, Avis, Easycar, Europcar, Hertz, Italy by Car, Maggiore and Sixt. Brescia car hire is slightly thinner on the ground and inside the terminal consists only of Hertz at Brescia Airport. Each company has slightly different terms of agreement and offer different deals, so it is wise to do a comparison before booking and be very clear about what is included in the quoted price.
Alternatively, for those escaping here simply for a weekend a deux and staying at one of the many glorious hotels in Verona, a transfer offers a much more convenient and usually cheaper alternative to a trip in one of the Verona Airport taxis. Booking in advance means visitors are met in Verona arrivals by a Verona Airport Transfer and whisked away without hassle or delay. There is a shuttle bus that connects to the Verona bus and Verona train stations but it does mean making another connection to get into the city centre, and with luggage in tow this can be cumbersome.
Within Verona itself, the first port of call for most people is the Casa di Giulietta or Juliet´s House. Here tourists flock to see the fictitious balcony made real and get a feel for the tale in as original setting as possible. To help the ambiance along, the walls are lined with artwork depicting the young lovers and a statue of Juliet stands on the balcony. The other favourite attraction is the Roman amphitheatre which is the third largest in the world and dates back to the 1st century. Concerts and operas are regularly held in it and despite having a capacity of 20,000, the amazing acoustics means that microphones are not needed.
In terms of museums, the Castelvecchio is visually one of the most dramatic, as it is set in a medieval castle. Packed full of paintings, sculptures, gold-works and ceramics, the building, sympathetically restored by architect Carlo Scarpa, also houses an impressive range of ancient weapons. Two other exhibitions to capture the kids imagination are located slightly further afield, each around an half and a half drive by car. The Natural History Museum in Venice, is set in the Fondaco dei Turchi, a 13th century palace, and has an impressive collection of dinosaur relics, including that of a 12 metre long pre-historic crocodile. While Bologne has an exhibition to make both big and little boys jump for joy. The Lamborghini Museum pays homage to this much-desired and longed-for automobile with a display which includes classic cars through to F1 models. It also shows the development of the Diablo from conception to today´s design, among other interesting features.
For more traditional children´s attractions there is at least 7 aquaparks surrounding Verona, including Parco Acquatico Cavour, Picoverde and Riovalli Water Park near Lake Garda, while in nearby Castelnuevo del Garda, there is one of Europe´s premier theme parks. Gardaland boasts over 40 big rides, including the largest family rollercoaster in Italy, shows galore from magic to ice extravaganzas and even a sea life aquarium with tropical sharks and seahorses. Of course for outdoor activities, Lake Garda is first choice. Whether for land based entertainment like hiking or cycling or water-sports from yachting through to kite-surfing, all is available in these stunning surroundings and with Verona weather temperate all year round, rarely falling below 12ºC even in the winter, it provides the ideal climate to.
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