Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
staging that I didn't need to understand a word that was being said. The Teatro
Romano also hosts summer musical performances, as well as contemporary dance
shows and ballet. The Verona Jazz program is particularly impressive, drawing an
outstanding international lineup.
Theater tickets
are available at the
box office
on Piazza Brà
(
%
045-8077500 or 045-8066485; www.estateteatraleveronese.it);
in purchasing them, note that it's more expensive to sit on reserved plastic chairs
nearer the stage, but that you have a more authentic experience by paying less and
taking a cushion for a place with the plebes on the original stone seats a little fur-
ther back.
Drinking & Relaxing
Although it's expensive, my favorite venue for pre-opera drinks is
Via Roma 33
Café
(Via Roma, 33;
%
045-591917),
where contemporary stylishness draws
Verona's definitive “in” crowd, who are, in turn, served by beautiful waiters and
waitresses. You can sit under umbrellas outside, or enjoy the chilled, cosmopoli-
tan ambience of the all-white interior. Although a cocktail here will set you back
a whopping
55
3.50, it's likely to be the best mixed drink you'll enjoy anywhere in
the Veneto—and served with a dazzling smile.
The best place to enjoy a drink while taking in the splendid view over the city
is
Mako
€
(
%
045-8340648; summer only 10am-2am),
which is situated on the
hill above the Teatro Romano, in the same complex as Castel San Pietro. This cool
open-air cocktail lounge/bar is where modern-day Romeos and Juliets sink deep
into Bali-style sofas, surrounded by barrels of bamboo stained in pastel pink, pur-
ple, and lilac; there's live music at night, and you can order snacks (
€
2.50-
€
5),
try out various wines, or have an excellent cocktail (mojitos and margaritas are
€
6), or even log on to the Internet.
SIDE TRIPS FROM VERONA
You can take two worthwhile side trips from Verona.
Mantua
Mantua's historical center is all cobblestone streets, Roman ruins, and classical
monuments, and its interlocking squares in the heart of the city easily evoke a
sense of Middle Ages bonhomie. Fashioned out of muddy marshland, this small
Lombardy city, called Mantova in Italian, was the home of Virgil and is believed
to be where the blood of Christ is kept in a crypt, having been brought here by
the soldier who pierced his side while he hung upon the cross. Mantua was also a
creative center for a number of good Renaissance artists, many of whom were
sponsored and subsidized by the city's powerful Gonzaga clan.
Although they started out as peasants (originally named Corradi), the
Gonzagas emerged as one of Europe's most prosperous and powerful dynasties,
ruling here with an iron fist for almost 4 centuries and improving their political
interests through a series of tactical marriages that expanded their power and
improved their bloodlines. The spirit of acquisition that drove the Gonzagas has
all the elements of a good melodrama, which you can get a feel for by visiting their
vast palace complex, still rich with artistic treasures. Thankfully, the wealthy
Gonzagas also fostered a period of intense cultural development, centered on their
patronage of architects and artists. Whatever your feelings are regarding factual
5
