Verona Top Visits: History And Tourism In Verona, Italy

Do you want to know why Verona is one of the top Italian destinations for tourists? Welcome to Verona’s top visit: history and tourism in Verona, Italy, a series of articles to explore the city of Verona, especially from the point of view of history and tourism. Get our free Travel Checklist

A brief historical background of Verona

Verona is a city in northern Italy, famous for its unique and splendid architecture, including Roman ruins and some of the world’s most beautiful Renaissance buildings. Verona’s strategic position on the Adige River made it a highly sought-after site for the Byzantines to build their first fortress in Italy.

Verona city is richly historic and was founded in the 1st century BC and flourished under the rule of the Scaliger family in the 13th century and as part of the Republic of Venice from the 15th to 18th centuries.

Verona is an incredibly exciting city with lots of things to do and see. It’s one of the best destinations in Italy for international tourists, which makes it a very popular place with a lot of visitors.

The Evolution of Verona – A Brief History

In a publication by UNESCO, “City of Verona“ available at Whc.unesco.org, you will read about Verona that “The present city has been an urban settlement on the River Adige for over 2,000 years.”

The existing street pattern of the city continues to be dominated by Roman urban layout, until World War II. and this is one of the most fascinating elements about the present-day city of Verona, the deliberate move to preserve Roman monuments across the city.

In terms of the city layout, the Romans developed a coherent urban planning scheme so that they could build civil services and convenience in the cities.

It was usually centered around a central forum with city center buildings like schools and entertainment options, surrounded buildings on the rectilinear grid of streets.

The Adige river, in line with the typical Roman urban design, was particularly important in shaping the city of Verona and sustenance of the inhabitance in terms of water supply, transportation, and easy military maneuvering.

That is another important relevance of Verona city. Militarily speaking, Verona is strategically located and therefore has been on the crossroad for many warring armies over the millenniums and centuries.

As said by one report, referring to Constantinian military adventure in Verona, I quote:

“Following the defection of Milan to Constantine, the city of Verona became Maxentius’ most important military strongpoint in the northern part of Italy. Verona was naturally strong as it sat in a loop of the River Adige”. End of quote.

A lot can be said of Verona in that regard, but I shall move to a different part of the story shortly.

“As far as the fortified town is concerned,” continued the previous publication by UNESCO, “the defense system has been well preserved through the continuity of its military use over time. Surviving evidence of the fortified town, such as Roman gates and Renaissance bastions, reflect this long military history.”

Verona is not only about military exercises and warfare. It’s also a land with a lot of creativity and productivity.

Do you remember the story of Romeo and Juliet, the story of love and tenacity? It’s also about that city we are talking about.

Yes, also of the great arena of Verona and other great monuments we shall talk about in a different post in the series.

Verona trade and commerce

Verona is an important economic center in one of the richest regions in Italy, the Veneto region with about 4.8 million inhabitants. It has also been ranked as one of the most affordable cities to live in because of its low living costs.

The Italian economy like most in the Mediterranean is heavily dependent on tourism, but this sector has become less popular in recent years due to the high competition with other destinations such as Paris and London.

However, trade and commerce are still vital industries for Verona’s economy, making it one of Italy’s wealthiest cities.

The city of Verona and its provinces derives much of its income from agriculture and agro-based industries.

Do you want to know more about Verona’s agricultural production? Then visit the city during the food and drink-related trade fairs. The upcoming Vinitaly show that will be held at Verona from Apr 10, 2022 – Apr 13, 2022, is only one example.

Verona tourism development

I know I said a while earlier that the Italian tourism sector has some formidable competitors in the market. However, that does not dispute the fact that Verona is still one of the most popular tourist destinations in Northern Italy. The city is known for its architecture and a complex network of canals.

We have not even made mention of the food, wines, and other delicacies of Verona cuisine.

There is more to the fancy publicities of attracting foreigners to the city of Verona than just the picture of old monuments. There are the people too, an army of well-trained hospitality experts.

Those men and women who smile at you at the hotels, in ristorantes, and historic locations are the real people who sell the Verona tourism industry. That sector of the economy has come a long way.

Think of the numerous institutions, such as the Biblioteca Civica, the Biblioteca Capitolare whose Scriptorium are said to have already existed as far back as in the 6th century AD.

Another important cultural institution in Verona is the Accademia Filarmonica, the most antique in the world.

Then, the Fondazione Arena, the Literary Society, Science and Literature, the antique Academy of Agriculture.

This is only to name a few indications that the city of Verona has come a long way in terms of tourism and tourist attraction. The city has played host to such important personalities as Dante, Mozart, Goethe, Ruskin, and millions of others.

Key takeaways on History And Tourism In Verona, Italy

Verona is an important tourist destination in Italy and it has always been so. Even now, in 2022, Verona tourism is still growing at an exponential rate with a lot of people visiting the famous city each year.

The tourism industry has been focusing on developing a sustainable model for the past few years and promoting Verona as an eco-friendly destination.

Every now and then, there are new projects or improvements on older ones to generate insights into what tourists want and need in Verona to improve their experience of visiting the city.

When next you are thinking of visiting Italy for your holiday, make sure you include Verona because the city of Romeo and Juliet is waiting for you.

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