Italy’s Romeo & Juliet Trail: Verona, Venice & Florence

An hour east of Verona by road, Mantua is where Romeo was exiled and where he received the news that sent him back to Verona and the tragic conclusion of the story.

It is also, independent of its literary associations, one of the most beautiful small cities in Italy, sitting on three lakes formed by the River Mincio and largely bypassed by the kind of tourism that has overtaken more obvious destinations.

The Ducal Palace of the Gonzaga family is one of the great Renaissance interiors in northern Italy, the Camera degli Sposi containing Mantegna frescoes that have been stopping visitors in their tracks since 1474.

The city’s quiet piazzas, excellent restaurants, and almost complete absence of crowds make it one of the most rewarding day trips in the country. Your private transfer returns you to Verona for the evening.

The final act. A private transfer or first-class rail journey north brings you to Venice, which arrives by water and on its own terms entirely. Your hotel sits on or near the Grand Canal, positioned so that the city is immediately present rather than something you have to navigate to find.

Venice is best understood slowly and best explored on foot through the calli and campi that most visitors never find by staying on the main routes. We can arrange a private gondola for an evening on the quieter canals, a guide who knows the city’s art and history well enough to make the Basilica di San Marco and the Doge’s Palace feel genuinely revelatory, and a table at one of the restaurants that the Venetians themselves consider worth the visit.

Departure is from Marco Polo Airport, a short water taxi ride from the city. There is no better way to leave Italy than watching Venice recede across the lagoon.