Verona: Wine, Castle Views, and Why This Was One of My Favorite Stops in Italy
Verona was not originally the point of this leg of the trip. We were headed to Lake Garda for a wedding, and Verona was the closest train stop with easy access to where we needed to be. It was a logistical decision, not a bucket list one.
It turned into one of my favorite destinations of the entire three-week trip.
Here is what two days in Verona actually looked like.
Getting There: Venice to Verona by Train
We had a late checkout from the JW Marriott Venice — slept in, which was needed — and left at 1:00 PM. Getting from the hotel to the Venice train station meant a boat, because in Venice everything is a boat. We took a private water taxi: 110 euros, 30 minutes, absolutely worth it.
I want to be straightforward about the price: it is not cheap. You could take the vaporetto with your luggage and catch a connection from there. I chose not to, and I would choose not to again. Time is money, especially when you are moving between destinations on a trip this packed. The private transfer elevated the whole experience.
We were in premium class on the train to Verona, about a two-hour ride. The one thing to be aware of: European trains do not have a ton of luggage storage, and if your fellow passengers are traveling with oversized bags, it becomes everyone's problem. We each had a carry-on size rolling bag and a backpack, which made navigating trains throughout this trip significantly easier. Pack light if you are doing multiple train transfers — or at minimum, know that you may need to be creative about where your bags go.
We arrived in Verona around 3:00 PM.
The Moxy Verona is literally outside the train station, which sounds like it should be loud and was not — at least not from our room. About a 10 to 15 minute walk into the center of the city. The walk itself is mostly shaded, but you do have to cross a busy main road and an off-ramp to get there, with no shade on that stretch. In summer heat, factor that in.
Moxy as a brand is worth understanding before you book. Small rooms, minimal amenities, common spaces designed for socializing — the front desk is also a bar, and they give you a welcome drink when you check in. It is a great fit if you are there to explore and not spending much time in your room. It is not the right fit if you need a quiet space to work or decompress. For two people moving fast through a destination, it was exactly right.
Day One: A River Bar, a Castle, and Korean Popcorn Chicken
We dropped our bags and went straight out to explore.
Terrazza Bar al Ponte
I had this on my map before we arrived and made it our first stop. It is a bar on the river with a direct view of Castel San Pietro across the water.
We arrived to a full terrace and sat inside, which was fine — the staff offered to move us outside if a spot opened up, and it did about halfway through our charcuterie board and bottle of house white. We finished the rest of it on the terrace with the castle in view.
Total bill: 35 euros for wine and charcuterie. In the US, that buys you one or the other. The staff were warm and clearly enjoying their jobs, which always makes a difference.
One thing to know about dining in Europe: smoking is significantly more common than in the US, particularly on patios and terraces. Ashtrays will be on the tables. If that is something that bothers you, sitting outside may not be comfortable. This was true at coffee shops, restaurants, and bars throughout the trip — not specific to Verona.
Castel San Pietro
From the bar, we walked across the river and took the funicular up to Castel San Pietro. About a dollar to ride up. The sun was starting to set, the views over Verona were stunning, and the staircases on the walk back down were mostly in shade, which at that time of day was a relief.
We did not go into the castle or stop for a drink at the bar at the top — we had just finished half a bottle of wine each, so we were fine. Took photos, took it in, walked back down.
Nosh — A Bartender Recommendation
Back at the hotel, we used our daily food and beverage credit at the bar and I asked the bartender where he would suggest ordering delivery from. He recommended a place called Nosh. I asked what to order specifically. He said he and his girlfriend always get the pad Thai and the popcorn chicken.
So that is what we ordered.
Brian said he was not that hungry. He inhaled the popcorn chicken. The pad Thai was surprisingly good for Northern Italy — I have a very specific benchmark for pad Thai (a Thai restaurant called Saya in Kent, Washington, that I have been going to my entire life), and Nosh held up better than I expected.
This is something I did throughout this entire trip and would encourage you to do on yours: when you are around locals, ask them what they actually order, not just where to go. The bartender did not give me a tourist answer. He gave me his answer. Those are different things, and the difference matters.
Day Two: Espresso at the Counter, a Wine Tour, and the Best Risotto of the Trip
Caffè Borsari
We started the morning at Caffè Borsari with espresso at the counter — three euros, in and out in a few minutes. That is how espresso is meant to be consumed in Italy. Standing at the bar, quick, not precious about it. It was great.
Focacceria La Figaccia
Sandwiches from Focacceria La Figaccia after the espresso. Good sandwiches, easy stop, worth knowing about if you need a quick lunch in the center of the city.
The Valpolicella Wine Tour
At 2:30 PM we met our group at the theater in the center of Verona: a Canadian couple, a German couple, three guys from England, and the two of us. We went to the Valpolicella wine region and spent the afternoon tasting Amarone and other reds at two different wineries.
The first was a small family operation — two brothers, generations of winemaking, a very personal and unhurried experience. The second was slightly larger with beautiful artwork throughout and a more curated feel. Both were worth visiting for different reasons.
After the tour, our guide dropped us back in the city and the whole group found a spot in one of the piazzas for drinks. Charcuterie on the table, everyone ordering something, good conversation. Brian and I eventually had to excuse ourselves for our dinner reservation, which I was slightly sad about because the group dynamic was genuinely fun.
A note on wine tours in general: the social element is half the experience. Everyone on a wine tour likes wine, so you already have something in common, and the shared experience of tasting things together and moving between wineries tends to open people up. I make friends everywhere I go, and wine tours are a reliable place for that to happen. If you like wine, do a wine tour. See what you think.
Caffè Monte Baldo — Osteria Tipica e Ristorante
Dinner was at Caffè Monte Baldo, and it was one of the best meals of the trip.
The risotto was made with the same style of wine we had been drinking all afternoon — Amarone — which is exactly what this region is known for. It was fantastic. I could have licked the plate. We had a bottle of wine, a dessert trio, espresso, and the full traditional Italian experience: daily specials written on a board, a room with real atmosphere, food that tasted like someone cared about making it.
If you are in Verona, go here.
Amarone risotto, a good bottle of wine, dessert trio, espresso. One of the best meals of three weeks in Europe. Book ahead if you can.
Final Thoughts on Verona
Verona surprised me in the best possible way. It was never meant to be a destination — it was a logistical stop — and it ended up being one of the highlights of the entire trip.
It is significantly more affordable than Venice. It is walkable. It is easy to get to by train from almost anywhere in Northern Italy. And it has the kind of character that feels earned rather than performed.
A few things before you go:
Pack light for train travel. Storage is limited and other passengers' oversized bags become your problem.
Terrazza Bar al Ponte is worth the wait for a terrace spot. Get on the list and be patient.
Do the Valpolicella wine tour. A half-day with a good group and two family wineries is a great way to spend an afternoon.
Ask locals what they order. Not just where to go — what they actually get when they are there.
Caffè Borsari for espresso at the counter. Three euros. Stand up, drink it, leave. That is the move.
Verona works as a day trip too if you are based in Venice or Milan and want to add it without an overnight.
Why Work with a Travel Advisor for an Italy Trip
Italy is one of those destinations where the individual pieces — Venice, Verona, Lake Garda, Rome — are each worth a trip on their own, which means putting them together into something that flows well and does not feel rushed is more work than it looks. Knowing how many nights each destination deserves, how to sequence train travel, and where to stay at each stop without overspending or undershooting takes research that most people do not have time for.
Itinerary sequencing: Getting the order and pacing right for a multi-city Italy trip is one of the things I do for every client. You should not be spending your first night in a new city exhausted from a logistical mistake.
Train travel logistics: Which class to book, how to manage luggage, which connections are tight and which are comfortable — this is the kind of detail that matters a lot on the ground.
Hotel selection by destination: The right hotel in Venice is a very different thing than the right hotel in Verona. I match the accommodation to the destination and the traveler, not just the budget.
Local recommendations built in: The bartender at the Moxy pointed us to Nosh. Your advisor has done the research so you are not starting from zero in every new city.
