Verona Arena — Attraction in Verona

During our recent family trip to Verona, we had the extraordinary opportunity to visit the Verona Arena, coinciding perfectly with the Opera season, which exclusively runs in the summer. This historical amphitheater is not just a symbol of Verona's rich past but also a majestic venue that continues to host world-renowned performances, making it a truly impressive landmark.

The Verona Arena, built in the 1st century AD, is one of the best-preserved ancient structures of its kind. Originally designed to host gladiatorial contests and large-scale public events, the Arena has a seating capacity of around 25,000 spectators, a testament to the grandeur of Roman engineering. Its elliptical shape and towering stone arches are not only architectural marvels but also create an incredible acoustic experience for the audience.

Our visit began with a tour of the Arena during the day. Walking through the ancient corridors and seating areas, we could almost feel the echoes of history resonating through the stone walls. The sheer scale of the Arena is awe-inspiring, and its preservation allows visitors to step back in time and imagine the grand spectacles that once took place here. We highly recommend purchasing tickets for the tour in advance, as the Arena is a popular destination for tourists from all over the world.

For those planning to attend an opera concert, it is essential to note that children must be over 4 years old to enjoy the performance. This ensures that everyone in the audience can fully appreciate the artistry without interruptions. Given the popularity of these events, we strongly recommend booking your opera tickets well in advance.

In conclusion, the Verona Arena offers a unique blend of historical magnificence and cultural richness. Whether you are a history enthusiast or a lover of the arts, a visit to the Arena, especially during the Opera season, is an experience not to be missed. Plan ahead and secure your tickets to immerse yourself in one of the most majestic and impressive venues...

Indeed a must see to a Verona tourist and if you are an opera fan - buy tickets in advance to secure a better seat. Yes, some seats are already the ones as you expect it in a usual theatre, but some seats are just metal, so you’ll think of buying a pillow right there on the spot. This summer inside Arena they were 5 euro p/p, so if your metal seat was a surprise for you, you’ll be able to fix it ;) The organisers took care of everything: drinks, toilets, medics. What I would definitely recommend before buying opera tickets there, is to

1. check if it’s a classic version or a modern one. I’ve dreamed of a classic one for years as they had it before and although the show of this year was perfectly done, it was not what I wanted. You can see the photos in the other Aida reviews - to me it reminded the Star Wars. So just check it in advance to manage your expectations and then this modern version will conquer your heart.
2. check the reviews about the acoustics there before choosing your seat. We also saw Carmen there and although we sat in the closest part to the stage, still we had difficulty of hearing anyone but Carmen. My only hypothesis is that most arias were sung when many supporting actors were on stage at the same time and even though they were not officially talking, their moves created some background noise, which was dampening the sound of a singer. Or maybe we just sat in a “sound hole” and all other places are fine. But I’d say that it’s worth checking especially if for you it’s a...

The Verona Arena (Italian: Arena di Verona [aˈrɛːna di veˈroːna, aˈreːna -]) is a Roman amphitheatre in Piazza Bra in Verona, Italy built in 30 AD. It is still in use today and is used for large-scale opera performances

It is one of the best preserved ancient structures of its kind. In ancient times, the arena's capacity was nearly 30,000 people. The stage for concerts and opera performances decreases the available places to a maximum of 22,000.

The building itself was built in AD 30 on a site which was then beyond the city walls. The ludi (shows and games) staged there were so famous that spectators came from many other places, often far away, to witness them.[citation needed] The amphitheatre could host more than 30,000 spectators in ancient times.

The round facade of the building was originally composed of white and pink limestone from Valpolicella, but after a major earthquake in 1117, which almost completely destroyed the structure's outer ring, except for the so-called "ala" (wing), the stone was quarried for re-use in other buildings. Nevertheless, it impressed medieval visitors to the city, one of whom considered it to have been a labyrinth, without ingress or egress.[2] Ciriaco d'Ancona was filled with admiration for the way it had been built and Giovanni Antonio Panteo's civic panegyric De laudibus veronae, 1483, remarked that it struck the viewer as a construction that was...