← Padova Marathon·1 night

Verona: A Night in the Arena City

A compact Roman and medieval city with a flat old town, an amphitheatre and a river walk. A simple overnight by train.

Duration1 night
TransitFast or regional train from Padova to Verona Porta Nuova, about 50 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes
DepartsPadova

After the Padova Marathon: Verona

The Route: Padova → Verona → Verona Villafranca (VRN) or Venice (VCE) Logistics: A direct train from Padova, about 50 minutes on a fast service and up to about 1 hour 20 minutes on a regional one. The old town is flat and walkable. Marathon Month: April Duration: 1 night

Padova ──(50 mins to 1h20 train)──> Verona Porta Nuova ──(15 min walk or bus)──> Verona old town
                                          │
        Verona Villafranca (VRN) ◄──(bus or taxi)──┘

The Padova Marathon is on a Sunday in mid-April, and Verona is on the same railway line, so it makes an easy overnight on the way to the airport. Fast trains take about 50 minutes and regional trains longer. Check the timetable and the fares at trenitalia.com or italotreno.it.

April in Verona: the weather is mild, with showers likely. The Arena's summer opera festival has not started in April, but the Roman amphitheatre is normally open for visits, so check the days. The city is quieter than in summer, and some seasonal restaurants are still closed.

Night One: Verona

Verona's old town sits inside a bend of the river Adige. The centre is flat and mostly pedestrianised. From the station, walk or take a bus to Piazza Bra, where the Roman Arena stands, and walk along the paved Via Mazzini to Piazza delle Erbe, the old market square, a distance of about 800 m. Check the opening days and prices for the Arena, Juliet's House and the Torre dei Lamberti, which has a lift. The balcony of Juliet's House is in a courtyard that is crowded at every hour; go early.

The river walk along the Adige is flat and has seating, and the Ponte Pietra, the Roman bridge, gives the best view. The Castelvecchio museum and its bridge are a short walk from the Arena. Check the weekly closing day before a Monday visit.

Where to stay. Hotel Accademia is in the historic centre and Hotel Gabbia d'Oro is on Corso Porta Borsari, also in the old town. Check rates, the distance to the station and your room before booking.

Where to eat. Local dishes are risotto all'Amarone, a rich red-wine risotto, and bigoli pasta with duck sauce. Book a table for the evening.

Getting to the airport

For Verona Villafranca airport (VRN), take a bus or taxi from the station; check the shuttle times. For Venice Marco Polo (VCE), return by train towards Padova and Venice and continue by bus or water taxi from Venezia Mestre or Santa Lucia; check the route on the day. Leave a margin in case a train is late.