Verona

(An article written by Florence Derrick in the issue of Norwegian published in July 2007 -I think-)

Made famous as the setting for Romeo and Juliet, this pretty northern Italian city has romantic and literary associations galore - perfect for a summer weekender.

The basics:

It's the second largest city in the Veneto region (after Venice), with 265,000 inhabitants.

It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000.

Two million people each year visit the Casa di Giulietta, said to be the setting of Romeo and jailers famous balcony scene.

The key areas

Piazza Bra

Verona's expansive central square is bordered by pizzerias and dominated by the ancient Arena - the Roman Empire's fourth largest amphitheatre, which dates back to AD 30. In recent years it's replaced gladiators with an annual opera festival and live concerts by the likes of Sting, Leonard Cohen and Radiohead. arena.it

Piazza delle Erbe

The historic marketplace is home to the town hall, the 84m-high Torre del Lambert' (there's a lift to zip you to the views from the top) and the frescoed façades of the 15th-century aristocratic Mazzanti houses. torredeilamberti. it

Duomo

This quieter warren of streets surrounds Verona's striking 12th-century cathedral, alongside the Adige river. Wander past dappled café terraces to the arched Roman Ponte Pietra (stone bridge), and don't miss Titian's Assumption of the Virgin in the Duomo's side chapel. cattedralediverona.it

Teatro Romano

On the far side of the Ponte Pietra, this first-century Roman theatre holds open-air concerts and an annual "Shakespeariano" festival (to September). Go at sunset for awe-inspiring views of the city's terracotta roofs that justify the steep climb (see right). ticketone.it

Verona's ancient Arena is set to get a revamp. In February, German architecture firms GMP and SBP won a contest to design a roof for the 2,000-year-old amphitheatre to protect both the ancient stone and opera-goers from the elements. Their retractable fabric cover wit be held in place by an elevated oval ring so it resembles a scallop shell from above — although the €13.5 million cost has raised eyebrows. gmp-orchitekten.corn, sbp.de

San Zeno

Take a 20-minute stroll east of the centre and you'll find a leafy, dusty square where old-timers pass the time of day on wooden benches. One of Italy's finest-preserved Romanesque churches watches over a flea market every Sunday - where you can pick up inexpensive but lovely antiques.

The postcard

Views from Castel San Pietro, Verona's popular hilltop, are fantastic, but this spot tends to resemble selfie-stick city -especially around sunset. Avoid the crowds by taking a left up a discreet flagstone path, just before you reach the top, and nab a table on Re Teodorico's scenic terrace instead. A sunset Aperol Spritz tastes all the sweeter for the 200-step climb (we counted) it takes to get there. reteodorico.com

The souvenir

At first glance, a canary-yellow cockerel might not look like a conventional reminder of your time in Verona. But an Italian tradition of giving ceramic roosters as gifts dates back to the Renaissance, when the notorious Medici family were alerted to murderous trespassers by roosters crowing in the courtyard. Ceramic cockerels have symbolised good fortune ever since and Nove, a small town one hour's drive from Verona, happens to be the country's pottery capital. Take home your own bit of good fortune, with one of REBIRTH ceramics' unusual rooster bowls. Something to crow about? rebirthceramics.com

Juliet club

Glance into a cobbled courtyard on the pretty, shop-lined Corso Sant'Anastasia, and you'll spot a small red letterbox beside a gleaming glass door. Above, a modest sign reads: The Juliet Club. This is Giovanna Tomassia's office, and she has dedicated the last 20 years replying to hopeless romantics - she receives 10,000 letters every year simply addressed to "Juliet, Verona". "People ask Juliet difficult questions: about whether their love will last, or whether they'll meet the right person," she tells us. "They trust her with their most personal problems, so it's important to give hope and real advice when possible. Sometimes they write back years later to tell us that it all worked out." julietclub.com

Alternative romantic Spots

PERFECT PIAZZA

Avoid the couples at Juliet's balcony for a glass of vino in Piazza dei Signori, Verona's most fabulous square, whose centrepiece is a monument to Dante.

STUNNING STATUES

It's considered good luck to rub the right breast of the bronze statue of Juliet outside the Casa di Giulietta. But the more beautiful statue is Madonna in Piazza delle Erbe, built from Roman relics.

SECRET GARDENS

People say that couples who find each other in the maze at Giardino Guisti are destined for eternal happiness. Whether that's true or not, the manicured landscaping and secret lookout make these gardens a special backdrop for whispered sweet nothings.

CLOSE TO THE BONE

Glance upwards as you pass under the stone arch between the piazzas delle Erbe and dei Signori, and you'll see an unconventional weather vane — a curved, sun-bleached whale rib. Steeped in mythology, no one really knows where it came from. Was it a war spoil taken from a Turkish boat rudder in a battle in the 1400s, or was it dug up in the Lessinia hills? The legend goes that it will fall on the head of the first person to walk beneath it who has never told a lie. Hasn't happened yet, though.

The restaurant

Casa Perbellini has none of the airs and graces you might expect from Verona's only two-Michelin-starred restaurant. On Piazza San Zeno in the middle of a row of run-of-the-mill osterias, owner-chef Giancarlo Perbellini takes old family recipes -a crispy pork and cinnamon risotto his nonna used to make, or a millefeuille recipe from his pastry-chef grandfather - and gives them a fine-dining flourish. He's helped by a team of 11 chefs who work a starch-white production line in an open kitchen. With just 24 covers, and waiters sporting jeans and T-shirts, dining here feels a bit like a family get-together - if your mum's signature dish happens to be sea-bass tartare with sesame wafer and a liquorice reduction. Qcasaperbellini.com

The wines / THREE TO SEEK OUT

LA GIUVA

Named for local sisters Giulia and Valentina Malesani, this family-run brand won this year's Vinibuoni d'Italia award for its eco-conscious. products. Their cherry-rich amarone is a fine example. lagiuva.com

MASSIMAGO

After taking over this label in 2003 aged just 20, Camilla Rossi Chauvenet is breaking the old-school Valpolicella mould by producing a range of rosé and sparkling varieties - and even commissioning classical music to go with them. massimago.com

FASOLI GINO

Organic since 1984 and biodynamic from 2006 onwards, this forward-thinking winemaker produces one of the best examples of Bardolino, thanks to cooling breezes from Lake Garda. fasoligino.com

Celebrity spotting

Whether it’s the pizza or the romantic vibes they're after, A-listers seriously heart Verona. Keep your eyes peeled for Madonna - rumoured to own a holiday apartment on Piazza delle Erbe - as well as Leonardo DiCaprio, who bought an Arena-side pad in 2011, 15 years after his starring role in Romeo + Juliet. Sadly, you won't see either of Brangelina: they sold their 16th-century villa in Valpolicella, just outside Verona, shortly before their split (sob).

The day trip / LAKE GARDA

Lake Como tends to get all the glory, but Lake Garda - a 45-minute drive or train journey from Verona - boasts the same bucolic beauty and picturesque waterside towns, without the outrageous price tags and hordes of Clooney spotters. If you've only got one day, spend it on the Sirmione Peninsula, a medieval port village that juts into the water, with a 12th-century castle, a Roman villa and natural hot-water springs to explore. Stay late into the evening for a sunset boat cruise, and splash out on a catch-of-the-day lake fish dinner at Sirmione's most exclusive and elegant restaurant, La Rucola. Ristorantelarocola.it

The kids

GARDALAND - Italy's biggest, brashest theme park is the ultimate antidote for culture-saturated tots and teens: its 18 rides and an aquarium are on the eastern shore of Lake Garda, a 45-minute drive from Verona. New for this year is Shaman, a VR roller coaster that involves riding a great eagle through the Rocky Mountains towards a colossal dreamcatcher. gardoland.it