Landmark
Juliet’s House
Verona · Veneto
QUICK INFORMATION
- CATEGORY
- Landmark
- COUNTRY
- Italy
- REGION
- Verona · Veneto
- DURATION
- 1 day
ABOUT THIS ATTRACTION
Juliet’s House, the Casa di Giulietta, is the 13th-century house on the Via Cappello that tradition identifies as the home of the Cappello family — the name Shakespeare turned into Capulet — and so as the house of Juliet. The building was bought by the city in 1905 and restored in the 1930s, when the famous balcony was added to the façade from medieval material to give visitors the scene they came for. The courtyard holds a bronze statue of Juliet by Nereo Costantini, and the walls are covered with the notes and love letters left by visitors. Whether or not Juliet ever lived here — she did not, being a literary figure — the house is one of the most visited in Verona, and the balcony is the image most people carry away.
HISTORY & BACKGROUND
The story behind it
The house on the Via Cappello was built in the 13th century and belonged to the Cappello family, a Veronese noble house whose name was close enough to Capulet for the tradition to attach. Shakespeare took the story of Romeo and Juliet from Luigi da Porto’s 1524 novella, which was set in Verona, but the characters are literary inventions. The city bought the house in 1905 and the director Antonio Avena restored it in the 1930s, adding the balcony to the façade using medieval stone and creating the courtyard scene that visitors now see. The bronze statue of Juliet was placed in the courtyard in 1972.
WHAT TO SEE
What to see here
The balcony — the 1930s addition on the façade, the image most visitors come for, viewable from the courtyard.
The bronze Juliet — the statue in the courtyard, by Nereo Costantini, traditionally touched for luck in love.
The love letters — the notes and letters left by visitors on the courtyard walls and on the club’s dedicated board.
The interior — the restored medieval rooms, with period furniture and the bed from Zeffirelli’s 1968 film.
WHY IT MATTERS
Why it matters
Juliet’s House is the place where Verona’s literary identity is most visible — the city Shakespeare made the setting of the world’s most famous love story, even though the characters never existed. It is a constructed shrine, the balcony a 1930s invention, but it draws visitors from around the world and it is part of what Verona now is. For a visitor, it is the most crowded and the most theatrical of the city’s sights, and worth seeing for what it says about how a story can attach itself to a place.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Before you go
MAP & LOCATION
Juliet’s House
Juliet’s House, Verona, Veneto, Italy
45.4383, 10.9978
MORE ATTRACTIONS
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THINGS TO DO
Things to do nearby
FOOD & DRINK
Where to eat nearby
Osteria al Duca — a historic osteria near the Piazza delle Erbe for classic Veronese cooking
Trattoria al Pompiere — a relaxed trattoria near the Piazza delle Erbe, known for its cured meats and local wines
Antica Bottega del Vino — a 19th-century wine bar with 100 wines by the glass and a long Veronese menu
Ristorante Greppia — a refined Veronese restaurant near the Arena, the place for risotto all’Amarone
Osteria Sottoriva — a riverside osteria under the arcades, honest cooking and a local crowd
HOTELS & STAYS
Where to stay nearby
Due Torri Hotel — a historic hotel in a medieval palace beside the Arena, with frescoed rooms
Hotel Milano & Spa — a stylish hotel near the Arena with a spa and a rooftop bar
Hotel Antica Porta Leona — a boutique hotel in a Roman-era building near the Arena
Hotel Colomba d’Oro — a hotel in a medieval convent near the Piazza delle Erbe, good value for a central base
NEARBY DESTINATIONS
Continue the journey
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