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Attend an opera at the Arena, Verona

Culture & Tradition

Attend an opera at the Arena

Verona · Veneto

QUICK INFORMATION

CATEGORY
Culture & Tradition
COUNTRY
Italy
REGION
Verona · Veneto
DURATION
An evening, three to four hours
DIFFICULTY
No effort beyond booking; the stone steps are hard, so bring a cushion.
BEST TIME
The opera season, June to August.

ABOUT THIS EXPERIENCE

Attending an opera at the Arena di Verona is the most atmospheric cultural experience in the Veneto. The summer festival runs from June to August, with the stage built across the arena floor and the audience seated on the Roman stone steps under the open sky. The repertoire is grand opera — Aida, Carmen, Nabucco, Turandot — chosen for the scale of the space, and the experience of hearing a full chorus and orchestra in a Roman amphitheatre on a warm night is unlike any other opera house. The festival was founded in 1913 with Aida for the Verdi centenary, and it has run every summer since.

WHAT YOU’LL EXPERIENCE

What you’ll experience

More here soon — the road is still being mapped.

THE EXPERIENCE IN DETAIL

What it’s really like

More here soon — the road is still being mapped.

HIGHLIGHTS

Moments worth savouring

01

The scale — 15,000 people in a Roman amphitheatre, the largest open-air opera audience in the world.

02

The repertoire — grand opera suited to the space: Aida, Carmen, Nabucco, Turandot, La Traviata.

03

The setting — the Roman stone steps, the open sky, the candles the audience light before the performance.

04

The acoustics — the natural amplification of the elliptical Roman bowl, unaided by amplification for the voices.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Good to know before you go

More here soon — the road is still being mapped.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Before you go

Tickets
Book through the Arena di Verona festival website; the cheapest seats on the highest steps (the gradinate) are the most atmospheric and the most affordable.
Access
Bring a cushion for the stone steps and a shawl for the evening; the performance goes on regardless of light rain.
Best Time
The festival runs June to August; book early for popular productions like Aida.
Context
The arena is on the Piazza Bra; the performance begins after sunset.

MAP & LOCATION

Attend an opera at the Arena

Attend an opera at the Arena, Verona, Veneto, Italy

45.4389, 10.9917

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ATTRACTIONS NEARBY

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FOOD & DRINK

Where to eat nearby

01

Osteria al Duca — a historic osteria near the Piazza delle Erbe for classic Veronese cooking

02

Trattoria al Pompiere — a relaxed trattoria near the Piazza delle Erbe, known for its cured meats and local wines

03

Antica Bottega del Vino — a 19th-century wine bar with 100 wines by the glass and a long Veronese menu

04

Ristorante Greppia — a refined Veronese restaurant near the Arena, the place for risotto all’Amarone

05

Osteria Sottoriva — a riverside osteria under the arcades, honest cooking and a local crowd

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HOTELS & STAYS

Where to stay nearby

01

Due Torri Hotel — a historic hotel in a medieval palace beside the Arena, with frescoed rooms

02

Hotel Milano & Spa — a stylish hotel near the Arena with a spa and a rooftop bar

03

Hotel Antica Porta Leona — a boutique hotel in a Roman-era building near the Arena

04

Hotel Colomba d’Oro — a hotel in a medieval convent near the Piazza delle Erbe, good value for a central base

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NEARBY DESTINATIONS

Continue the journey

Venice

Venice

Veneto

Cortina d’Ampezzo

Cortina d’Ampezzo

Veneto

Lake Maggiore / Stresa

Lake Maggiore / Stresa

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