Everything we did in Verona (June 2025)

During our recent trip to northern Italy, we based ourselves in Verona; as a huge Shakespeare fan, it's somewhere that's always been on my list so it was the perfect way to kick off my 30th birthday celebrations. The city is amazing with so much to offer, so I thought I'd pop together a list of all the best things to do in Verona!

Shakespeare in Verona

Of course, there is a lot of Shakespeare-related sites and activities in the city. If you didn't know, Romeo and Juliet is set here; the main attraction is definitely Juliet's balcony (and house). You can visit the courtyard and see the balcony for FREE, but to go inside and stand on the balcony itself you need a ticket. We paid around £25pp for skip the line tickets; at 10.30 on a Wednesday morning there actually was no line, and it was really quiet meaning we got to go on the balcony THREE times! However, as we left at around 11.30am it was significantly busier so it really is the luck of the draw. I loved it here; of course it's a "tourist trap" but it was just so much fun and it's a beautiful setting. There is plenty of artwork, costumes and more to see within the house, too.

Romeo's house is another Shakespeare landmark in Verona, but it's just the outside of a building - you can't go in. There is a plaque with a quote from the play, and you'll see a few of these across the city like at Juliet's house and the Portoni del Bra archway, where there is also a bust of Shakespeare.

We also visited Juliet's tomb - this is located at the Fresco Museum, and we paid to go into the museum for a wander round before visiting the tomb itself. The museum is incredible, with so many frescoes that have been carefully extracted and displayed here. It also had excellent (and much needed) air con. The tomb is just that, a tomb, but of course we had to tick it off the list of Shakespeare locations in Verona!

The tourist train

From the window of our hotel room we saw a little tourist train go past, and I immediately knew I wanted to ride it. Unfortunately information online was severely lacking, but we did manage to find it. The train leaves from the taxi rank at Piazza Bra, and it cost us 5euros per person - it's cash only, and there is a cash machine on the strip of restaurants in the piazza. The tourist train itself was great, we saw a lot of the city and there is a little voiceover sharing information about the churches, bridges, piazzas and more. However, it's a bumpy ride! Verona is a city of cobblestone streets, and we definitely felt them...

Giardino Giusti

I love nature and gardens and generally just being outdoors, so Giardino Giusti was definitely on my list of things to do in Verona. We walked here from Castelvecchio, which was quite a long walk, but it was so worth it; we paid 12euros each to get in, and spent around an hour or so here. It was so peaceful (we went around 10am on a Sunday) with not many other people there, and it was so nice to just wander through the gardens, admire the statues, see the terrapins playing in the fountain and explore the maze. We also walked right up to the top, where you have an amazing panoramic view of Verona. We were the only ones up here and it just felt so special.

Lomberti Tower

From our hotel window, we could see the Lomberti Tower - and I knew the views would be amazing. We paid around 6euros per person, and while they preferred cash you could pay on card. It's over 300 steps to get up to the top, but there is also a lift! I was right that the views were amazing; you don't need long here, but it's definitely worth ticking it off the list of the best things to do in Verona.

Castel San Pietro

We actually went to Castel San Pietro twice; the first time, we went the wrong way and ended up walking up A LOT of steps to get to the top. But it was worth it for the most amazing sunset, cocktails/mocktails, buskers and generally peaceful vibe up here. There is a bar here, as well as quite a nice restaurant. We stayed for a couple of drinks watching the sun go down, and it was stunning.

However, we had actually wanted to get the funicular up here - and we found it the following night. It's super cheap at 3euros per person for a return ride, and you can pay on card at the ticket machine. The funicular only takes a few minutes to get up and down, but it's much easier than the steps...

Castelvecchio area

Another part of Verona we loved was Castelvecchio; the grounds of the castle itself are stunning, and while we didn't go inside it was still nice to explore. The nearby Gavi Arch is lovely (and huge) with a lot of cool history behind it, and the Scaliger Bridge was great too with some brilliant views along the river.

Piazzas and more

Of course, there are also beautiful piazzas to explore - full of things to see too. Piazza Delle Erbe has a daily market (except for Sundays) as well as the mysterious whale bone hanging from Arco della Costa. Piazza Bra is home to the arena - which we didn't visit inside, but is fantastic to see from the outside - as well as multiple restaurants and a small park area. Even just wandering the cobbled streets you'll see so much: the Scaliger Tombs, Porta Bosari (ancient Roman gates) statues, churches and loads more.

So that's pretty much everything we did in Verona - there is so much to see and do in this gorgeous Italian city, and you really don't need to spend a lot to see the highlights.

Truly Verona Delle Erbe Suites | Hotel Review, June 2025

When we were booking our accommodation in Verona for my 30th birthday trip, I really didn't know where to start - it's not a city I'd been to before, so I of course took to booking.com to try and scope out where we should stay. We ended up at the Truly Verona Delle Erbe Suites - full review below but spoiler alert, we loved it.

Truly Verona Delle Erbe Suites

We used Booking.com to book our hotel in Verona - meaning we could reserve the room and pay nearer the time, which was ideal for the way we like to save for our holidays and trips. The booking process was smooth, and the hotel messaged to ask if I'd like to choose which of the three suites we wanted. I had a quick look on the Truly Verona website and opted for the Toscana Suite, and I was over the moon with this choice when we arrived.

Communication with the hotel

Truly Verona sent us a couple of Whatsapp messages in the lead up to our trip, asking if there was anything specific we wanted or needed, as well as letting us know how to get to the accommodation itself. This was really handy considering we'd never been to Verona before, and it meant we could easily get a taxi to the suite and show the driver the address; a lot of Verona is quite pedestrianised, so we couldn't get dropped off at the door but it was only around a 20 second walk from where we were dropped off, so it wasn't a problem at all.

Petra, who I'd been messaging, met us there and checked us in; she also sent me the link to pay the tourist tax, and sent over recommendations for things to do, bars, restaurants and more. She was always on hand to answer any questions we had and offer further recommendations, and we really appreciated it.

Location of the Truly Verona Delle Erbe Suites

Honestly, the suites could not be better located - our view was of Piazza Delle Erbe itself, the 'main square' in Verona which is lined with restaurants and is home to the daily market as well as the Lomberti Tower. It was just gorgeous to sit in the window and people watch when it was too hot, and generally just enjoy being so close to the hustle & bustle of the city. It also meant we were within walking distance of essentially everything we wanted to do or see; Juliet's balcony was less than a 5 minute walk away, and it only took us a minute or so to get to a nice restaurant/cafe for breakfast each morning. 

The hotel is around a 30 minute walk from the train/bus station, but there are buses that go here from around a 10 minute walk away so for day trips from Verona you're not in a bad location either!

The suite itself

There are three Truly Verona Delle Erbe Suites at this location, and as mentioned I chose the Toscana Suite - definitely go for this one, for the view if nothing else! All three suites are on the third floor of the building; there are a few steps you need to go up inside and then a lift the rest of the way which takes you to the 'lobby' area for Truly Verona. Both the building door and the door to this lobby space (which has a bookcase, maps and so on) lock, as do the suites themselves, so it all felt very safe.

I won't harp on about the view much longer but honestly, it was incredible. As we overlooked the main square, we were worried it might be too noisy to sleep at times but with the windows shut we could barely hear anything outside! There is plenty of wardrobe space, a bathroom with toilet/sink/shower, a bed, TV, free WiFi, good air con, a coffee machine, fridge, table and chairs - and of course the view. Did I mention the view?

The bed was comfortable, the towels were actual human-sized pillows and not made for borrowers, and the coffee pods were replaced regularly - we got fresh towels as often as we needed them, the bed made each day if we wanted and so on. The room is traditionally decorated which is really lovely, it felt so peaceful and classic without being dated.

Would I recommend Truly Verona Delle Erbe Suites?

I think you know what I'm going to say - 100% yes! We paid just over £900 for 7 nights here in June, which is more than I would usually pay for self catered accommodation but it was summer, it was my 30th, and the location was so perfect. We really loved our time in Italy, and this beautiful central accommodation in Verona was the perfect base for us.

A week in northern Italy: our itinerary

Northern Italy is an incredibly beautiful part of Europe, and recently I was lucky enough to spend a week in the area exploring new cities, eating incredible food and enjoying everything the region has to offer. I thought I would share our itinerary and a brief look at what we got up to!

Manchester - Verona

We flew from Manchester to Verona on a Tuesday morning, with Ryanair, which was absolutely fine - the flight ended up being less than 2 hours, which was dreamy. We then jumped in a taxi to our central apartment, which cost around 35euros.

We stayed at the Truly Verona Delle Erbe Suites, which are in the best possible location in Verona; I will have a full hotel review coming soon!

Our first afternoon and evening in Verona was spent just wandering and getting our bearings, and getting used to the muggy heat of the city in June, as well as eating pizza in the square. Again, I'll be sharing a full Verona food round up soon.

Verona: day one

Our first full day in Verona was a Wednesday, and we woke up incredibly early. Deciding to make the most of it, we headed out before 6am and explored the empty streets of central Verona - as well as heading to the arena, an area which is heaving during the day!

After going back to our apartment for a freshen up we were officially ready to get out and explore; our first stop was Juliet's house and balcony, which was AMAZING. We also visited Romeo's house, rode the small tourist train, went to the top of the Lamberti Tower and had lunch in Piazza Delle Erbe.

I'll be creating a more in depth blog post focusing on everything we did in Verona during our time there; this is just a brief insight into our itinerary!

Venice and the islands

On the Thursday we got the train to Venice, where we were booked onto a tour of Murano and Burano. We managed to cram in seeing all the Venice highlights like the bridges and St Mark's Square, but the boat tour to the islands was the real highlight. Murano and Burano are both stunning, peaceful islands rich in culture, and they were a joy to explore. We headed back to Verona after the tour and had an evening wander while enjoying a gelato.

The Dolomites

For the Friday we had booked a full day tour to the Dolomites; it was honestly a bit of a disaster, but we managed to see the mountains and the scenery was truly breathtaking. If you can drive, I'd highly recommend hiring a car and visiting the Dolomites from Verona as it's a gorgeous part of Italy with so much to offer. I will of course share a full review on our organised day trip, but if you can DIY it then it's probably a better option...

When we got back to Verona we had a few drinks with some people we'd met on the tour, then got ready for another gorgeous dinner in Piazza Delle Erbe.

A weekend in Verona

With two of our day trips out of the way, we had a weekend in Verona itself to explore more of this gorgeous Italian city. We really did fall in love with Verona and while you don't need a full week here (hence the day trips), there is plenty to see and do in the city. It's the perfect base for exploring northern Italy.

On the Saturday we headed to the fresco museum, also the location of Juliet's tomb - the museum was great and it has a beautiful courtyard, where someone was getting married! We also visited Castelvecchio and the Gavi Arch, had lunch down a little side street, explored more piazzas and bought fancy macarons. We had dinner out of the main square area, down towards the river, and it was overall a gorgeous day.

Sunday was a day of walking; I think we got close to 20,000 steps in. We headed back to the Castelvecchio area to cross the bridge here, which has stunning views, and from here we walked all the way along to the beautiful Giardino Giusti. These walled gardens are breathtaking, so well kept with a fabulous panoramic viewpoint. After walking back to Piazza Delle Erbe we had some drinks in the square, relaxing and people watching for the afternoon. That evening we visited Castel San Pietro, completely missing the sign for the funicular and instead walking up all the steps... the views up here are equally stunning, and watching the sunset at Castel San Pietro is a MUST in Verona.

From Verona to Lake Garda

On Monday it was time for another day trip, this time to Lake Garda. We got the bus to Sirmione, where we sat on the lake enjoying a drink before a 25 minute cruise around the lake itself - I also had the best gelato of my life in Sirmione, and we really enjoyed exploring the little streets and beautiful views around the town. It's a gorgeous part of northern Italy and while we did have some shuttle bus-related problems getting there, again it would be perfect if you have a hire car.

Monday evening, we had dinner in Piazza Bra overlooking the arena which was amazing; we then walked across the bridge and finally managed to get the funicular up to Castel San Pietro, which was only 3euros for a return journey. A few hours before sunset it was quiet and peaceful up there!

That was our week in northern Italy; Verona is an amazing city, and it was the perfect base for exploring Venice, the Dolomites and Lake Garda. I wouldn't change anything about our Italian itinerary and I'll be posting more in depth reviews of each place as well as what we got up to.

May 2025 reading round up

May's been a busy old month but I did still manage to get some good reading done - so without further ado here's everything I read and reviewed in May 2025!

Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

I absolutely loved Assistant to the Villain, and it took me ages to get around to reading the second in the series as I was worried it would fall flat in comparison to the first, which was an was 5 star for me. And honestly, it kind of did - it took me at least 50% of the book to actually get into it, and I just didn't find it as fun as the first one. By the end, I did really enjoy it and I do think the story is progressing really well, I just didn't fall in love with it like book one. I ended up giving this one 4 stars! Also, if anyone else has read this, do you know what I mean if I say I get Shrek-universe vibes from it?

The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes

This was our May book club pick, and it's something really quite far out of my comfort zone - I used to read a fair bit of historical fiction but it's not really a genre I gravitate towards these days. I read it via audiobook, and as one of the characters is French it was great to digest her story in a French accent. The book follows a painting stolen during WW1, and we learn the story of the woman who features in it, and that of the woman who owns it now, and how these stories come to intertwine. Part one is really interesting, but I found part two just dragged a LOT. Overall it was okay, but not my thing - I gave it a 2.5 star rating.

Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey

I absolutely adore both sports romances and Tessa Bailey books, so this was an easy pick for me - I got a gorgeous sprayed edge edition from The Works, and I flew through the book itself. Hockey, cello, protective boyfriend, messed up family dynamics... a mish mash of things that worked SO well, a proper slow burn and a really enjoyable read. 5 stars!!!

The Thirty Before Thirty List by Tasneem Adbur-Rashid

I'm turning 30 next month (!!) and I picked this up in The Works agesssss ago; I read this on a sunny afternoon in the garden, and I really loved it. It felt so relatable, despite focusing on an entirely different culture to my own, and it was a genuinely sweet story about making the most of life and finding love along the way, not the way you might have expected to... 4.5 stars!

The Highland Fling by Amy McGavin

I read the first book in this series during April, and I'd grabbed both in a recent Stuff Your Kindle Day deal - I knew this one would focus on two of the side characters from book 1, and I was interested to know how it would pan out. As with the first book, the writing is SO awkward and stilted, but the story is nice. It's nothing groundbreaking and I gave it a 2.5 - properly edited etc I think it would be really good.

Not Supposed to Happen by Lizzy Barlow

As someone who has found a recent love of hiking, I was keen to read a romance book that kind of centres around this hobby; this was okay, nothing spectacular but a quick read set in the Pacific North West, which is a big part of the plot. It follows a hiking blogger and a recipe blogger who meet at a singles event and seem to hit it off... the scenic descriptions are great, but the romance left a lot to be desired. 3 stars.

Love on the Rocks by Alyssa Jarrett

Another outdoorsy romance, again due to my recently discovered passion for exploring nature - this was another freebie on Stuff Your Kindle Day, so an indie read. It's part of a 'Glam Fam' series (I didn't get a proper intro to them but it's essentially a stylist, hairdresser, MUA gang) but they don't feature much; the story follows a high flying tech marketing exec and a famous rock climber. Opposites attract, insta-love... not much spice but the spice that was in the book was thoroughly RUINED by the use of hiking terminology in bed. Absolute ick, 2.5 stars.

The Treehouse by B P Walter

I have a lot of Netgalley ARCs to get through, and this was one of them; it's a thriller about two brothers who killed somebody in a treehouse, and years later a TV drama comes out that follows the exact same story - the book itself follows the family as they try to get to the bottom of who knows what they did, and what they want now. It's fairly well written but really predictable and the ending was just pointless and strange. Some interesting features but overall not the best thriller I've ever read! 3 stars.

Keep Your Friends Close by Cynthia Murphy

Another Netgalley ARC, and one I really enjoyed - I like anything set in a boarding school or college setting, and this one was really fresh and interesting, with some hard hitting topics. It's YA, but it doesn't really read like it, and it has some great examinations of the class system as well as a twist I really didn't see coming. Honestly very good and I'd recommend; 4 stars.

The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson

I absolutely stan Holly Jackson, and I got a copy of this on Vinted with the gorgeous sprayed edges. This was a fantastic read - such a twisty, interesting plot following the reappearance of a presumed-dead  with really well rounded characters, a few good twists, and the under-plot of the documentary series. I gave this 4.5 stars and I would absolutely re-read it, too!

So that's everything I read in May; I'm heading off to Italy tomorrow so I'll probably get some good reading done on the plane and during downtime, but I do think June will be a busy month so who knows how many books I'll get to...

AD | Gorgeous gifting with Little Coven

I am a huge fan of quirky and unique homeware, whether it's buying it for myself or getting it as a gift for someone else - and Little Coven has you covered from every angle, whether it's gothic gifts or something more cutesy, no matter who you're buying for!

I thought I'd share a little haul of the bits and pieces I chose from Little Coven, who kindly offered to send me some goodies - I've been trying to get the garden looking gorgeous in case we do have an extended period of sunshine, so it was the perfect opportunity to pick out some new pieces, and I'm always looking to add new bits to our lovely kitchen too...

If you know me, you might know I loveeeee bees - so you may see a *bit* of a theme, starting with the gorgeous Natural Summer Solstice Doormat. Retailing for £9.99 I personally think this is an absolute bargain for a proper coir doormat, and the quality is absolutely brilliant. I've popped this at the back door on the inside, and it looks super cute. I love the crescent moon and bee detailing, as well as the sweet rhyme. Love love love!

Carrying on with the bee theme, I picked out a gorgeous jug that pretty much matches the doormat - sunflowers and bees and a gorgeous yellow handle. I've already used this for making raspberry green tea lemonade AND for holding breadsticks when I did a 'bring a board' night with the girls, who all thought the jug was super cute too. It's brilliant quality again, really versatile and just looks lovely in the kitchen. Retailing at £16.99, I think it would make the perfect gift for a Summer birthday.

Finally in terms of bees, I decided on the Small Terracotta Single Bee Motif Plant Pot - I've been really getting into my gardening recently, and I didn't really own any proper plant pots so this was perfect. I haven't actually got any flowers for this one yet, but I'm planning on a garden centre visit when I get back from Italy and I'm SO excited to pop some gorgeous blooms in here. It's a really cute size, again the quality is great, and it's only £6.99!

In terms of witchy gifts, Little Coven has so many pieces that would be perfect - along this kind of theme, I treated myself to a really lovely bracelet. This is the Opalite Manifestation Bracelet, and I chose this because my wedding ring will be an opal ring so I thought it would definitely make a nice combination down the line. According to the website, the bracelet carries the subtle energy of opalite, which is believed to enhance intuition and spiritual insight. And it's gorgeous, so dainty - and a steal at £6.99 which is why it's such a good gift idea.

The last thing I chose was another garden piece: the Golden Hour Crystal Suncatcher, featuring a gorgeous golden sun and an orange crystal. This hangs beautifully, and when the sun does catch it it looks sooooo pretty. It's a really elegant garden piece, but you could definitely hang it inside too if you wanted to so it's really versatile. At only £8.99 it looks much more expensive than it is!

Everything from Little Coven is great quality, really well priced, and perfect if you're looking for everything from witchcraft supplies to gifts for your hippy pals and everything in between. Supporting a small business too? What a win.