Verona – Gastronomy and entertainment
Prices in Verona are much lower than in Venice: a full meal in one of the numerous trattorias costs up to 15000 L, and there is a bar on the corner of almost every street, where you can buy a glass of wine for only 300 L. The nightlife here is more varied and it does last until late, unlike venice, where everything is shut off before midnight.
Pizzerias and restaurants
The best pizza in Verona can be eaten at Da Sahatore, Corso Porta Borsari 39 (pn. close); other premises in the center, where is worth going, to Pizzeria Corte Farina, Flour Court 4 (pn. close), and Pizzeria Arena, alley Tre Marchetti 1 (pn. close), which are open until 1.00. A bit outside the city center is II Posto, at Via Fincato (wt. close. and VII-VIII), where you can also get great pizza and sometimes listen to live music.
Among the restaurants in the city center, Osteria Cucina al Cristo offers the best prices, Fish market square (nd. close), where a solid meal with wine costs 12 000 L. Although you can find inexpensive premises in the historic center, they are more numerous beyond the river. Trattoria Ropeton in Piazza Cistema is particularly good, below the youth hostel (wt. close).
The other side of the Teatro Romano is perfect, although usually crowded, Osteria Fontanina, Via Madonna Terraglio. In the district of Veronetta, after Adyga going from San Fermo, is located on Circolo Perbacco, via Carducci 48 (Wed. close), specializing in fish and traditional dishes, to Captain Trihchetto, at Lungadige Porta Vittoria (pn. close), it prides itself on its risotto and crostini.
Bars
Two old bars, offering a selection of wines from all over Italy, to Bottega dei Vini przy vicolo Scudo di Francia, close to the northern end of via Mazzini (10.30-15.00 i 18.00-0.00; wt. close), i Osteria delle Vecete przy via Pellicciai, also close to Piazza delle Erbe (10.00-14.30 i 17.00-21.30; nd. close). The bars in Piazza Bra and Piazza delle Erbe are a bit more expensive, but it's worth spending a few more lira, to be able to look at pictures from city life.
Great views of the Ponte Pietra and Teatro Romano are from the Al Ponte garden on via Ponte Pietra (8.00-15.00 i 17.00-2.00; Wed. close) Almost untouched by the twentieth century fashion is the Osteria de Duomo bar, via Duomo 7a (7.00-20.00, pt. also from 21.00 late), where an enthusiastic folk band performs on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Nightlife fans should head to Corto Maltese on Lungadige Porta Vittoria (11.00-2.00; nd. close) and Campofiore in via Campofiore near the university (8.00-15.00 i 17.00-2.00; nd. close). The first place comes to life as the evening passes, and downstairs sometimes there are music bands, while the latter is popular with homosexuals and many heterosexuals - who are attracted by such a casual atmosphere, that even single women can enjoy a drink in peace.
Music, Theatre, movies and discos
Music and theater are the dominant forms of cultural life in Verona. In July and August, the Arena hosts an opera festival, often expensive performances by Aida, Rock stars also perform in the Arena: in recent years, Bob Dylan, among others, has appeared here, Sting, Tina Turner i Joe Cocker. (The ticket office is located in the arcade of the sixth Arena; tickets can only be booked by letter or in person.) The Italian Shakespeare Festival is at the heart of the Teatro Romano summer repertoire; plays by other playwrights are also on show, and additional attractions are frequent jazz festivals, blues and rock. Some theater events are free, others can be attended by sitting down on the stairs near the theater, although the acoustics are not the best there. Theater box office (045/594363) also sells Arena tickets and vice versa.
From October to May, films in English are shown every Wednesday at Cinema Stimate in Piazza Cittadella. The disco scene is much more lively here than in Venice, and the venues appear and disappear; Current addresses and opening hours can be checked in the local logbook ,,The Arena ". The program of one-off events can be found in the Spettacoli section of the journal (a copy of which is in every bar). You can also go to the tourist office to get a copy of Verona For You, although the dates and prices provided there are not always worth relying on.