Verona

Julie, Your Itinerary looks very reasonable, however I'd suggest leaving Rome a bit earlier in order to get settled in your hotel and do a brief "walkabout" before dinner. Some locations to consider are Piazza Bra, the Roman Amphitheatre, Piazza Erbe or perhaps the "Romeo & Juliet" balcony. You might consider a departure from Rome at 10:45, as that should give you time to have a nice leisurely breakfast in Rome and get to Verona by 15:00. Your destination station will be Verona Porta Nuova, which is not far from Piazza Bra. You could walk but at this time of year, I'd suggest either a Taxi or the Bus. The Buses are very easy, and there are frequent departures. As you've probably noticed, EasyJet does not have flights on the Monday or Wednesday. The price is currently at €34.49, so I'd suggest booking SOON before prices start to increase. Many of the budget airlines use a "sliding scale", with the seat prices increasing as the plane fills up. Be sure to read their "Terms & Conditions carefully, especially related to to baggage limits. If your checked luggage will be over the allowable weight limit, it's cheaper to pay the extra charges at the time of booking rather than at the gate. Happy travels!

Julie, One other suggestion for lunch on the train from Rome to Verona. You could also buy a Panino or whatever at Roma Termini prior to departure, as the selektion will be better than on the train, and it will probably be fresher. You could also buy a soft drink to go with it (or even a Big Mac if you desire). If you want coffee on the train, you'll have to tolerate the overpriced "instant", as that's all that seems to be available. The Steward will run the food cart up and down the cars a few times, so you'll have ample opportunity to buy refreshments. I find it difficult to visit the restaurant car when travelling solo, as I don't want to leave my luggage unattended and don't want to haul the entire kit with me. Cheers!

Julie, I agree with arriving in Verona a little earlier. I'd skip the Juliet balcony. There's a great castle/museum (Castelvecchio) with views of the river and parts of town from the ramparts. San Zeno church is beautiful and worth a visit.

We loved Verona, as did our daughters. The airport there makes it a good option for you. I agree with the above comments about leaving Rome earlier so you can arrive in Verona earlier, maybe even during daylight. When we traveled around Italy that trip, I found an 11:00 am train, or close, made the most sense for checking out of our hotel and travel to the next point. We would buy panini or other food for lunch on the train.

I agree with all of the above to maximize your time in Verona. When you arrive at the train station check into the Verona Pass to see if it makes sense for you. It covers admission to a lot of things, and will also cover the bus.

Julie, Hotel Torcolo is in a great location and we would definitely stay there again. While it is possible to walk from the train station to the hotel, take a cab! It was a very reasonable fare last time we were there. The rest of the city is very walkable. "The Balcony" is very close to Piazza Erbe and is worth about two minutes so you can at least say you were there. Just across the river is a old roman theater and museum you might want to check out. My other half used to live there and we have been back a couple of times. Let us know if you need specific info.
TC

And keep in mind that you'll be there when the days are at their shortest, so factor that in. BTW, Verona is one of our favorite cities in Italy. We're going back in May to spend five nights. Here are some photos I took there, in case you're interested. Do be sure to read the captions. Verona in May 2011 Happy travels.

I Love Verona. Zoe's ideas are great. The Roman Theatre is also worth a visit, best on a sunny day in the late afternoon sun.

Hi Julie,
Verona is one of my favourite cities. We go every year in the summer for a couple of weeks (we like going to the opera at the Arena). It's easy to walk around and is a relaxed city. If you're only there for a day, I'd agree about Juliet's balcony and forget the tomb as well. If you like art, Castelvecchio museum has some fabulous work by some major Old Masters. I have lots of photos on my blog at www.maggiesmagicpantry.blogspot.com.

I flew from Verona to Paris a couple of years ago (Air France though). The airport in Verona is tiny and not far from the city center so I don't see any problems with your plan. This trip I was only there one night too. Not ideal, but I would consider the same in your situation. I had more fun in Verona after most of the sites closed and then hit the rest the next morning before leaving for Paris. Have a good time!

Thank you so much everyone! I did purchase my Verona to Paris air, as Ken suggested. And I did book a room at the Hotel Torcolo. The only thing left to do is purchase the train ticket, and yes, there is an earlier one, at 11:45 that we will take to arrive in Verona at 3:30.