Verona-Stay all 3 days or do a day trip to Vicenza?

Our first visit to Verona, we had 2 nights and a full day to explore. That was enough, actually. We had tickets for the opera, sitting on the stones in the “cheap seats”. This was a fantastic experience in that setting. It’s too bad the opera season will be over when you are there. I checked for other events, like concerts, but see none scheduled. It is probably just too cold at night for this outdoor venue. But you can visit the arena, with or without a guide, and you should plan on that.

During our one day there we wandered the town (the main pedestrian shopping street Via Manzini is very attractive). And we went to the Museo Archalogico at the Roman theatre across the river ( not to be confused with the Roman arena). We liked this a lot. There was an old castle or tower in the walls we saw as well,but Imdo not remember the details.

https://www.italy-museum.com/venice/archaeological-museum-verona

You may well run out of things to see and do right in Verona, so yes, a daytrip to Vicenza would be a good choice. We have not been there yet, but I have put Vicenza on our itinerary for next June, on our way to the Dolomites. We are mainly interested in Palladio and his architecture, but the city itself looks very attractive as well.

Vicenza, Tammy!!!!!! I loved it.

The Teatro Olympic is fabulous: https://www.teatrolimpicovicenza.it/en/

And then it's got a lot of other Palladian architecture too: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/712/

We used Roberta Parlato for a little orientation walking tour and she was great: https://www.robertaparlato.com/home/

Exactly what I was hoping for! thank you Lola and Valerie! Vicenza it is!

Verona is a lovely, arty city that is worth exploring and has tons of restaurants and so is a great base to come back to. There is the Roman Arena and Theater - which includes the archeological museum housed partly in an old monastery - along with several interesting churches. The city itself is in the bend of the river and bridges cross it at regular intervals so it is a greta place to walk and explore. You like modern art check out the Palazzo Maffei Casa Museo which is a really interesting mix of old and new art. The rooftop view is pretty nice as well.
If you like Roman Ruins I would recommend the under mentioned Brescia which has some amazing ruins and a museum where the entire lower floor is in situ Roman walls and mosaics and it has a castle on the hill if you feel like it. (Unfortunately Veronas Roman underground has been closed for years.)

There is also Vicenza and Padua as easy day trips. I actually much preferred Brescia to Padua as a city but many people here would tell me I am crazy for thinking that.

Have a great trip,
=Tod

Thank you Tod, you have given me more things to look into as we also love ruins.

Thank you Tammy for asking this question as we are planning day trips from Verona in August. We were thinking about going to the opera (Carmen or Tosca) and happy to hear this was a good experience.

Has anyone traveled from Vincenza to Nove to look at the pottery places that sell to Williams Sonoma, etc.?
One place is La Ceramica VBC and their prices are supposed to be good and they ship. Thanks for all the expert advice!

If ruins are of interest then I recommend the Roman Arena and Theater/Museum in Verona. The museum is small but has Etruscan and Celtic stuff predating the Romans as well and the grounds are interesting. The wine cellar and private basement dining room of the very fancy hotel off Piazza Erbe is actually surrounded in Roman foundations but I only got into see them with a guide since they are too fancy a restaurant to have tourists just wandering through. If you're thinking of a tour ask if they can get you in there.

Things you'll probably run into is the Verona Vecchia which allows you to look down into an excavation from the current street level and, of course, the two remaining Roman gates around the city - Porto Borsi being the most complete and my favorite.
https://italianreflections.wordpress.com/2020/06/22/the-two-gateways-of-verona/

I've never been Verona used to have a photography museum housed entirely in an old Roman excavation but is has been closed for years during the renovations of the historical buildings above it. Hopefully it will reopen someday.

In Brescia be sure to visit Brixia - the Roman ruins with timed entry tickets to protect the ruins. So the first part are 2 separate timed, grouped 15 minute visits with "man trap" style entries to protect the contents. The tour info is good and guides are eager to talk so don't be afraid to ask questions.
https://www.bresciamusei.com/en/museums-and-venues/brixia-roman-archaeological-area/
https://artsandculture.google.com/story/ZgWBkAbuhqGqLg

Get the ticket that includes the Santa Giulia Museum and head over there afterwards. The museum is good and the building and layout are interesting but the real treasure is that the museum is built across old Roman baths and housing so the basement is full of in situ Roman mosaics and some of the museum walls are the actual Roman walls.
These sites are very much under advertised - the combo ticket is only 15e - and finally found one example picture of the basement.
https://visitsirmione.com/en/what-to-see/nearby/museums/santa-giulia-museum/

I guess because in Italy they are competing with Rome this isn't considered a big site but I found it amazing and for northern Italy is a really impressive Roman site. Brescia is interesting as well with connecting grand piazzas, churches and a fair amount of public art - look for the suspended rhinoceros - and a castle on top of the hill to visit if you have any energy left. For the "best of Brescia" I would get on the metro at the train station and take it one stop Vittoria and get off there to start exploring. I forgot to do and otherwise you jut walk through many blocks of modern, work-a-day Italy that is of little interest to tourists and you'll get plenty of walking otherwise. Check out Piazza del Mercato just behind from Vittoria station which leads into Piazza della Vittoria and to Piazza della Loggia and the onto Piazza Paulo VI all as you work you way to the Brixia site.

Hope that helps, have a great trip,
=Tod