Sunset, Romance and the Pride of the Curva: Matchday in Verona

Roman ruins, Spritz in your hand and the Adige river tracing a slow curve through the old town… Verona is one the best cities in Italy for a weekend away. 

For the calcio crowd, it is also home to one of the country’s oldest clubs, founded in 1903 by students at the Liceo Classico Scipione Maffei on the suggestion of their Greek teacher, hence the name Hellas (the ancient word for Greece) Verona.

Matchday at the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi means yellow and blue scarves, the loud Curva Sud, and from the start of 2026-27, Serie B once again.

Start the day at… Caffè Wallner 

A few steps from Piazza Bra and the Arena, Pasticceria Caffè Wallner is a small jewel. Open from early morning through aperitivo time, it covers the whole arc of the day, and on matchday it shines as a first stop: order a cappuccino, grab something from the pastry counter and ease into Verona well before kick-off. 

Explore… Castel San Pietro and Casa di Giulietta 

If you have time, head up to Castel San Pietrofor the postcard view of Verona. Cross Ponte Pietra, the Roman bridge over the Adige, rebuilt brick by brick after World War II, and either climb the steps or take the funicular up the hill. Re Teodorico, a famous restaurant on the piazzale, is the perfect spot for a spritz. 

For something quicker and central, the Museum of Casa di Giulietta on Via Cappello is the city’s most famous address. The Juliet balcony was assembled in 1940 from 14th-century marble fragments, and when you go, rub the bronze statue as legend has it that it brings good luck in love. 

Go and see… the Arena di Verona 

Down in Piazza Bra stands the Arena, the city’s beating heart. Built in the 1st century AD it predates the Colosseum and is still in use, hosting world-famous opera nights all summer and drawing crowds from across Europe. Even out of season, a walk around the pink marble arches shows you why this is a UNESCO site. It was used for the closing ceremony of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games.

Grab food at… Casa Perbellini or Trattoria alla Colonna 

If you are feeling fancy, Casa Perbellini is the Michelin-starred restaurant run by Giancarlo Perbellini, and the tasting-menu experience is worth the splurge. For something simpler, head to Trattoria alla Colonna on Largo Pescheria Vecchia, a no-frills spot where the cotoletta is the order of the day.

Get the pre-match buzz at… Nilla Caffè and Bar Hellas 

Closer to kick-off, the temperature rises. You can see the stadium from Nilla Cafe and this is where tifosi gather for a beer, a coffee or a quick panino before heading to the Bentegodi. For something more passionate, Bar Hellas is a stone’s throw from the ground, on the other side: a coffee shop in the club’s yellow and blue, photos of past glories on the walls and regulars topping up on big-game mornings. Noise builds as kick-off approaches. 

Celebrate victory at… the Lungadige in the university zone 

After the final whistle, head back to the river. The Lungadige (street that runs alon the Adige) around the university quarter buzzes after dark, with bars spilling onto the embankment and students mixing with locals. The perfect place to toast a Hellas win or drown the sorrows after a defeat.