Verona might be best known as the city of Romeo and Juliet, but LGBTQI+ travelers will quickly discover it’s not all star-crossed lovers and balcony selfies. This northern Italian gem mixes Shakespearean romance with a healthy dose of modern flair. By day, you can wander cobbled piazzas, sip spritzes along the Adige, and marvel at the Roman Arena that still hosts operas (with surprisingly good acoustics for a two-thousand-year-old venue).
By night, Verona’s gay scene may be smaller than Milan’s or Rome’s, but it’s welcoming—think friendly bars, seasonal events, and easy day trips to bigger nightlife hubs. Milan is not far away.
Pride Verona brings rainbow energy showing the city’s progressive side beneath its medieval façade.
Add in the proximity to Lake Garda, beloved by queer sunseekers, and you’ve got a destination where romance meets reality. Verona proves you don’t need a balcony to have a good story to tell.
