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The Arena di Verona's pink arcades on Piazza Bra

Arena di Verona

Verona's first-century Roman amphitheatre on Piazza Bra, still one of the world's great open-air opera venues.

  • Verona
  • Monument
Plan your visit
Where
Verona
Best for
First-century amphitheatre
Allow
45 minutes
Best time
Daytime for the structure

Verona's Arena is a Roman amphitheatre from the first century CE, built of pink-and-white local stone on the edge of Piazza Bra for gladiators and public spectacles. The earthquake of 1117 brought down almost all of the outer ring, and the three surviving arches, called the ala, still stand as the monument's silhouette; the elliptical interior kept the tiered seating, restored across the centuries.

In 1913 it staged its first opera, Aida, for the centenary of Verdi's birth, and it has become one of the most atmospheric opera houses in the world. It sits within, and is not a separately inscribed part of, the UNESCO property City of Verona.

Three things worth finding

If you see nothing else, see these.

  1. The Ala

    The only fragment of the outer ring, in three storeys of arches. Seen from the piazza it shows what the whole building looked like.The surviving outer wall on the Piazza Bra side

  2. The upper tiers of the cavea

    Climb to the top for a view over the arena and the rooftops of Verona.Top of the stone seating

  3. The galleries and vomitoria

    Concentric vaulted corridors and entrance passages that show how the Romans moved crowds.Beneath the seating

Plan your visit

Booking
Check booking requirements
Time needed
45 minutes
Best time
Daytime for the structure; a summer opera evening for the full experience
Getting there
The Arena stands on Piazza Bra, reached on foot from Verona Porta Nuova station along Corso Porta Nuova, or by city buses. The centre is a limited-traffic zone, so leave the car in a garage outside it.
Accessibility
Partly accessible: the historic stonework and steps create barriers, but there is dedicated access for visitors with reduced mobility; contact the Arena in advance.

Sightseeing tickets are separate from opera and concert tickets. Reduced €9 for students and over-65s, €3 for EU citizens aged 18 to 25; under-18s free. On performance days the interior is closed to sightseers.

If you go for the opera, bring a cushion and take the unreserved stone steps rather than a numbered seat: it is the classic Verona experience, and the sound carries perfectly from up there.

Official website
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Good to know

How long should you spend at the Arena di Verona?

About 45 minutes for the walk around the arena, the galleries and the top of the cavea.

Is the Arena di Verona worth visiting?

Yes, and even more with an opera. Seeing a performance in a Roman amphitheater is one of the great Italian experiences.

Do you need to book the Arena di Verona?

For opera nights, yes, book ahead. For a daytime visit you can usually walk in, but buy a ticket online to skip the line in high season.

At Christmas

Combine the Arena district with a Christmas walk through Verona, keeping the monument visit distinct from the seasonal events nearby. Market venues and dates can change between editions. Use the Verona guide for the current context, and compare the separate Santa Lucia and nativity traditions before planning the rest of the day.

More to see nearby

Same city first, then the nearest across the region.

Sources and citations (2)
  1. Visitare l'Arena di Verona
  2. City of Verona

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