Festa della Liberazione

As we drove west from Asolo this morning, we (Brad) noticed that all the factories had no cars is the lots.

When we got to Verona there were hundreds of Italians in the streets. It was a madhouse here and we couldn’t figure out why until we asked our waiter — I had totally forgotten that April 25 is a national holiday here. Wow! They take it seriously.

First of all, the sun finally showed itself this morning – glorious!

Our drive was not without a large traffic jam and a re routing, but we made it to Verona by noon. We got into the city center and couldn’t find the hotel, and this is why – here’s the entrance:

I got queasy – what had I done?? Then this:

The kids are alright. Thank you Giulio for the recommendation!

Overlooking the castle, we have a prime spot and a luxurious room in this most beautiful city. We are still in the Veneto region (thought we had left for Lombardia), but it feels different. It almost feels a bit Swiss. Elegant piazzas, hundreds of little streets with tumbling greenery and magnificent doors, palazzos converted into condos, but still looking regal, just an elegance about the place. The River Adige runs around the city and its walkways are lined with linden trees. There is a sophistication about the city. This feels like a city I could live in – it has a manageable scale and a bit of everything.

There is an ancient coliseum-like arena in the center of town where operas are performed, a number of amazing churches and public buildings and of course, Juliet’s balcony. There was too much to take in, and I got tired of taking photos and just drank it all in. Here are a few:

And then there was lunch. By far the best pasta we have ever eaten with superior wine. 4 Cuochi is a must in Verona.

Nothing makes me happier.

A good long walk and an afternoon nap got us to 7:00 PM. Time to step out for an aperitivo. The city was bathed in light, what my friend, Amanda, calls magic hour.

It was just so otherworldly. There’s a large wall that surrounds the town and everyone was eating at the outdoor cafes, and the young kids were traveling in beautiful packs, and we were surrounded by magic.

The restaurants were heaving, so we got off the main thoroughfare and found this little gem.

There was no room for us, but it was such a special place tucked into an alley.

We walked a bit more and ambled up to the restaurant in our hotel called Locanda Castelvecchio. It’s a very old building that used to be a Salumeria. It has been a restaurant for 44 years and serves a traditional Veronese specialty of roasted meats and boiled vegetables. I know, doesn’t sound great, but so delicious!

So there was veal breast, roasted beef, steamed ham, tongue brisket, steamed tongue, roasted pork, boiled neck, and cotechino. Boiled onions, carrots and fennel as well as parsley sauce, apple mostarda with pomegranate, and a pepper bread sauce. Of course I tried it all. Everything was expertly done and bursting with flavor, but the cotechino was other worldly. Brad opted for fresh pasta with a trio of sauces he concocted on his own.

Then there was a dessert trolley with a pandoro bread pudding, zuppa inglese, tiramisù, gelato and chocolate sauce, two kinds of candied cherries and crème anglaise. We passed on all of that – the meal was totally filling, but it was a great show to watch them prepare the desserts.

A guest we met at the hotel ambled in and she joined us for an amaro. We talked and laughed until 11:00.

We’re snuggled back in our lovely room wishing we had more days in Verona. I could live here for sure – it’s nice to dream.