Events, Verona

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Every year, in a weekend in the first half of may, there is this open-air event..... about food flavours!
Foods from most of the regions of Italy, oils, and a few wines are sold by open air stalls in the main squares of Verona (hence the name of the event).

You can find things you only heard about, and even foods you NEVER heard about, like the red olives from Sicily I tasted from the stall on pic #1-
Special breads from Puglie (Altamura), salamis of all kinds from Calabria and Umbria, cheeses from all over Italy, sweets (loved expecially the one from Sicily and Sardinia: the green looking cassata of the low right corner of pic #4 was to die for!)

And specialities from our areas, too.
There is also a "dining" space: free benches where you can eat the "primi" (mainly risotti) or meats you buy fresh at popular places, like in any country fair, and eat directly side by side of the roman Arena.

Place: Piazza Bra and/or Piaza Erbe

See the link below to know the exact dates for every year. Pictures come from the 2009 edition.

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Famous Italian painter and engraver Andrea Mantegna was born in 1431near Vicenza and died in 1506 in Mantova. Mantegna painted heroic figures, inspired by the works of Donatello and Roman antiquity. He started his education as a painter in Padova but than he was perssueded by Gonzaga, ruler of Mantova, to come there becoming a court painter. One of his most important and most famous works being decoration of the Camera degli Sposi of the Palazzo Ducale.
The exibition of his works, lasting until January 14th 2007, can be seen in Palazzo della Gran Guardia and it is a must see. Don't miss it if visiting Verona in this period.

Many people come to Verona for the opera season in summer (when it is essential to have advance bookings of accommodation!)

Not only the Opera itself holds performances but it also moves out to the old Roman Arena. This means that already in May, work starts inside the Arena to build a stage and set. A little disappointing if you've come especially for the Arena - then you'd better travel here at other times of the year. For me, it was fun to try to figure out what the set would look like 2005 with a huge "ball" on the stage...

The Roman amphitheatre Arena is the most renowned veronese monument. Today the Arena is set in the historical centre just at the end of Piazza Brà. Once upon a time, when the Romans built it up, the monument was located at the margins of the urban area, outside the circle of the walls. Through time it became the very symbol of the town The Arena has always served the special purpose of spectacular events (gladiators fightings during Romans age). Today the Arena hosts concerts and open-air works.

Open hours: 9.30-18.00
Holidays: 13.30-17.00
Closed: monda
Entrance: 1,50 euros

Piazza Brà

Here in this magnificent and ancient Roman arena they have operas every summer. You can see in the poster photo there are six scheduled for that year. I think they have been doing this for the last 80 years or so, so it probably will last. We were there unfortunately before the season for these performances - another reason to return. Wouldn't it be neat to see an opera in this setting? And I am not even an opera fan.

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It is much different watching opera performance in Opera House then here in Arena under the open sky. The stage in arena is huge and interiors have exeptional acustic. Besides, there are approx, 30000 visitors of the show.
The following performance is already in the final preparations, see the requisites in front of arena.

The most scenic opera to watch is, by all means, Aida by G. Verdi.
This what you see on the picture are the parts of requisits for opera AIDA, just in front of arena. While performing the opera, a lot of people stands outside of arena or seating in the nearby cafe-brs and listening to the music.

Nowadays, from 1913 in fact, the Arena is the regular setting for splendid operatic performances.
The Summer opera season in Arena is a must see event, at least for once in your life time. It starts at July and ends in August.
You don't need a fancy cloths to atendt the show.