Arena, Verona

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On this daytime photo you can see the various seating categories in the Arena. I have heard and read various estimates of how many tickets they put on sale for each performance, with 14,000 being the lowest estimate.

The most expensive seats look white in the photo because they are protected during the day by heavy white plastic covers. These are the "Poltronissime" seats or first sector stalls, now subdivided into "Poltronissime GOLD" at EUR 198 per seat and normal "Poltronissime" at EUR 168. (These are the Friday and Saturday prices. On other days they cost a bit less.)

The red seats are the "Poltrone" or 2nd sector stalls, which cost EUR 127 on Fridays and Saturdays.

The grey seats on the lower half of the steps are the "poltroncina numerata di gradinata" or numbered seats on the steps, which cost EUR 104 in the middle sections and EUR 84 on the sides.

The prices have not changed since 2009.

Second photo: Here's what these grey numbered seats on the steps look like. They aren't padded, so you might want to rent a cushion, but at least they have a back rest and they are reserved.

Third photo: The top sections are the "Gradinata" or unreserved stone steps. On Fridays and Saturdays these cost EUR 27.50 for the middle sections D and E, EUR 23.00 for the side sections C and F. The far-forward sections B and G used to cost EUR 12.00, but they are no longer listed in the 2009 price list.

Fourth photo: The section under the Ala is section E. For some sections you can get a reduced rate if you are under 26 or over 60 years old, but you can only buy these discounted tickets in person, not online.

Brilliant experience and I think a must do! The arena in Verona is still used for performances and there is nothing better than pre show drink on one of the piazzas and then a trip to the arena. This year they're running Aida and la Boheme and much more!

The cheapest seats are about 18€ for a weekday performance, rising to 180+€ for a gold stall seat.

The website is very usable, in English

Built by the Romans in the 1st century AD, this stadium played host to gladiators and wild animals. The Arena held around 30,000 spectators and had four main entrances, corresponding to its two axes.
The façade, of which there is still a small section, was entirely built in large blocks of white and pink limestone from nearby Valpolicella. In the Middle Ages, stones from the Arena were taken for use on other buildings. Later, it resumed its role as a site for shows and events: a role it continues to play today for the annual summer opera season, which began in 1913.
Today, the building is used above all for the opera and concerts.

Admission: EUR4

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The Arena Di Verona, built in the first century AD, is one of the best conserved Roman amphitheaters. Surprisingly, it's not just an old crumbing building. It is still used today for Opera performances and modern music concerts. Opera season is between June and September.

Walking through the ancient corridors you are overwhelmed by the sheer size of the structure. With 44 levels, the arena has a current capacity of about 15,000 patrons. In its prime it had a capacity of 20,000. The stone seats definitely require a little padding, but it is truly a wonderful venue.

Tours are available when the arena is not in use.

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Verona's Roman Arena dates back to year 30 A.D. It is the third biggest Roman amphitheatre remaining in the world, and one of the best preserved. In the days of the Roman empire, up to 30,000 people would travel to Verona to watch gladiators fight against ferocious beasts during the Roman games; circus acts and plays would also be staged. In 1913, Verdi's "Aida" was performed at the arena to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the famous Italian composer's birth. The amphitheatre's acoustics turned out to be so good, it gave the Arena a new vocation as one of the world's most famous opera stages. Up to 15,000 people can attend the Arena's spectacular performances - some pop and rock concerts have also taken place there. Unfortunately, we missed the opening of the opera season by just a couple days, but as the Verona Card gave us access to the Arena we were at least able to go inside. People were busy getting things ready for the upcoming performance, and it was easy to imagine what a feast it must be to attend one of the shows, whether you like opera or not. However, visiting the Arena is just like visiting any other amphitheatre in the sense that while you're free to walk around and take all the pictures you want, there is no historical information available for visitors. It would have been nice if a bit more emphasis had been placed on the history of the Arena...

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We went to see the opera Tosca by Puccini in June at the Arena. It was a great atmosphere with lots of folks meeting and intermingling outside. Inside the floor of the arena was adorned with a red carpet and red seats.

We sat up high on the cement bleachers, and watched as people entered below into their seats. The production of Tosca was no small task.

As the sun set you could see the outline of the arches above the arena in the night sky. Candles were lit by the crowd.

The performance was magnificent, and was one of the more memorable parts of our trip. If planning on going, you can order online and we picked the tickets up at the office adjacent to the Arena when we arrived in Verona.

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The Romans built this arena, or amphitheatre, in the first century AD. It was used for gladiator fights, jousts, tournaments, and markets. Able to seat 20,000, it was damaged in the earthquake of 1117. While parts of it have been restored, it is considerably smaller than it was originally.

Today, it's open to the pubic, and used for theatrical and musical performances. This is the most impressive Roman structure left in Verona. Surrounding the Arena is the Piazza Bra, one of Verona's largest public squares.

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The so called "Arena" is one of the best originally preserved roman amphitheaters in the world.
The roman amphitheater wasn't intended by the romans for the use we now consider normal for a theater (they of course at theaters, but they were in the greek fashion semicircular structures).
Amphitheaters are called that way cause they resemble an all-round theater, but they were meant for games, sometimes event cruent ones.
But in 1913 a tenor tried to sing there and thought.... hey, it would work for operas!
Since then an open-air opera festival is kept every summer, starting with late june and ending on august 31st.
Actually, the Arena festival brings more people to "taste" the opera than every other theater in the world. An opera there is an happening by itself.
Don't miss it, if you can.
The acoustic is amazing: you hear every singer from its own voice.

The are different kind of seats: from the most expensive poltrone to the gradinate (steps) both numbered and "free".
La latter are the cheapest, but my advice, if you can spend a little more, is to go for the POLTRONCINE NUMERATE DI GRAD(inata): you see and hear better than the lower seats, but you have the reserved seat and so no need to queue for hours to catch a decent place.