Juliet’s House in Verona

Love has an undeniable power. There’s a strength in the emotion that is indefinable and seems endless.

It’s so strong that it can defeat logic, neutralise rational thought and influence decisions. In other words, it’s exactly what salespeople are looking for.

Enter stage left, Juliet’s House in Verona. The brainchild of an Italian marketer, it is a money-spinner that only love could make so successful.

There’s a simple formula to making a fortune in this instance.

1. Find one of history’s most enduring love stories. Romeo and Juliet – tick!
2. Identify the city in which it is set. Verona, Italy – tick!
3. Choose the most iconic location from this love story. Juliet’s balcony – tick!
4. Locate an old building that needs some patronage from tourists – tick!
5. Build a balcony – tick!
6. Call it Juliet’s House – tick!
7. Sit back and let the money roll in – disarm doors and cross-tick!

So… let’s just assume that this tourist attraction has nothing at all to do with the history of Shakespeare and his famous play (it doesn’t). Let’s say that the only connection is that it bears the name of one of the characters.

Is it still worth visiting Juliet’s House in Verona? Well, hundreds of people every day seem to think so.

Being lovestruck can make us do some crazy things, and there’s no greater example of this in literature than the story of Romeo and Juliet.

Letters to Juliet

There is absolutely no room to move in the courtyard at the House of Juliet. This isn’t even the height of summer but already it is full of tourists.

I’ve had to push my way through doting boyfriends, lovestruck girlfriends, indulgent husbands, and adoring wives.

It’s as though they’re trying to be obstructionist and they’ve singled me out (pun intended).

Some choose to pay the entrance fee to go inside the house itself, mainly so they can take photos of each other on the balcony. Others have just come for a look but get sucked in by the merchandise and the cafes and shops in the courtyard.

Regardless, there’s a lot of money changing hands at a landmark that has nothing to do with its name.

Juliet’s House in Verona is a monument to love. The artists: thousands of people over many years who have left their mark on the walls and anyone else they can scribble.

They’ve written names inside hearts, affixed locks to a gate, and even stuck their mutually-chewed gums on every possible surface. Almost every space that could be covered is covered.

Didn’t I say that love neutralises rational thought?

Still, I understand that Verona is a romantic place and I’m not a complete grinch, so let’s have a look at what you need to know to visit Juliet’s House.

Visiting Juliet’s House in Verona

While there are lots of things to do in Verona, Juliet’s House is one of the most popular. That means you’ll often face quite large crowds.

If you’re planning to visit Juliet’s House, the first important thing to know is that you need to buy tickets online in advance for a specific time slot – there are no ticket sales at the site.

You can do that on the official website, or you can get this fast-track entry with audio guide.

One way to save some money if you’re doing a lot of sightseeing in Verona is to buy the Verona Card here. It gives you free entry to more than a dozen sights (including Juliet’s House) plus other benefits.

But, even if you have the Verona Card, you still have to reserve a space online in advance, which you can do here.

Juliet’s House (known in Italian as Casa di Giulietta) is officially a museum and there are quite a few things in the collection about Romeo and Juliet, including paintings, sculptures, and costumes from films.

It is free to just walk in and look at the exterior from the courtyard (if you can handle the crowds) but the ticket is needed to go any further.

This includes entry to the popular balcony. Because it’s a small space, your time on the balcony is limited by the staff for safety reasons.

A lot of people will visit Juliet’s House as part of a day exploring the sights of Verona. I think you’ll get a lot more out of the city if you have a guide.

For a guided experience, there is this great Romeo and Juliet walking tour that includes the house but also a bunch of other places in the city.

Or there are some other tours here:

As well as the museum and the balcony, there’s also a bookshop at Juliet’s House, where you’ll be able to find plenty of different issues of Romeo and Juliet.

You can find more information at the museum’s official website.

There are quite a few other sights to see in this neighbourhood of Verona. Keep an eye out for the Monument to William Shakespeare, for instance.

There’s also the charming squares Piazza Santa Anastasia and Piazza delle Erbe, which are nice areas to relax.

You should be able to spot the impressive Torre dei Lamberti, an 84-metre-high tower, as well as the smaller (but also beautiful) Fountain of Madonna.

Of course, there are lots of places to eat (it is Italy, after all!). Here are a few good spots near Juliet’s House:

• La Taverna di Via Stella: A traditional restaurant that has the feeling of the city’s old wine cellars.
• Osteria al Duca: Said to be in the stables of Romeo’s old house (if you believe that?), it serves traditional regional food and has a good value set menu.
• Antica Bottega del Vino: At the more expensive end of the options, it is a mix between a wine bar and a restaurant and is considered one of the most prestigious places in the city

After visiting a site as romantic as Juliet’s House, any of these restaurants would be perfect for a romantic meal. Ah, the things we do for love.