Description
This Verona Arena guided tour starts at the head of the queue, so the 45 minutes go to the monument and not to waiting. A licensed guide leads you in, in English or Italian, through one of the best-preserved Roman amphitheatres anywhere.
The Arena stands on Piazza Bra, and the guide starts with its pink-tinged marble facade before you step inside the great oval. The guide describes the gladiator fights of the Roman world and the little-known details tucked into the stonework. The building dates from the 1st century AD, came through a 12th-century earthquake, and today is the city's favourite stage for opera, and the tour tells that story too.
The Arena is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the tour suits families; minors must be accompanied by an adult. It runs in rain or shine. Some parts are hard to reach for people with reduced mobility and wheelchair users, so ask the provider if you are unsure. Entrance tickets are issued in the visitors' names, which you send when booking, and your guide hands them out on the day.