Schmap Verona Art & Entertainment

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Verona - Art & Entertainment
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Verona is a city which offers both its residents and visitors many forms of entertainment: from activities of a cultural nature, to more simple pleasures; from evocative operatic performances at the Arena, to drinking sessions in elegant bars in the historic city centre.

Theatre

As well as frequently attending the city's two cinemas (whose repertoires follow national ones, with no regional variations), the Veronese are also fervent theatre-goers, both in winter and summer.

The Arena—an ancient Roman amphitheatre—is the the scene of international performances during the opera, ballet and musical season which takes place every year.

During the same period, there are also performances in the Teatro Romano, and in winter, performances are put on at the Teatro Nuovo, which hosts well-known theatre companies putting on two different types of performance: light theatre (e.g. by Daniele Luttazzi, Enzo Iacchetti, Cochi and Renato), and performances with a slightly heavier subject matter. Some of the latest performances in this category have included those by Gianrico Tedeschi, Turi Ferro, Anna Proclemer and Glauco Mauri.

During the winter, the Philharmonic Theatre puts on magnificent symphonic concerts, operas and operettas as well as other performances with artists who are more used to performing in other fields e.g. the recent performance of Antonio Albanese in "Giù al Nord." The Teatro Estravagario specialises in cabaret (most recently hosting Paolo Rossi), dance performances (e.g. a tango company from Buenos Aires) and pop concerts. The Teatro Camploy is also host to cabaret and musical performances.

Cafés and Bars

Cafés and bars offer an alternative form of entertainment. There are many of these all over the city, but the most frequented ones tend to be in the historic city centre: the Caffè delle Erbe, (commonly known as the Mazzanti) is definitely one of the most popular spots, both due to its location (on the Piazza delle Erbe, by the ancient Roman forum) and due to the trendiness of its clientele who like nothing better than to sit outside in the summer sipping apperitifs with big groups of friends, listening to (occasionally live) music.

Nearby, there is also the Campidoglio (situated on the sight of the ancient Roman Campodoglio, or Capitol). This pretty café is situated in a small piazza which, weather permitting, has lots of visitors.

The Rivamancina, is also very popular - people come here for bassotti, beer and a variety of cocktails. Other good drinking holes are the Vecia Veronetta - a tavern which is open until 4am and the Mascheron, which is situated on the beautiful Piazza San Zeno. This place is packed to the rafters both in summer and in winter, but if you can't squeeze in, there's always the piazza!

The bar with the most beautiful view has got to be the Bar al Ponte, beside the Pietra bridge (the oldest in Verona) which has a delightful little terrace overlooking the Adige river and the Teatro Romano.

As you leave the city centre area, which is usually very lively and packed, especially at the weekends, you will find the Cà Lupa bar, where you can have a drink and a snack (and be as loud as you want—no one will mind!) and listen to music: Latin on Friday nights, Seventies, Eighties and Nineties with a DJ on Saturday nights and live music during the summer.

A rundown of Verona's bars and cafés could go on forever, so we will now move on to nightclubs. Indisputedly the most famous of these, is the Alter Ego, which is well-known for its music, the ones that have been around the longest are Berfi's and l'Excalibur - these are slightly more commercial, but still really good venues. Queen, in the city centre, is always packed at the weekend.

It should be noted that Lake Garda is only a half hour's drive away; the lake and its environs are a great place to while away the hours.

Copyright 1999-2005 Wcities, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Contact Wcities

Al Mascaron

Pub and bar with live music

Piazza San Zeno, 16
Verona 37123
Italy
+39 45 59 7081

Located in the scenic piazza overlooked by St. Zeno's basilica, this venue has indoor and outdoor seating, and live music on Wednesday evenings. After a quiet period, it has come back into vogue and is now busy from early evening until the small hours, serving wine, beer, cocktails and snacks.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Alter Ego Club

Great club Via Torricelle, 9
Verona 37128
Italy
+39 45 91 5130
http://www.alteregoclub.it The name is enough. Known all over Italy as well as through Europe, this is the hippest Veronese night club. Located in the Veronese hills, it has been on the cutting edge of music for years, with DJs like Dionigi or Noferini. It has a very diverse crowd, and is always very busy, especially on theme nights or very late. The venue is not huge and is divided into several rooms. The summer terrace is beautiful, where you can dance while overlooking a fantastic view of Verona. The bar staff deserve a mention for their ability to rustle up a whole range of cocktails. It is worth trying just to be able to say "I've been there".

Review © 2007, Wcities

Ca' Lupa

Almost a disco bar Via Torino, 2/4
Verona 37020
Italy
+39 45 60 2073 This bar is just outside Verona and its worth going to visit, there are no houses around so noise is not a problem! There are the traditional offerings you'd expect from a bierkeller, it has a good restaurant (delicious and economical) although there isn't a wide choice, the dishes that are on offer are very tasty. During the evenings, there are DJs offering different music on different nights: Latina on Friday, 80s, rock and Italian tunes. The music promotes a really lively atmosphere. This is a great place to visit in the summer because there are a series of tables outside. Live music is available during the summer.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Caffè delle Erbe

Renowned cocktail bar Piazza delle erbe, 32
Verona 37121
Italy
+39 45 59 1403 Although this bar is named "Caffé delle Erbe" everyone calls it "Mazzanti," after the old Medieval houses. This is a place beloved by the well-off, 20-30-somethings who have made the Piazza delle Erbe their stomping ground. At around 7p, you can expect to find quite a crowd, especially during the summer. Aperitifs and cocktails are house specialties—delicious appetizers and prestigious wines also appear on the list. In the summer, it is possible to listen to great live music (usually jazz).

Review © 2007, Wcities

Photo: Chiara Rigo

Excalibur

Restaurant and disco with live music Stradone Provolo, 24
Verona 37123
Italy
+39 45 59 7858 It is difficult to give an exact definition of this night-spot: it's a bar, a restaurant, a disco and a bar with live music. The Excalibur has livened up the nights in Verona for generations of young people and you can enjoy all the bar's rooms by paying the small entrance charge (free entrance ). As well as the excellent restaurant (with very reasonable prices) at set times you can listen to live music. In the room downstairs there is commercial music and music from the 70s and 80s. The place is fairly crowded until 12:30-1a, after that it begins to seriously fill up and there is a queue to get in. The bar's clientèle tend to be in their twenties.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Verona Arena

Temple of opera Piazza Bra
Verona 37121
Italy
+39 45 800 3204 The Arena, located outside the city walls, is a Roman amphitheatre built in the first half of the first century A.D. It is the third largest building of its type and is the most well preserved. It has been used to host games and battles, plays in the 12th century, jousting in the Middle Ages, and in 1913, it became the largest operatic theatre in the world. The acoustics and the sheer size of the place lend themselves well to grandiose operatic performances, amongst which the performance of Giuseppe Verdi's 'Aida' is particularly famous. The interior is open to the public.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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