Verona
 

Wondering if we should squeeze in a stop in Verona? Your thoughts if it is a must ... Our flights are in/out in Milan. We already have plans to be in Geneva, Zermatt, and Lake Como. We have been to Venice and other popular cities of Italy in the past. Thanks.

Spend the extra day on the Lakes.

Thank you!

Are you an opera fan? Shakespeare?

+1

If it's just a single day, pick your favorite place and add a day there. With travel and all, I wouldn't add a side trip.

An opera fan should go to Verona? To sit in a huge amphitheatre with hordes of tourists to watch pompous productions? I would personally never go there. As for Shakespeare, was he ever there?

"Squeezing in" extra cities is almost always a bad idea. The more you rush around trying to look at different sites, the less you'll get to see.

You could do worse. I saw a Rigoletto there a couple of years ago with Leo Nucci that was outstanding. It effectively washed away the fowl taste of the Met's ugly Las Vegas Rigoletto I had seen a few months earlier. I would go again (and my wife and I have seen and see a lot of opera).

I was informed the opera is to be seen there. I'm a musical and ballet fan n so so for Opera. We would be there on August 22nd but didn't obviously see a performance. We'll skip this. Thanks.

The opera in the Verona arena is much more about "spectacle" than for serious fans of opera as music drama; casting is very uneven, for every international star like Leo Nucci, you'll have three unknown Eastern European or provincial Italians of dubious vocal quality.

Also, the slightest drop of rain will stop the performance (understandable to protect the orchestra's instruments), but the result is often hours-long delays if not outright cancellation.

The arena itself is worth a look if you are passing through the city.

I think I agree that we don't have time. Where ever I visited, I don't want to feel that I need to revisit again other than optional.

I appreciate the art and performance of opera but I normally not be able to follow its story which is a disadvantage and not as enjoyable. Having said that, it was cool to watch an opera in Venice in a small room about 20-30 audiences; this was 17 years ago.