Verona

Verona's twelfth-century cathedral replaces an earlier church destroyed by an earthquake. Although Romanesque in appearance outside, the cathedral's magnificent interior was remodelled in the Gothic style between the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries and is notable for its superb frescoes and sculptures and for the exposed foundations of the original eighth-century church.

Begun in the twelfth-century this eighty-four metre high tower lost its uppermost section when struck by lightning in 1403, only achieving full restoration in 1464. It was converted to a clock tower in the eighteenth century and today visitors can ascend the tower (by stairs or a lift) to obtain panoramic views over the city.

This stunning terracotta-coloured fourteenth-century castle stands on the bank of the Adige and houses Verona's Art Museum which features an outstanding collection of medieval and Renaissance-period artworks including paintings, ceramics, frescoes and sculptures.

One of Italy's most historic public squares, Piazza delle Erbe was the site of Verona's Roman forum and is surrounded by beautiful buildings dating from the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Today visitors can dine or relax with a drink in one of the Piazza's many cafes or wander the ever-present market that is now held here.