Although Verona's cathedral is less interesting than San Zeno Maggiore it still merits a visit. Construction begun in the 12th century but was not completed until the 17th century. A blend of Romanesque and Gothic, its façade contains (lower level) 12th-century sculptured reliefs by Nicolaus depicting scenes of Roland and Oliver, two of the legendary dozen knights attending Charlemagne. In the left aisle (1st chapel) is Titian's Assumption, the stellar work of the Duomo. The other major work is the rood screen in front of the presbytery, with Ionic pillars, designed by Samicheli.

There's no evidence that any family named Capulet lived here. But that hasn't stopped millions of visitors from flocking to this contrived sight. People see the small home, with its balcony and courtyard, and immediately imagine Romeo saying, “But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun!”

The house was acquired by the city in 1905. Many locals believe that in the 19th century it was a bordello. You'll notice that the right breast on a bronze statue of Juliet is much more brightly polished than the left. That's the result of a tradition (having nothing to do with Shakespeare) that calls for visitors to rub this breast as they pass.

So where did the one and only love of Juliet's live?

At the so-called Romeo's House (Casi di Romeo), Via Arche Scaligeri 2, which said to have been the home of the Montecchi family, who were the model for Shakespeare's Montagues. It isn’t a tourist destination but has been turned into a very good, atmospheric, and affordable restaurant called the Osteria dal Duca.

The so-called Juliet's tomb is sheltered in a Franciscan monastery, which you enter on Via Luigi da Porto, off Via del Pontiere. “A grave? O, no, a lantern . . . For here lies Juliet, and her beauty makes this vault a feasting presence full of light.” Don't you believe it! Still, the cloisters, near the Adige River, are graceful. Adjoining the tomb is a museum of frescoes, dedicated to G. B. Cavalcaselle.

The Teatro Romano, built in the 1st century A.D., now stands in ruins at the foot of St. Peter's Hill. For nearly a quarter of a century, a Shakespearean festival has been staged here in July and August; of course, a unique theatergoing experience is to see Romeo and Juliet or Two Gentlemen of Verona in this setting. The theater is across the Adige River (take the Ponte di Pietra). After seeing the remains of the theater, you can take a rickety elevator to the 10th-century Santi Siro e Libera church towering over it. In the cloister of St. Jerome is the Archaeological Museum, with interesting mosaics and Etruscan bronzes.

This 11th-century Romanesque church forms the foundation of the 14th-century Gothic building surmounting it. Through time, both the Benedictines and the Franciscans have used it. The interior is unusual, with a single nave and a splendid roof constructed of wood and exquisitely paneled. The most important work inside is Pisanello's frescoed Annunciation, to the left of the main entrance (at the Brenzoni tomb). Delicate and graceful, the work reveals the artist's keen eye for architectural detail and his bizarre animals.