Arena of Verona

Why choose this tour

This is a special guided tour of the Amphitheatre of Verona, an extraordinary well-preserved Roman monument.
The Amphitheatre of Verona is the third largest amphitheatre in Italy, after the Colosseum in Rome and the Amphitheatre of Capua. It is the best preserved amphitheatre in the world.
The tour is divided into three main sections, each dealing with a different aspect of the Arena. The sections include an exterior description of the building, an interior exploration of the materials and techniques used in its construction, and a visit to the cavea, the area where spectators once gathered to watch performances.
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Details

The Arena of Verona was built outside the city walls in the first half of the 1st century A.D. and could hold up to 30,000 spectators to watch gladiatorial duels, hunts and executions. Since the Middle Ages, the Verona Amphitheatre has hosted tournaments, jousting, carousels, sports competitions, theatre performances, etc.
The interior is very well preserved and features a wide, concentric staircase supported by a triple ring of galleries.
Parts of the building
The elliptical building originally had four rings and three galleries. The outer ring was made entirely of stone. Today only a part of the outer ring remains, made up of four arches. The Veronese call this part of the ring ‘Ala’. Today the capacity is reduced to about 22,000 spectators. In addition to the cavea, the podium and the arena, the ambulatories and corridors are also of great archaeological interest.
The supporting structures are made of concrete, pietrami and Veronese stone. The exterior is made of pink Veronese stone. Verona’s amphitheatre is one of the largest and certainly the best preserved in the world.
Use of the Arena today
Since 1913, it has hosted a summer opera season with a programme of around fifty operas every summer. Aida was the first opera to be performed and is still on the programme every year. In recent years there have also been evenings of the historic 1913 edition. In addition to operas, the Arena Stage also offers modern concerts. Book your private tour!