Verona on a Budget

Verona is one of Italy’s most romantic cities, but it doesn’t have to break the bank. With low-cost airlines like Ryanair or Easyjet offering regular, affordable flights, it’s super easy to visit Verona on a budget.

In this post, I’m going to be realistic about how to explore Verona on a budget, but I’m also going to be realistic about it. You’re not going to find any links to hostels that save you a few euro but have you an hour away from anything you actually want to see, nor am I going to tell you to skip an Aperol spritz in the sun. I’m cheap, not sadistic.

What I will tell you, as someone who’s spent a fair bit of time in Verona, is where you can cut back on costs, and where the spend makes sense. It’ll give you an idea of how to do Verona on a budget, and you can use this to decide what works for your own travel plans.

Where to Stay

I’ve written about the different neighbourhoods of Verona in another post, with some of my best recommendations for each. If it’s not your first time in the city, or you want to explore different neighbourhoods, do check it out.

However, even on a budget, if you’re visiting Verona for the first time, I do recommend you stay in the Centro Storico. It’s the heart of Verona, and walking distance to the main sights of the city.

Even though it’s naturally going to be more expensive than some of the other neighbourhoods of the city, this is one of those things that I don’t recommend skimping on. What you spend in accommodation costs, you can save on transport and time.

If you’re doing Verona on a budget, however, I recommend booking an apartment or self catering rental rather than a hotel. I’ll talk more about this in the next section, but having the ability to cook some of your own meals really helps pare back costs.

Accommodation Recommendations

I’ve spent many hours scouring the internet for my own Verona stays, and while prices vary at different times of the year, if you find something under €150 a night in Centro Storico, you’re doing well.

Each of these are within that range at the time I searched, and each one has a kitchen:

• Central Loft Verona
  • A 1 bedroom apartment, 7 minute walk from the Verona Arena, with separate living room/kitchen and bedroom areas. Ideal for couples or friends who like their own space or sleep at different times.
• 2 Bedroom Loft Apartment
  • One of the cheapest I’ve seen at the time of writing (€230 for two nights), with two bedrooms. One bedroom has twin beds, the other a double bed. Ideal for friends travelling together or a family. About a 14 minute walk from Piazza Bra, and pretty close to one of the best focaccia places in town.
• Borsari Room
  • One bedroom modern apartment, a 3 minute walk from Piazza Bra, and about 5 minutes from Juliet’s Balcony. The building has a spa and gym that guests may use.
• Fama Loft
  • One bedroom loft apartment, with an elevator. About an 8 minute walk from Piazza Bra, and a view out over the rooftops of Verona.
• Residenza Montalti
  • A very cool, classically styled apartment very close to Piazza delle Erbe. The listing says it technically can sleep 4, but the bedroom has an open space into the living room, so it’s definitely one for a couple on their own or a group of friends.

Tourist Tax: The Hidden Charge

In Italian cities, there is a mandatory tourist charge that the hosts must charge guests. In Verona, this is €3.50 per person per day, and it’s not included in the cost of your stay. Usually, hosts will send you a link or payment request the day before/day of your stay, while others will ask you to leave cash behind in the apartment. This isn’t a scam or a trap, but be prepared to factor that into your budget for your Verona stay.

What to Eat

If you’re doing Verona on a budget, especially if it’s a tight budget, my best advice is to do some meal planning upfront.

I know some of you might be thinking “Laura, I didn’t go on holiday to wash dishes”. And I hear you. But mate, you’re reading a blog post about Verona on a budget, I’m not about to whip out the Michelin Guide.

One of the best parts of travel is getting to explore the local cuisine, especially in Italy, so I’m not going to tell you to live on rice crackers and sunshine for a weekend. I’ve found what works for me is somewhere in the middle: I pick one or two places to go for dinner over the weekend, and then cook everything else.

The Supermarket Strategy

Going back to the ‘upfront planning’ advice. It’s way too easy to lose the run of yourself in a foreign supermarket. I unfortunately suffer from a curse that means a Bulgarian man follows me around the shop, adding chocolate and biscuits to my basket at regular intervals, only to act shocked when his bounty adds up to the GDP of a small nation.

If you’re a basket-stuffer like my husband, here’s some tips to get around that:

• Check out your kitchen situation first.
  • There’s no point in buying frozen pizza if you don’t have an oven, and you can’t cook pasta if there aren’t any pots. Figure out what you’re working with.
• Check whether the hosts have left any basics behind.
  • If you’ve been blessed with olive oil and salt, saves you having to buy any.
• Think about how many meals you need to make, and what meals they are.
  • Eg. If you’re staying for a weekend, but eating out once, you’re probably looking at two breakfasts, two lunches, one dinner.
• Think about a couple of simple meals you can make, and what you can have as leftovers.
  • For example, I know a standard bag of pasta has about 6 portions in it. If I buy a couple of packs of vegan mince/chicken/some other protein, plus a jar or two of sauce: that’s dinner tonight, and lunch for the rest of the weekend for me and my Bulgarian.
• Think about where you’re going to have your meals:
  • Are you eating in the apartment, or do you need something that’s easy to carry out with you?
  • If you’re going to make sandwiches, does the apartment already have clingfilm or tinfoil you can use to wrap them, or do you need to buy that too?

It’s a bit of work now that means you can just blitz through the supermarket later, and not really have to think about meals the rest of the weekend. If you plan for food you can make in bulk, you cut down on waste and save money too.

Cheap Meals to Make in an Apartment Rental

If you’re stumped for ideas, here are some easy and cheap meals you can make with food that’s easily found in Italian supermarkets:

• Pasta + Protein + Sauce.
  • Eg. Penne with vegan mince/chicken and pesto or tomato sauce.
• Stir Fry
  • Get some rice, some protein, and a mix of veggies like mangetout, onion, cabbage. You can buy a pack of pre-made sauce, or keep it simple with soy sauce and some five spice.
• Salad
  • Italian vegetables are absolutely god-tier. Their tomatoes actually taste like sunshine, and their veggies are much cheaper than we can get back in the UK. And I’m not even going to get started on the state of American produce pricing (I see you, $9 melon in Florida). Bulk it up with some protein of your choice, nuts, and seeds, and you’ve got a pretty good meal.
• Sandwiches
  • The easiest thing to make. Go to the bakery section of the supermarket – the bread is made fresh daily, and you can pick up lettuce, deli spreads, sliced meats and cheese for a good price too.
• Frozen pizzas
  • Yeah, I get the irony of tucking into a Dr. Oetker when you’re metres away from the real deal, but it’s cheap and easy and requires 0 effort.

Where to Shop

If you’re shopping in Verona on a budget, there are plenty of supermarkets and mini-marts around the city. The well known supermarkets are usually cheaper than the small corner shops. Have a look on Google maps to see what’s around your accommodation, but these are some central spots that have a wide selection. I’m vegan, and I’ve found each of these have plenty of options for me. If you don’t have any dietary requirements, you’ll find it even easier:

• Aldi: A couple of minutes walk away from Piazza Bra. Decent bakery section, all the usual staples you’d expect, very cheap wine.
• Pam: You’ll find smaller “Pam Locals” around the city, but this one is the “hypermarket” version. It’s the type of place you could do your weekly shop. This one is my fave.
• Tuday Conad: There are a few Conad shops around the city. This particular one is a decent size, and in true Italian style, it’s in a building that’s far too fancy to be a supermarket.

Tip for Italian Supermarkets:

In Europe, we bring our own bags to the supermarket. If you don’t have one, you can buy one in store, usually for around €1.

You also need to weigh your own fruit and veg before you get to the till. You’ll see little plastic bags around the produce section. Bag the produce separately (as in onions with onions, apples with apples), and weigh them on the weighing scale nearby. I’ve made this mistake before, and had to do the walk of shame back to the scale to get a sticker with a barcode.

You can pay with card or cash in each of the supermarkets I’ve mentioned. Most also have self-scan tills where you can switch the language to English.

The Cost of Groceries

Everyone’s bill is going to be different, but to give you an idea of spend: On my most recent trip to Verona, last month, my husband and I spent about €50 in the supermarket. This covered two breakfasts, two lunches, and one dinner for two people.

We bought things like pasta, sauce, vegan burgers, tofu, sandwich fillings, bread, a bottle of wine, olive oil, Coke Zero for me, and enough biscuits to feed an Irish wake for my husband.

Can you do it cheaper? Most likely, especially if you plan it out! But when you consider that this was essentially 10 meals, you’re looking at €5 a meal, which is a fraction of what you’d have paid in a restaurant.

What to Do

Okay, you’re fed, you’re rested, and now you actually need to get out and see the city. This is the part where the prices can fluctuate wildly. If you need ideas of things to do, I’ve covered 24 Hours in Verona, which hits up all the main sights.

In the Centro Storico

If you’re on your first visit to Verona, and you want to go to all the main sights, buy the Verona Card. If you’re only staying for the weekend, get the 24 hour card for €27, you don’t need the 48-hour one. It’s valid from the first use, so if you enter Juliet’s House at 1pm on a Saturday, you can still wander into the Arena at 11am the next morning.

The Verona Card covers the main attractions, including:

• Juliet’s House
• The Arena
• Archeological Museum at the Roman Theatre
• Castelvecchio Museum
• Natural History Museum
• Verona Cathedral

If you visit even three of the places the card covers, you’ll have saved money. It also includes transport around the city, so if you’re getting buses from A to B, you can use your card for this.

Walking Tours

Don’t sleep on walking tours either. They’re a really affordable way to see the city on foot, with a local guide who knows all the history and stories to tell you. This is one of the cheapest in Verona, at €19.

Free Things to do in Verona

Even though many of the main attractions have an entrance fee, there’s plenty you can do for free too.

• Wander through the market in Piazza delle Erbe.
• Check out Juliet’s Balcony from the outside. You have to pay to enter the house, but it’s free to wander into the courtyard. Just please don’t be one of those creeps that gropes a statue of a 14 year old.
• Find the Roman Ruins around the city. You’ll spot them dotted around, like Porta Borsari, a gate from the 1st century, or even some old Roman ruins inside the Bennetton on Via Mazzini.
• Grab a focaccia or your packed lunch and admire the Castel San Pietro across the river.
• Have a picnic lunch in the park next to the Arena. You have to pay to enter the Arena, but nothing’s stopping you having a free look from the outside, and it’s still incredibly impressive.

Outside Verona

If you’ve got a bit longer in Verona, or it’s your second time going, Lake Garda is really nearby. On my most recent visit, we had time to kill before our flight home, so we took a train to Peschiera del Garda, spent a couple of hours wandering around the waterfront and sipping Aperol while we watched ducks fight over bread. The return train tickets were about €9.

One of my all time favourite spots on Lake Garda is Sirmione, and it’s super accessible from Verona. Ideal for a day out.

Winery Visits

Verona is right in between the Soave and the Valpolicella wine producing regions. If you’re a white wine fan, Soave is for you. If you like red, head for the hills of Valpolicella.

I’ve got a guide on how to get to Valpolicella and visit some of the most famous wineries, without booking a tour. And, I’ve broken down the easiest ways to do this on a budget here too.

If you only want to do one, Speri do a tasting of five of their best wines for only €15. It’s a family run winery, in its seventh generation, and trust me, their wines are delish. You can get out there by bus from Verona, and a return ticket will cost you about €7.

What to Skip

Bus Tours

I loathe bus tours, so that’s #1 on the things to skip in Verona for me. Much of the central part of the city is pedestrianised, so even if they’re claiming they can get you to Piazza delle Erbe and Juliet’s Balcony, you’re going to be walking to them anyway. Save your €30 and explore the city on foot. It’s a small city, and incredibly walkable.

I know bus tours are great for folks with mobility issues or in larger cities, but honestly, even if you do have mobility needs, you’re not going to get close enough to the main sights to actually see them. You’re better off hiring a mobility scooter and exploring the city at your pace.

Tours with Fast Track Entry

If you’ve already bought the Verona Card, you already have entry to the Arena through a dedicated gate. You’ll see some walking tours that include entrance to Juliet’s Balcony or the Arena – skip them and go for something cheaper.

Walking Tours with Aperitivo or Food Tasting

I’m almost reluctant to denounce these tours because I love walking tours. But if you’re seeing Verona on a budget, skip those that include apertivos and food tastings. They’re usually around the €80-90 mark. The selling point here is that you might come across some local gems, and you get to hang out with other travellers. But again, Verona on a budget: Go for the cheaper walking tours like this one, and use the savings to buy yourself a glass of Amarone in Antica Bottega del Vino, a spritz in Cappa Cafe, or an onion focaccia in Focacceria Ponte Pietra.

How to Get Around

If you’ve already bought the Verona card, your bus transport is included for the time the card is active. If you don’t have the Verona card, you don’t really need buses if you’re staying in the city centre. Most of the main parts of the Centro Storico are pedestrianised, and because Verona is a small city, you can get from one side to the other in about 20 minutes max.

If you’re travelling outside of the city, or to other neighbourhoods, you can download the ATV Verona App to pre-buy tickets (you need to validate them on the bus), but honestly, it’s easier to just tap on with your contactless card on the bus. A bus ticket in the city is €2 for 75 minutes of travel, and it’s about €3.50-4 for “extra urban” travel, if you’re heading out to villages or vineyards.

If you’re coming from the airport, skip the taxis. Uber doesn’t work the same way in Italy – it’s basically a way to book licensed taxis rather than a ride-sharing service, and it can be expensive (about €35-40 to get into the city). It’s usually cheaper to just buy the €7 bus ticket, which will drop you off at Porta Nuova Station. From there, it’s a short bus ride into the city.

Show Me the Money: The Full Cost of a Weekend in Verona

Okay, so we’ve talked through accommodation, food plans, sightseeing, and transport. Let’s add it all up and give you a rough idea of cost.

I’ve based some of this on my own most recent trip to Verona, so what you see here is the cost for one person, based on two people sharing over a Friday – Sunday stay.

• Accommodation: €130 per person
• Supermarket food: €25 per person
• Sightseeing: €30
• Transport: €17
• Snacks and coffees: €10
• One dinner out: €30
• A couple of glasses of wine in the enotecas around the city: €10

Total: €252

This is assuming you buy the Verona Card, you’re not travelling outside of the city, and you’re mostly getting around on foot.

For me, coming from London, my flights are always around €100-150, and obviously those can vary depending on your starting point.

You can definitely do this cheaper, especially if you choose hostels like The Hostello in Veronetta, or skip the Verona Card in wandering the ancient alleys and piazze of the city.

Verona on a Budget: The Reality

When I was 20, I would have quite happily spent the weekend wandering around the city and sipping €5 wine from Aldi next to the Adige river, before calling it a night next to 7 strangers in a hostel dorm. And to be fair, even in my 30s, I’d still be pretty happy with Aldi wine and a view of the river, but I also know that things like trying a local vegan restaurant or staying somewhere I feel comfortable means I’m going to be spending a little bit extra.

And here, what works for me, isn’t going to be the same for you and I get that. This post isn’t supposed to be an exact itemised bill of your weekend in Verona, but to give you an idea of what you can expect to spend, and where you can cut back.

Verona is beautiful, but it isn’t a fussy or pretentious city, and I hope you can see from this post that you can have an amazing time exploring one of my favourite cities without having to sell a kidney (I actually have no idea what the market rate for kidneys is).

Wherever you land on your own Verona budget, I hope you have an incredible time exploring this city. And, if you do nothing else, get the onion focaccia at this place, and thank me later.