Verona was a whim. I had a few days free the following month and my restless soul wanted to wander. Without second thoughts I went to the train station, grabbed a copy of the timetable of departing trains, and randomly picked a destination. Except for Juliet’s Balcony, I had no idea what Verona had to offer, but I figured that with Italy I simply cannot go wrong. I love planning and organizing trips but for Verona I did not do any research at all, which was somewhat unnerving for the plan-freak in me. Yet, spontaneity was the word for the day.
After a comfortable train ride, which offered magnificent views of the countryside, I arrived in Verona with absolutely no expectations. Having no clue as to what was hidden in the city, I embarked upon the quest of discovering it. That’s the beauty of going somewhere unknown. I got to discover places instead of spending the whole day looking for them. I got to see something for the first time in actuality as opposed to seeing them for the first time on my computer screen. It heightened the sense of wonder. Every moment and every place became an experience instead of a checklist I needed to tick off.
I wandered the winding streets, spent the early morning hours reading at a quiet piazza, marveled at the painted facades, and savored my pasta while listening to beautiful Italian music in the background. Verona was an understated beauty; a wonderful place to just relax and be. It was a perfect place to soak in the Italian culture and marvel at it’s history without throngs of tourists pushing their way through the streets. It was a place for gelatos, italian cypress trees, and arched bridges. It was a place to get lost in. Now only if all whims led to such perfection, I’d be the most recklessly carefree person in the world.
