Tours and Tickets to Experience Verona Arena

Absolutely, the Verona Arena is worth visiting, especially if you love history or architecture. It’s one of the largest arenas in Italy, smaller but better preserved than the Colosseum in Rome. Built in 30 AD, it houses over 20,000 people—it’s the city’s most well-known landmark and is still in use today.

Yes, you can go inside the Verona Arena, but you’ll need a ticket for a general visit by day or for an event or performance. The facility is typically open daily, but current renovations are resulting in closures, so be sure to consult the arena’s website before your trip.

How long it takes to see the Verona Arena depends on the type of experience you’re looking for—some people will snap a photo of the exterior and call it good. Self-guided audio tours typically take about an hour; guided tours will take a bit longer, and history buffs may find themselves here for closer to an afternoon.

The Verona Arena is used for operas, concerts, and events in summer only. The arena’s schedule is mostly absolute operatic classics, like Aida, La Boheme, or Carmen, but you’ll also find the occasional symphony, singer, or town celebration. In 2026, the arena will be put to work for the Olympics.

The Verona Arena, built in 30 AD, is the largest open-air opera house in the world. It once held roughly 30,000 spectators—today, with technology and stage needs, it’s down to approximately 22,000. While today it’s primarily used for beautiful music, its original purpose was for blood sports, like gladiator fights.

The Verona Arena has no strict dress code like some Italian opera houses. It gets pretty warm in Verona in summer, so you’re simply asked to dress with care. The more expensive your seats, the dressier you should be—men in long pants and a nice shirt; women in dresses or skirts.