Romantic Picnic in Verona: 3 Beautiful Places Away from the Crowds

Verona may be famous for Romeo and Juliet, candlelit restaurants and aperitivo in beautiful piazzas. But sometimes the most romantic moments are the simplest ones.

A bottle of wine, some local cheese and prosciutto, fresh bread, two glasses – and a quiet place somewhere by the Adige.

After spending a lot of time in Verona, I’ve realised that some of my favourite moments in the city happen away from restaurant tables. Especially on a warm spring or autumn day, I would happily choose a picnic over a formal lunch.

You can take your time, sit in the sunshine, watch the city around you and stay for as long as you like. And, perhaps most importantly, you can escape some of the crowds around Piazza delle Erbe and the Arena.

So if you are planning a romantic trip to Verona and would like to experience the city a little differently, these are three of my favourite places for a relaxed picnic or outdoor lunch.

1. The little garden on the way to Castel San Pietro

Best for: views, sunshine and a slow romantic brunch

Most visitors cross Ponte Pietra and head straight up to Castel San Pietro for one of the most famous views over Verona.

And yes, you should absolutely go there.

But you don’t necessarily have to go all the way to the top.

On the way up, next to the funicular, there is a green area where you can stop, sit down and enjoy the view over the old town. Verona does not have an enormous number of parks right in its historic centre, which makes this little green spot particularly nice when you simply want to sit outside for a while.

If you are lucky enough to get one of the seats facing the city, even better.

From this side of the river, you have the historic centre in front of you, with the Adige below and Verona’s rooftops and bell towers in the distance. The official Verona tourism site describes Castel San Pietro as one of the city’s most panoramic and romantic viewpoints.

I personally like this spot for a late breakfast or an early lunch. Pick up some fresh focaccia, fruit, cheese and coffee somewhere in the centre, cross Ponte Pietra and walk up.

There is something wonderfully Italian about doing almost nothing for an hour – sitting in the sun, eating good food and watching the city below.

And when you are finished, continue up to Castel San Pietro. You can walk, or take the funicular if you don’t feel like climbing.

My tip: Go in the morning or outside the busiest sunset hours. Castel San Pietro itself becomes very popular around sunset, while earlier in the day the whole area feels much calmer.

2. Salumeria Gironda – probably the easiest picnic in Verona

Best for: local food without having to prepare anything

If organising a picnic sounds romantic in theory but you don’t actually want to spend your holiday searching supermarkets for cheese and disposable plates, this one is for you.

Salumeria Gironda is a tiny traditional food shop just a few steps from Ponte Pietra.

Don’t expect a conventional restaurant.

Inside, you can choose from local and Italian cheeses, salumi, bread, wine and other small delicacies. Their own website actually suggests taking the food out for a picnic on their terrace. salumeriagironda.it

And that is exactly what makes it special.

You choose what you like, put together your own simple lunch and sit outside overlooking the river.

No white tablecloth. No elaborate menu. No need to dress up.

Just good Italian ingredients, a glass of wine and the Adige flowing next to you.

For me, this is one of those places that feels much more like being in Italy than simply ticking another restaurant off your Google Maps list.

It is also perfectly located if you are spending the day exploring this part of Verona. Ponte Pietra, the Roman Theatre and the way up to Castel San Pietro are all right there.

What I would order: a selection of local cheese and salumi, something fresh from the counter, bread and a bottle of local wine. Don’t be afraid to ask them what they recommend – that is part of the experience.

My tip: Don’t leave this one until very late in the evening. It is primarily a salumeria rather than a dinner restaurant, so check the current opening hours before planning your day.

3. Piazzetta Bra Molinari – picnic by the Adige

Best for: a very simple picnic close to the historic centre

If you would rather buy your own food and find somewhere quiet to sit, walk towards Piazzetta Bra Molinari, between Ponte Pietra and Via Sottoriva.

This is one of those places you can easily walk past without realising how pleasant it is.

And it has recently become even nicer.

In March 2026, the city completed a major renovation of the piazzetta, turning what used to be partly a parking area into a pedestrian space with greenery, seating, a drinking fountain and views towards Castel San Pietro and the bend of the Adige.

It is not a grand park, and that is precisely why I like it.

Find a bench, sit near the river and unpack whatever you picked up on the way – focaccia, olives, fruit, cheese or a couple of pastries.

You are still only minutes away from some of Verona’s busiest streets, but it feels much more relaxed.

One very practical note from someone who actually spends time in Verona: I would choose a bench or the stone seating rather than spreading a blanket over every patch of grass you see. Green space in the historic centre is limited and many local dogs have the same idea about where to stop. 🙂

What should you bring for a picnic in Verona?

You really don’t need much.

My ideal Verona picnic would be very simple: fresh focaccia or bread, one or two local cheeses, prosciutto or another salume, seasonal fruit, something sweet and a bottle of wine.

If you want to make it even easier, buy everything from a salumeria and ask them to help you choose. You don’t need to know the names of twenty different cheeses beforehand.

And please bring water – especially between May and September. Verona can get surprisingly hot during the middle of the day. In Piazzetta Bra Molinari is a nice drinking fountain.

I would also avoid carrying an elaborate picnic basket around the city. Verona is wonderfully walkable, but cobbled streets and romantic wicker baskets are not always the perfect combination.

A tote bag will do. You can buy all the food really near.

When is the best time for a picnic in Verona?

For me, spring and early autumn are perfect.

April, May, September and early October can give you beautiful light without the intensity of midsummer heat.

During summer, I would choose breakfast, a late-afternoon picnic or aperitivo rather than sitting outside around 1 p.m.

And if you are visiting Verona as a couple, leave yourself some time.

Don’t plan your picnic between two museum reservations with exactly 42 minutes to spare.

Buy your food. Walk. Find somewhere you like. Sit down.

That’s the point.

Make your picnic part of your Verona story

And there is one more reason I love places like these.

They make beautiful photographs.

Not the kind where you stand stiffly in front of a monument and smile at the camera, but photographs of what the trip actually felt like: sharing food, walking beside the river, laughing over a glass of wine, sitting in the Italian sun.

That is exactly the kind of memory I love to photograph.

If you are coming to Verona for a romantic weekend, anniversary, honeymoon – or simply because you want a few days together in Italy – I would be happy to join you for part of it and turn those moments into photographs you can take home with you.

Discover my couple photography sessions in Verona →

And if you are still planning your trip, stay around. I share my favourite places, photography spots and little pieces of Verona that I think are worth discovering.