A day in Verona

We really loved the Hotel Monastero, with its palm trees and beautiful views of Lake Garda. This is a magical place for a holiday, and it made us want to see more of the local surroundings. We took a day trip to ancient city of Verona, which is about an hour's drive to the east of the hotel. The city is quaint and romantic, and full of interesting shops and architecture.

A highlight of the day was our visit to the Verona Arena. This is a Roman building which looks just like the Coliseum in Rome, and it must be about two thousand years old. These days, it is used for opera performances and pop concerts, but we just wandered around, soaking up the atmosphere. It was fascinating to imagine the thousands of people through the ages who have been here before us.