Opera at the Arena

Day 1 London to Verona, Italy.

Fly by scheduled flight to Venice. On arrival, transfer to Verona and the Hotel Indigo for our five night stay. The hotel is conveniently located within walking distance of the Arena. This evening meet with your fellow travellers for dinner at a local restaurant. (D)

Day 2 Verona.

After breakfast at the hotel enjoy a guided walking tour of Verona. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000, Verona is a fascinating Medieval city. Visit Piazza Bra with the Arena, famous all over the world for the concerts and operas in this stunning location. The Arena, which holds 15,000 spectators, was completed in the year 30 AD and is the third largest in Italy after Rome’s Coliseum and the arena of Capua. We will also see the nearby Piazza delle Erbe, the bustling city square. Other points of interest during our tour will be Juliet’s balcony and many examples of Romanesque architecture including Ponte di Pietra, Porta Borsari, a third century gate in the original city walls, and some of the city’s magnificent Romanesque basilicas. We end our city walk with the famous Spritz aperitif and lunch at a local restaurant. Spend the afternoon at leisure and this evening we will meet for a pre-opera snack and drinks in the hotel before we make our way back to the Arena. Our performance tonight is Giuseppe Verdi’s ‘La Traviata’. (B, L, D*)

‘La Traviata’ - La traviata is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi set to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. It is based on La Dame aux camélias (1852), a play by Alexandre Dumas fils adapted from his own 1848 novel. The opera was originally titled Violetta, after the main character. It was first performed on 6 March 1853 at La Fenice opera house in Venice. “La Traviata” is the most performed opera in the world, and returns to the Verona Arena in the elegant 2011 production by Hugo De Ana, which pays homage to the belle époque with enormous frames, mirrors and tapestries.

Day 3 Lake Garda.

After a leisurely breakfast we depart for a full day excursion to Lake Garda, Italy’s largest lake. We will visit the town of Sirmione, a small jewel suspended in the middle of southern Lake Garda, which has a thermal springs and was a spa destination even in Roman times. The town is dominated by a thirteenth-century castle, the Rocca Scaligera, defended by a moat patrolled by swans and ducks. We then take a brief ferry ride to Lazise, situated on the eastern coast of Lake Garda and one of its most picturesque towns. It has a beautiful waterfront and a Medieval centre full of shops and pastel buildings, and the port was once important during the dominion of the Venetian Republic. After lunch in a local restaurant, we visit the historic centre, which dates to the same period and maintains its alluring narrow lanes, and the 13th century castle is an enchanting sight. Return to the hotel for an evening at leisure. (B, L)

Day 4 Verona.

Enjoy a day at leisure to explore Verona independently. Perhaps have a walk along the River Adige, see the Museum inside Castel Vecchio or reach San Zeno Church. We meet this evening for an early dinner and once again we walk to the Arena for a performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s ‘Aida’. (B, D)

‘Aida’ - The role of Aida was written for the soprano Teresa Stolz and although she did not perform it in the opera’s world premiere in Cairo 1871, she did create it in the European premiere in Milan the year after. Aida is a story of forbidden love - the Egyptians have captured and enslaved Aida, a Nubian princess. An Egyptian military commander, Radamès, struggles to choose between his love for her and his loyalty to the Pharaoh. To complicate the story further, the Pharaoh’s daughter Amneris is in love with Radamès, although he does not return her feelings.

Day 5 Valpolicella.

After breakfast we drive north to the viticulture district of Valpolicella, east of Lake Garda. Valpolicella ranks after Chianti in Italian wine production and is usually made from the three grapes Corvina Veronese, Rondinella, and Molinara. We stop at a local winery for a late lunch and a tasting of local wines. Return to our hotel in Verona for an evening at leisure. (B, L)

Day 6 Verona to London.

After breakfast we transfer to Venice airport for our scheduled flight to London. (B)