Romeo and Juliet is set in Verona, and you can visit the real locations tied to the story — Juliet’s House and its famous balcony, Juliet’s Tomb, and Romeo’s House are all within a short walk of the historic centre. While the characters are fictional, the city has woven the legend into its streets, making it one of the most romantic places to explore in Italy. Here’s what to see and how to do it.
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Why Romeo and Juliet is set in Verona
Shakespeare placed his most famous tragedy in Verona because Renaissance England saw Northern Italy as passionate, sophisticated and dramatic — the perfect stage for a story of love and feuding families. He never visited; he drew on earlier Italian novellas that were themselves set here. If you’re curious about the deeper history behind that decision, our companion piece on why Shakespeare chose Verona explores it in full.
What matters for the visitor is this: Verona has embraced the legend so completely that you can walk a genuine Romeo-and-Juliet itinerary through the medieval city.
Juliet’s House and the famous balcony
The centrepiece is Casa di Giulietta (Juliet’s House) at Via Cappello 23, just off Piazza delle Erbe. Its courtyard — free to enter — holds the celebrated balcony and a bronze statue of Juliet that visitors touch for luck. A ticket lets you go inside the house and step onto the balcony itself.
A note of honesty that visitors appreciate: the balcony was added in the 1930s to match the story, and there was no real Juliet. The house is authentically medieval, but the romance is curated. Knowing that doesn’t spoil the visit — it just helps you enjoy it for what it is. Arrive early in the morning; by midday the courtyard is packed.
Juliet’s Tomb and Romeo’s House
Two quieter sites complete the trail:
- Juliet’s Tomb sits in the atmospheric crypt of the former San Francesco al Corso convent, paired with a small fresco museum. It’s far calmer than the house and worth the short walk.
- Romeo’s House (Casa di Romeo), on Via Arche Scaligere, is a private medieval residence you can admire only from the outside, near the striking Scaliger tombs.
Together they turn the legend into a half-day walking route through some of Verona’s most evocative corners.
Beyond the legend: the rest of Verona
The Romeo-and-Juliet sights sit within a city that rewards far more exploration — the Roman Arena, Piazza delle Erbe, Castelvecchio and the Adige riverside. To build a fuller itinerary, see our Verona city guide, and for the best places to eat between sights, our guide to Verona’s restaurants.
Most visitors who come for the romance stay for the wine. Verona is the gateway to Valpolicella, Soave and Lake Garda, and a private tasting is the natural next chapter to a day among the city’s monuments — our complete guide to wine tours in Verona shows how to combine the two. There’s no more fitting way to toast the world’s most famous love story than with a glass of Amarone in the hills that inspired its setting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Romeo and Juliet really set in Verona?
Yes. Shakespeare set Romeo and Juliet in Verona, in Northern Italy's Veneto region, and the city has embraced the story for centuries. While the play is fiction, it drew on earlier Italian tales also set in Verona, and the city today preserves several sites tied to the legend.
Can you visit Juliet's balcony in Verona?
Yes. Juliet's House (Casa di Giulietta) on Via Cappello has a courtyard with the famous balcony that anyone can enter free of charge; a ticket is required only to go inside the house and step onto the balcony itself. It is one of Verona's most visited sights, so arrive early to avoid the crowds.
Where is Juliet's House in Verona?
Juliet's House is at Via Cappello 23, a short walk from Piazza delle Erbe in the historic centre. The courtyard holds the balcony and the bronze statue of Juliet that visitors traditionally touch for luck.
Is Juliet's balcony authentic?
Not in the literal sense. The balcony was added to the medieval house in the 1930s to match the legend, and there is no historical Juliet who lived there. That said, the house is genuinely old and the site has become a meaningful pilgrimage for the story's admirers worldwide.
Did Romeo and Juliet really exist?
There is no firm evidence that Romeo and Juliet were real people. The story is a literary creation, popularised by Shakespeare and based on earlier Italian novellas. The Montagues and Capulets, however, echo real rival factions referenced in Dante, lending the tale a historical flavour.
