Arena di Verona 2026

Arena di Verona

The Arena di Verona is a Roman amphitheatre built around 30 AD, in the years between the reigns of Augustus and Claudius — older than the Colosseum. Its pink-tinged limestone ellipse dominates Piazza Bra in the heart of Verona, and after nearly two millennia it remains a working venue. In Roman times it could hold some 30,000 spectators; modern productions admit up to around 15,000.

Its second life began on 10 August 1913, when Aida was staged to mark the centenary of Verdi's birth. That night founded the summer opera festival, a tradition carried on ever since that makes the Arena the largest open-air opera venue in the world; in recent decades major pop and rock concerts have joined its calendar.

Seating areas

The floor of the amphitheatre carries numbered stalls seating — the front poltronissime and the poltrone behind them — while the ancient cavea provides two further options: numbered seats on the lower tiers and unnumbered places higher up on the original stone steps (gradinate), where seating is first-come, first-served.

Getting there

From Verona Porta Nuova railway station, Piazza Bra is about a 20-minute walk along Corso Porta Nuova. City buses 11, 12 and 13 connect the station forecourt to Piazza Bra in around 10 minutes; in the evening and on holidays, 90-series routes cover the same ground. The historic centre around the Arena is largely closed to cars.

FAQ

When do opera performances take place? The festival runs on summer evenings, with performances beginning after nightfall in the open air.

What are the stone steps like? The gradinate are the amphitheatre's original stone tiers: unnumbered, unreserved and bare — many visitors bring a cushion.

How old is the Arena? Construction dates to around 30 AD; the opera festival staged inside it dates to 1913.