Verona, Northern Italy

This impoverished little traveller had to travel to one of his favourite places the other day, after a long time, to support a friend (Jen, widow of my late friend Nick - see earlier post, but then you know them by heart by now, do you not) and to see other friends who live there and at whose wedding celebrations many years ago Nick, Jen and I met and bonded in lifelong friendship. The place is Verona in the Veneto region of northern Italy, a lovely city with a gorgeous historical centre, beautiful buildings and pleasant pizzerias, restaurants and wine bars; anyone who's read my scribblings would realise it's the perfect place for someone like me!

The friends there, Michael, Patricia and their dog Stanley, used to put me up on their sofa bed when I used to visit Verona in the past, and a most pleasant time was had by all. Alas Jen was occupying the sofa bed at MPS Mansions this time, so I was shunted off to a lovely - and thankfully inexpensive - guest house about 15 minutes walk away where, being the only resident at the time, I had lots of peace and quiet and a very civilised, relaxed base. I spent four nights there, catching up with both the friends and Verona, and enjoyed myself immensely. It would be fair to say that the excellent wine consumed during the stay, either at MPS (you work it out...!) Mansions or at restaurants, helped in that respect.

Verona city centre is an astoundingly beautiful old town full of glorious buildings, narrow cobbled lanes and, of course, visitors; it is fully equipped to handle tourists in their droves, which is just as well, but it is not all tourist tat and rip-off places. In fact, unless you are looking for sophisticated Michelin guide grub, most restaurants are surprisingly reasonable in both quality and price of both food and wine. Should you be lucky enough to visit you are advised to either stay in a decent hotel in the centre (if your budget can stand it) and be right in the heart of things, or do as I did and stay in a good B&B a short bus ride or a slightly longer walk from the centre. This is a place where walking is they key to unlocking the beauty nestling at every street corner, and finding all the little cafes and bars hidden away where you least expect them.

The beauty here is abundant but not over-ostentatious, often more to do with symmetry and proportion, and is everywhere in the old town with few exceptions. Stepping away from the centre is another matter, however, with plenty of dull, indifferent - and sometimes downright ugly - post-war apartment buildings dominating. There was even an outrageously horrid concrete bunker-type building that I initially felt must be a military installation but which turned out to be a school, and I photographed it for your delectation. It sits there, drab and menacing, next to a beautifully decorated old villa which is elegant as can be... go figure!

The countryside near Verona is also worth a mention, with many interesting places worth seeing such as wine estates, lovely lakes, castles; it is an area to explore and savour, taking your time. As a car in Verona old town is about as useful as a pedalo I would recommend hiring one for a day or two to wander and sightsee, or, if you have arrived in your own car, securing a safe parking spot and limiting car use for your out of town escapades. Unfortunately during this visit we were short of time and unable to venture further out, even to re-visit the Serego Alighieri estate where Michael used to work a long time ago. This is a working estate producing things like olive oil, wine, rice etc., all of good or excellent quality, and belongs to the descendants of Dante; they also run a small luxury B&B called Foresteria, which will give any guest a feel for life in the Valpolicella countryside.

Walking everywhere is to me the defining activity in Verona, and it gives me the greatest pleasure whether strolling or going quickly from a to b. It will allow you too to soak in the atmosphere of the old town, to see hidden buildings with lovely interior courtyards, to discover enticing cafes and wine bars, to feel part of this magical city and be carried away in its feel of longevity, of living history. Wherever you turn you are reminded of the past, yet this is not some mausoleum but a vibrant, living city with lots of modern amenities.

Verona may be beautiful but it is not perfect - it is both sophisticated and provincial, relaxed and strangely uptight. The river Adige surrounds the old town and protects it from the mediocrity of the suburbs, giving it character but also plentiful humidity, which in the height of summer can be unpleasant. And the hordes of marauding tourists - yes, they include me and you... - can at times be unpleasant, even overwhelming. The Veronese too can sometimes be a bit snooty and annoying (especially if they are fed up of bumping into tourists everywhere), though thankfully this is either relatively rare or I have been extremely fortunate. But do avoid coming here when there is a fair (like VinItaly) on, as the city becomes overstretched and overcrowded to the nth degree.

All in all though, this is a place worth visiting time and again, to relax and sink gently into an illusion of the past mixed with modern comfort, to eat and drink and stroll and saunter and feel at home, at least temporarily, in this beautiful, beautiful place. It is a short train ride away from Venice, and a slightly longer one from Milan, so there's no excuse, none.