After breakfast we embarked on a full day excursion to Verona, known as little Venice because it is enclosed by a loop in the River Adige.

From where the bus dropped us off, we crossed the River Adige via the Ponte di Pietra into Verona's historic centre . The hole above one of the bridge's arches is to prevent flood water covering the bridge.

On a walking tour of the historic centre we visited Romeo's house; the tombs of the Scaligeri family who ruled Verona for two centuries; Piazza dei Signori, the old town square with frescoes on the residential buildings; Juliet's house and, of course, that famous balcony; and the Roman Amphitheatre (second largest only to that of the Colosseum in Rome).

Romeo's house was very nondescript - just a run-down house. We didn't go inside and it appeared no one else was either.

The tombs of the Scaligeri family lie around the church of Santa Maria Antica (once the family's parish church) are quite bizarre and very gothic.
 
Large iron gates in the courtyard of Juliet's balcony are covered in love padlocks.

After the walking tour we had free time to further explore the town on our own . Verona's very expensive main shopping street is paved in marble. Piazza dei Signori was a lovely spot to sit and people-watch.

On our drives over the past couple of days the landscape has been much more picturesque. There's even been the odd hill here and there.

The weather has been very kind - warm, sunny days with no rain in sight. There's even been a couple of days when shorts and t-shirt were the call of the day. However, the nights are cool and a jacket is required.

Back on board the boat, I spoke to the Cruise Director about recommending a private guide for the excursion (exploration of Venice) I missed because I was a day late arriving - the Castello area of Venice, and the Doge's Palace. He very kindly arranged for me to join the next lot if passengers when they do this tour at no expense on my part as, according to Tony (Cruise Director), I had already paid for this (even though it wasn't Uniworld's fault that I was late arriving).