A view of the Alps from the train as we wound through beautiful valleys filled with cold, blue lakes and ringed with jagged peaks.

Once in Verona, I walked towards the city center. The remnants of old fortifications that protected the city are visible here.

An old gate to the city, constructed when Verona was under the influence of the Hapsburgs.

One of Verona's biggest attractions is the old Roman ampitheater. One of the largest outside of Rome, it's still in use as an opera and concert venue. An earthquake brought down much of the outer wall, but a portion still stands.

Verona has been built and rebuilt over the years and it's not uncommon to see the brickwork from many different eras in the same building.

A plaza that rings the old forum with restaurants and open-air dining all along the storefronts.

A close-up view of the stonework of the remains of the outer wall of the Ampitheater.

A picturesque bridge spans the River Adige as part of an old fort. These fortifications are from a much earlier period, sometime in the Middle Ages IIRC.

A beautiful wooden statue of Christ and a child in one of Verona's cathedrals illustrates the long, intertwined history of Christianity and art in Italy.

A public square at the site of the old, Roman forum in the center of the oldest part of Verona.

A view from the heights on the opposite side of the River Adige overlooking the old Roman part of the city.

The interior of the Ampitheater. A large rock concert took place the night before and workmen are disassembling the lightng and stage. Opera concerts are often staged in the Ampitheater.

The tunnels beneath the Ampitheater.