What’s On in Verona 2026

The Venue

A Living Monument to Human Achievement

Arena di Verona is not merely a venue — it is one of the world's greatest living monuments. Built around 30 A.D. during the reign of Emperor Augustus, this magnificent Roman amphitheater originally held gladiatorial combats and public spectacles for up to 30,000 citizens of ancient Verona. It is one of the three largest surviving Roman amphitheaters in the world, alongside the Colosseum in Rome and the Arena in Capua.

Today, nearly two millennia later, the Arena still fills its ancient stone tiers — not with gladiators, but with the most revered voices in opera, world-famous concert artists, and ballet companies from across the globe. Since 1913, the Arena di Verona Opera Festival has been one of Europe's most prestigious summer events, drawing audiences from over 60 countries each season and cementing Verona's place as a true world capital of culture.

What makes the Arena truly extraordinary is its natural acoustics. No amplification is used for opera performances. The same Roman engineering that once carried the roar of crowds across the arena now carries a soprano's final note across 22,000 hushed spectators beneath a canopy of Italian stars. There is nothing else like it on earth.

In 2026, the summer season features opera's most beloved works: Aida, La Traviata, Nabucco, and La Bohème — each staged with spectacular production values and world-class international casts that have made the Arena a bucket-list destination for opera lovers everywhere.