Corso Cavour is a historic street in central Verona, running between Castelvecchio and the Roman gate of Porta Borsari. Following the route of the ancient Via Postumia, it makes a rewarding alternative to the busier streets around Piazza Bra and Juliet’s balcony, with shops, cafés and grand façades sharing space with everyday city life.
The architecture traces centuries of Verona’s history. Near Castelvecchio stands the first-century Arco dei Gavi, dismantled during the Napoleonic era and reassembled in the 1930s. Along the corso, look for Palazzo Bevilacqua, with its richly worked stone façade by Renaissance architect Michele Sanmicheli, and the Romanesque church of San Lorenzo, recognisable by its cylindrical towers and bands of brick and stone.
Corso Cavour is worth exploring slowly, whether you’re browsing boutiques, stopping for a glass of wine or following a side lane away from the traffic. Look up for carved portals and balconies, then continue through Porta Borsari towards Piazza delle Erbe. It also makes a convenient walking route to Castelvecchio and the Ponte Scaligero.
Late afternoon is a pleasant time to visit, particularly in summer, when the heat begins to ease and aperitivo hour approaches; mornings are quieter for photographs. The street is about a ten-minute walk from the Arena. Much of central Verona is a limited traffic zone, so walking is easier than driving; pavements can be narrow, and buses and scooters still use the road.