VERONA

Compact and easy to navigate, Verona remains one of Italy’s most underrated cities despite its picturesque center of cobblestone streets lined with medieval pink-hued buildings, well-preserved Roman sites and dozens of churches. A short hop from major hubs like Milan and Venice, the former Roman settlement never feels overrun by tourists, although visitors descend on the town for events like the summer opera festival, which runs June 14 until Sept. 8 and which celebrates its centennial and Verdi’s bicentenary this year, and Vinitaly in April, one of the wine world’s most important events. In between the landmarks and happenings that keep Verona so culturally vibrant, you’ll find time for lavish meals in inventive new restaurants, tastings at wine bars tucked away behind unassuming facades and shopping in small boutiques off the main arteries. Who are we to point out that Juliet’s much-visited balcony actually has no historical connection to Shakespeare’s star-crossed characters? After all, the city is just about as romantic as it gets.