The roman amfitheatro in Verona (I never got there, wanted to, though more for the nearby Piazza Bra):
The Arena during the opera performance, Verona.
Photograph: Alamy
From the Guardian's travel page -
Even if you're not a great fan of opera, you can't fail to be impressed by a summer evening at the Arena di Verona. If the lavish productions are not enough, the electrifying atmosphere of a Roman amphitheatre packed with 14,000 people will. As dusk falls, thousands of candles are lit by those in the cheap seats around the upper level and a hush descends as the performance begins. Then comes the next surprise: the acoustics are remarkably good for an outdoor venue. It was an unforgettable experience, made all the better by the knowledge that our seats had cost us little more than a London cinema ticket, and our B&B, all'Opera, was just two minutes' walk away.
• Book operat tickets (from €21) at arena.it. All'Opera: bbopera.com, doubles from €90
Rory Foster
