My fiance and I will be in Venice from August 5-7, 2003 (2 nights, 2.5 days). We understand that the Summer Opera Festival in Verona is a sight not to be missed and there is a performance on the evening of the 6th. We checked and it is not possible to take the train to and from Verona for the opera, as there is no late night train service back to Venice. Our only option is to rent a car and drive to Verona in the late afternoon and drive back after the opera. I believe it is approx 80 miles one-way. Are we crazy to miss this, or would we be crazy to use one of only 2 nights in Venice? Should we spend only one night in Venice and spend the night of the 6th in Verona? (We move on to Milan on the 7th for an outbound flight back to the States on the 8th.) Please help. A little more info - we can't change our itinerary to add one more night (or leave from Venice) and we will have already spent 4 days in Rome and 5 days in Florence/Tuscany. Thanks to all!

<BR>Just my personal opinion, of course, but I found the opera in Verona to be magnificient. I am not an opera buff - but to be seated in that stadium which is thousands of years old, under a star-lit summer evening was magnificient. <BR><BR>People are given candles for light (vs. flashlight) and to see the lights glowing as the opera proceeds is amazing.<BR><BR>The place was FULL, but you could have heard a pin drop. It was truly incredible. It is an experience that cannot be duplicated anywhere based on the location. Verona is a great down to explore as well.

I have never been to the opera in Verona, but I can't imagine skipping an evening in Venice for anything in the world. Venice is truly remarkable at night and with only 2 nights there, there will be so much to see in that short time frame

If you love opera go to Verona. It is a wonderful experience not to missed. I love Venice, but I rate the opera we saw in Verona right up there with Venice.

A must see in Verona is &quot;Juliet&quot;. And don't forget to give her a rub.