In January I'll be in Venice for two days then on to Verona and Firenze. Can I actually see much of Verona in a day? What are the high points? Is it worth blocking out 2 days for? I'll have my 21 year old daughter with me. This will be her first trip to Europe and would like to see some ruins.

The Arena is a must-see - I think it's one of the most complete in all of Italy. There is also a roman theatre. Apart from that I would just be tempted to wander round the town centre, admiring the piazzas and old bridges over the river. It's quite a wealthy region so the shops are good too(antique jewellery, high-end designer clothing). Lots of nice cafe's and restaurants.

I took a day trip there while based in Vicenza a few years ago. While I did not see everything, we feel we did see a good portion of the sights without being very rushed. I say go for it.

I guess with a 21yr old daughter, the so-called House of Juliet (Romeo & Juliet) would be a must-stop.

Here's a fair info site on Verona:
http://www.world66.com/europe/italy/veneto/verona

Definitely - I did Verona in a day in May and thoroughly enjoyed it.

The arena was a must see but I was a bit disappointed; I had heard so much hype about it.

As RM67 says, just spend the day strolling the town and definitely take in the bridges. Any tourist map of Verona will highlight the "old bits" - ruins, city walls etc and it is compact enough to see it all in a day.

Hi J,

Only two days is giving Venice short shrift.

I would skip Verona this trip.

I think a day in Verona is enough to enjoy the sights there.
Right outside of Florence, reachable by city bus, Fiesole also has a Roman theater and remains of old Etruscan walls. Also a very good view of the city.

I have also visited Verona on a day trip, I didnt see everything naturally, but I saw enough to satisfy me, even stopping for a nice lunch and a visit to the shops.

ira is of course right. While Verona is doable in one day, two days are like two seconds for Venice, so skip Verona - or skip Venice (doesn't make much sense anyway). If you decide on Verona, don't miss S. Zeno Maggiore, the true but often overlooked main sight of that town.

Here's another voice chiming in to suggest that you skip Verona on this trip and spend that extra time in Venice. I loved our 1/2 day in Verona, but that's after visiting Venice several times (and another visit there this October), Venice is worth all the time you can make for it!

How much can one really see (read: 'enjoy') in January?

Personally, I love the atmosphere of these old smaller Italian cities in winter...if it is not pouring rain. Without the hordes of tourists, and with the wisps of fog, you can see that they have a function and purpose beyond photo opps for tourists (even if you are a tourist in search of a photo opp!). BTW, the Basilica in Verona is magnificent and has some excellent art.