The city is beautiful during this season especially at night. The main streets are lit with stars and Christmas balls hanging over the streets. 

Verona being a medieval city has many narrow cobbled streets that are mainly used by pedestrians but also accommodate small cars.  It is an interesting combination of people walking and suddenly a car is coming up behind you. There is no honking for anyone to move, everyone just makes room for the other person or vehicle. It took a little getting used to at first especially as you come to an intersection which is for a road that is mainly used by cars as you cannot really see around the corners for vehicles coming as the buildings run right up to the street with no sidewalks. No I am accustomed to listening for a car coming as I approach the intersections.

The streets and shops are adorned with lights and the feeling is very festive. Near the arena (the Roman coliseum) there is a large star that represents the star seen over Bethlehem. It gives a very ancient vs modern feel to the Piazza Bra.

For my evening passeggiata, I walked all the streets that were decorated for Christmas and ended up a the Christmas market in the Piazza Dante. Verona is a sister city with Nuremberg Germany and has a German Christmas Market during the season. It is a combination of German Christmas and Italian. There is mulled wine, wursts and focaccia for sale at different stands. There are stands selling hats, gloves, scarves and other winter wear as well as selling spices and salami. It is fun to wander through it and enjoy the atmosphere of families and groups enjoying the evening.

After wandering, I found a Craft Beer Pub, not what I was expecting from a bar in Verona but it was a nice surprise. The pub, Santa Maria, had 5 craft beers that they produce on tap and about 9 other beers. I did not realize it was a craft beer pub at first and ordered wine (as most people know, wine is my go to beverage). I realized it a a craft beer pub and the bartender laughed when I told her I realized it and said they only had two wines for drinking. I immediately switched to beer and had a great bitter. It was pumped for the tap the old fashion way. The pub must be very popular as it filled up quickly after I got there. Being an American, I arrived around 7:00 pm but things do not really get started until 8:00 pm and dinner is not eaten until around 9:00 pm.

After the beer, I headed out looking for a place to have dinner. I followed my usual method of choosing a place to eat by walking around and looking in the windows of various restaurants until I find one that is crowded and looks like it is mainly locals who are eating there. You cannot always tell the locals but usually can make a good guess. The Trattoria Alla Colonna is famous for its cutlets according to the menu. And I had one and it was very good so I guess it deserves it claim to fame. There were three options small, medium and large. I asked the waitress and she gestured with her hands for the piccolo (small) and I went with that option. When it came it was the size of the entire dinner plate. I, also, delved back into my childhood memories and had Tortelinni Brodo, cheese tortelinni in chicken broth. I think that was one of my favorite childhood foods when living in Italy. Again, fond memories of life. I, also, had a .25 liter carafe of local wine. It is always a good choice to go with the carafe as you get nice local wine. Most of the Veronese use this option. The whole meal including a salad was 34 Euros. Not a bad meal for the same price as mediocre meal in DC.

Since I am on a food kick, I had lunch a Il Vicoletto Cucina and had an amazing meal for 25 Euros – Orrichette in red sauce, Chicken Cacciatore, Crème Burle and .25 liter carafe of red wine. I am going to run more when I get back to DC to get rid of the calories but I am doing a lot of walking so am not as worried about it.