Giardino Giusti

The Giardino Giusti is a Renaissance garden at Via Giardino Giusti 2 in the Veronetta district of Verona, Italy, on the east bank of the Adige. It was laid out in 1580 by the Giusti family, who owned the adjoining Palazzo Giusti, and it has stayed in the family's hands for centuries. The garden has long been considered one of the most important Italian gardens in the Veneto region and attracted visitors including Goethe and Mozart. It is divided into a formal lower part and a wooded upper slope. The lower garden is arranged in symmetrical parterres with box hedges, fountains, statues and a double avenue of tall cypress trees, one of which is said to be over 500 years old. Visitors can walk through a grotto topped with a grotesque mask, follow shaded paths, and find a small maze of box hedges that is a favourite with children. A stairway leads up the hillside to a belvedere terrace, from which there is a broad view over Verona's roofs, bell towers and the Adige. The visit takes about 45 to 75 minutes. The best photo angles are the cypress avenue seen from the gate, the grotto mask, and the terrace view of the city, particularly in clear weather. Spring and early autumn bring the best colour, while summer provides shade under the trees. Crowds are small, with groups arriving mainly at the weekend, and late morning is a quiet and pleasant time. The ticket costs EUR 14, with reduced rates for students and Verona Card holders and a family option. The garden is a 15-minute walk east of Ponte Pietra, so it combines naturally with the Roman Theatre, and the walk passes quiet streets with views across the river.