VERONA, Italy — Millions of tourists flock to the home of Juliet, of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” fame, every year, spotlighting a beautiful piece of Medieval architecture. Most of them however come for very different reasons.
Verona is home to a variety of tourist attractions that provide visitors with a sense of what Italian life and history are like. One of the many attractions that exists is Juliet’s House, bringing in approximately 3 million visitors every year.
The story, “Romeo and Juliet,” doesn’t actually have any connection to that balcony nor the house itself, yet many gather to interact with the fantasy world that it portrays. The house actually belonged to the Cappello family and dates back to the 13th century, while the balcony was installed later in the 20th Century.
Despite not actually having a connection to the story, tourists still get excited to see Juliet’s statue in the courtyard and her balcony up on the level above. Some tourists even touch Juliet’s right breast as a token of good luck in their love lives. However, what’s unique is that each person feels a different and specific connection to the location.
Sam Callister, an American student from North Dakota, said that she had always wanted to come to Verona, because “[she] grew up reading Shakespeare with her dad, and this allowed [her] to feel a connection to him and the stories [they] read together.”
Hannah Allen, a Florida native, came to the courtyard specifically “to celebrate love.”
While these two individuals felt a strong connection to the tourist attraction, others didn’t feel that way entirely. When I asked Yula Gregory, a student visiting the area, about her experience there, she said that she didn’t know why she came. However she did say that “the story was really dramatic, so that was exciting!”
Experiences at Juliet’s house are different for everyone and provide a new and exciting look into Shakespeare’s romantic story.
Categories: Europe Travel
Europe Global Diplomacy and Journalism 