The best time to attend Arena di Verona in 2026 is June 12 to September 12, 2026 (103rd festival).
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Opera in the arena · June 12 to September 12, 2026 (103rd festival)
Grand opera inside a nearly 2,000-year-old arena.
Verona's Roman arena has staged opera every summer since 1913, when a production of Aida marked the centenary of Verdi's birth, making this the longest continuously running open-air opera festival on earth, broken only by the world wars. Built around 30 AD for gladiator games, it now seats roughly 15,000 for a performance, a fraction of its original Roman capacity. It's one of Trailwind's Legendary Venues: log a show here in Passport, and On Tour flags it automatically if an artist you follow plays here.
Opera festival, founded: 1913
Where it is visible: Verona, Italy
Book at least four to six weeks ahead for a title production in July or August; Aida and Nabucco sell fastest, and opening night goes first. Early June and September dates sometimes still have seats close to showtime. Stone tiers cool off after 11pm even in a Verona summer, so bring something warm, and there is no automatic refund for rain, just a discounted rebooking if a show stops before the first act ends.
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