Verona, the city of Romeo and Juliet, is located in Italy. It’s in the north-eastern part of the country, about halfway between Milan and Venice. Verona sits on a hilltop with the River Adige running through it. The play is set in the late medieval period, around the year 1300. We often hear about Romeo and Juliet as if it were a play about two star-crossed lovers, but in fact it’s a play about an entire city.
Shakespeare set the story of Romeo and Juliet in the ancient city of Verona in Italy. It was said to be one of the most powerful cities of its time, but war raged between the two rival families who lived there: The Montagues (a noble family) and The Capulets (a royal family). Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet fall in love with each other despite being from rival families; their relationship is doomed from the start, leading to tragedy; Verona was a prosperous city at this time due to its position on trade routes.
