( Lonely Planet ) -- Romance runs rich through Italy 's veins , with icons of amore to melt the hardest heart . But the most famous sight is n't always the most swoon-worthy ; find the real romance of Italy with a hot date at one of these alternative picks . Verona . Romance icon : Juliet 's balcony . The dainty stone balcony at the 14th-century Casa di Giulietta is a magnet for lovers ( and Shakespeare fans ) . Visiting romantics scrawl heart-rending graffiti in the charming courtyard and smooch on the balcony with their own Romeos . It 's all rather lovely , which means tourists generally remain untroubled by the lack of any connection between the fictional lovers and the Veronese noblemen who actually lived here . The alternative : the Roman arena by night . If literature 's star-crossed lovers do n't inspire , spend a balmy evening at Verona 's 1st-century Roman amphitheater . Find a space for two on the steep stone steps , and the evening is yours to sip wine , be dazzled by on-stage theatrics , and gaze at a starry sky . Take snacks , a blanket and most essentially , a pillow ( those stone steps have seriously bum-numbing qualities ) . Thrifty lovers can snap up tickets for summer operas and ballets from as little as 10 euros ( www.arena.it ) . Lonely Planet : Italy for honeymooners . Venice . Romance icon : a gondola ride . Climbing aboard Venice 's iconic boats to drift around the city 's canals , to the tune of a singing gondolier , is the holy grail of Italy 's romantic experiences . That is , until you see the price tag . There 's no doubting the beauty of Venice from the water , but the pleasure does n't come cheap ( and yes , they do charge extra for the singing ) . The alternative : a bicycle made for two . Flee the flocks of visitors in central Venice with a summer ferry excursion to The Lido . With a day 's bicycle hire , you and your date can pedal around the shady streets and catch some R & R away from Venice 's manic center . Check out www.lidoonbike.it , who can set you up with the most kitsch date there is , a two-seater tandem bike . Rome . Romance icon : Trevi Fountain . Throw in one coin , and you 'll return to Rome someday . Throw in two , you 'll marry an Italian . Throw in more than that and well , desperate is not a good look . Lovers line up to take each other 's photo next to this jaw-dropping edifice , but crowds and coin-hurling visitors do n't make for a dream date . The alternative : the dome of St Peter 's Basilica . Who would have thought the holiest of holies is the perfect place for a secret kiss ? Start early for a climb to the top of Vatican City 's gigantic dome ( but spare yourself the blisters and take the lift part-way ) . If you 're there for the opening time of 8 a.m. , you 'll likely have a hazy view of Vatican City all to yourselves , and ample space for a quick smooch . Lonely Planet : Explosive Italy : a volcano-lover 's guide . Florence . Romance icon : Galleria degli Uffizi . With the muscular form of Michelangelo 's David setting hearts a-flutter outside the Galleria dell'Accademia , and comely Renaissance maidens in every gallery , it 's the artistic heart of Florence that plucks at the heart strings . And nowhere elicits lovelorn sighs more than the Uffizi , with emblems of love like Botticelli 's `` The Birth of Venus '' gracing its walls . But museum fatigue from the brain-boggling volume of art , not to mention bumping elbows with hordes of other visitors , can sap that lovin ' feeling . The alternative : Giardino di Boboli . These gardens , a short walk from the Uffizi , are a perfect lovers ' escape ( learn more on the official website ) . The further you wander into the gardens , the more secluded spaces you 'll find . Seek out a manicured corner of Florence 's most beautiful green space , breathe in the scent of citrus trees and sigh among statues of bathing nymphs . Lonely Planet : Europe 's greatest seaside escapes . © 2011 Lonely Planet . All rights reserved .
Snap up tickets for summer operas and ballets for as little as 10 euros in Verona . Flee the flocks of visitors in central Venice with a summer ferry excursion to The Lido . Get a view of Vatican City all to yourselves by heading to the dome of St Peter 's Basilica early .