Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil hands makes Juliet’s left boob cracked and disfigured…

For those of you familiar with the classic love story, you may have heard a different tragic ending to this romance. But in the fair streets of Verona, where touching the boob of Juliet is seen as a simple solution to life long luck in love, the bronze statue is facing a totally different fate. Yes, one of Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers is being groped by so many love-deperate tourists that it is rubbing off a lot more than just luck.

The courtyard that is said to be the location where William Shakespeare based one of his most famous scenes. The very place where Romeo courted Juliet from her bedroom balcony in the middle of the night. Even in middle school I thought the entire story was more creepy than romantic. The way to a girls heart is no longer through late night trespassing and vandalising her bedroom window with stones. Just post a tacky couple selfie on Instagram and hashtag #iloveyou. Maybe even add the love heart emoji. You will have her heart forever.

Or take her to Verona. Verona is swarmed with couples. And not the cute, we-are-in-Paris-kissing-in-front-of-the-eiffel-tower couples. These couples are even worse. These are competitive, “our love isn’t valid until we have a photo on Juliet’s balcony” couples. Like their quick assault on Juliet’s body isn’t enough. Apparently lifelong luck in love just doesn’t cut it. They must line up to get their photo taken on a balcony. A balcony where a fictional couple yelled creepy romantic poetry to each other, only days prior to committing suicide. #Romantic.

But annoying, couply tourists and groping aside, Verona is a lovely city. The city is home to a  first century Roman stadium. It is not on the same scale of the Colosseum in Rome, but is a magnificent structure. And no Roman structure is complete without the people dressed in Roman gladiator gear, charging a euro to be the feature in your holiday snaps.

We spend the day strolling around the charming cobblestone streets, eating fresh fruit and mouth-watering Italian gelato and of course, everyone got the chance to go to second base with Juliet. Sorry Romeo…