The world's most romantic balcony in Verona. Photo / Supplied
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene:
Home to the world's most romantic balcony, it's not every holiday house that's the stage for a Shakespearean tragic tale of hapless lovers.
However, you could soon be spending a getaway here with the star-crossed lover in your life, soliloquising to your hearts content.
AirBnB has listed Casa di Giulietta, ("Juliet's house" in Inglese) in the beautiful town of Verona on their lettings website.
Conveniently in time for Valentine's day.
The bookings website is giving hopeless romantics the opportunity to spend the night in the 14th century Gothic hovel .
All without having to drink a drop of poison or stab themselves through the heart.
Instead of a taste of forbidden love, the lucky couple will be served up a candle-lit dinner by the Michelin Starred chef Giancarlo Perbellini, who runs five of Verona's most celebrated restaurants.
Apart from the setting of one of the most well-known love stories, the Casa is also home to the Juliet Club.
The Juliet Club receives 50,000 letters a year from those unhappy in love. Originally a spontaneous phenomenon, the club was established in 1972 to deal with the thousands of very real letters being addressed to the fictional character of Juliet. Today the club employs 45 secretaries to deal with around the world and multiple languages.
Winners of Airbnb's competition will have private access to the club's archives, and unrivalled views from that famous balcony.
All Airbnb is asking for to determine a winner for this prize, is entrants to pen their very own "letter to Juliet".
To be in to win, couples have 1000 characters to sum up their love story and let Juliet (and Airbnb) know why they deserve a night in la Casa.
Couples have until 6pm on Monday February 3 to enter. To save on postage – entries can be submitted via airbnb.com/Juliet
Juliet's House
Some have said the two warring families from Shakespeare's story – the Montagues and Capulets – were better known locally as the Monticoli and the Cappellos. Though this might be a bit of a stretch.
However there was a Giulietta Cappello who lived in Verona's famous house at 23 Via Cappello. Although there's nothing to suggest that the scenic balcony belonged to her room. There is, however, statue of Giulietta and a bright red postbox in the courtyard to which she still has letters delivered.
Romeo, Romeo, time to go homeo
In Verona's via Arche Scaligere there is a fortified house that popular tradition has labelled "the house of Romeo." A document recording a medieval fire locates the Monticoli's house at this spot, and it's a rumour the current owners are willing to fan the flames of.
A plaque has been put on the side of the building with Shakespeare's words:
"O where is Romeo?
Tut I have lost myself, I am not here,
this is not Romeo, he's some other where"
The house is privately owned but this inscription can be seen from the road.
Happily ever after
In the convent of San Francescao al Corso, you will find the grave of Juliet. Sort of.
The crypt where the body of Giulietta was supposedly interned is now a popular site of pilgrimage for those suffering in love. The setting for Shakespeare's final act, what can be seen today is mostly a 1930s folly. However the dramatic red marble sarcophagus was placed by the then Director of the Veronese Museums to mark the site where Cappello's mausoleum once was.
Desperate for a summer getaway but don't want the admin? Waiheke has the answers.