Verona is to be counted among the most vibrant cities of northern Italy, both culturally and in the vivacity of daily life in its elegant streets. Verona is indeed style and elegance itself. The Castelvecchio of the 1350s, built by the then ruling Scaliger family, extends onto a fortified bridge over the Adige River. But Verona most of all stands for the romanticism of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, and their impossible love caught in the mortal rivalry between his wealthy Montague family of Ghibellines and her equally rich Capulet family, leaders of the Veronese Guelphs. The tragic emotion of a visit to their legendary balcony on the inner court of an ancient palazzo can fortunately be washed away afterwards with a good glass of Amarone wine, as the region of Verona is one of Italy's most important producers of quality wines, including Valpolicella, Soave, Bardolino and Durello.