Romeo, Juliet make Verona a proposal venue

VERONA, Italy, Feb. 11 (UPI) -- The fictional Romeo and Juliet's home town of Verona, Italy, is one of the world's top cities for marriage proposals, the online travel site Cheapflights says.

Couples seem to be attracted to the Renaissance flavor of the city made famous by Shakespeare's 16th-century play about two star-crossed teenagers, the Web site said. However, Italy's ANSA news service said Cheapflights urged visitors to skip a visit to the popular home of a long-ago, real-life family reputed to be Shakespeare's inspiration for the House of Capulet, of which Juliet was a member.

"Take a stroll through the Giardino Giusti instead," said the site.

If Verona is too intimidating for nervous soon-to-be grooms, then Paris, New Orleans and London are also on the list of romantic backdrops.