These are both questions I am often asked and the answer is that the balcony in Shakespeare’s play doesn’t exist, at least according to the experts who say that Shakespeare’s stage directions called for a window scene and not, as commonly believed, a balcony scene. To be honest, it is a bit of a tourist trap. The house has nothing to do with the fictional characters in Shakespeare’s play, and, from what I understand, the balcony was only added in the 1930s. Verona has so many absolutely wonderful attractions (you'll find the best of them here) that the Romeo and Juliet balcony shouldn't be at the top of your sightseeing list. That's not to say don't visit though, read on to see why...