Italian couple who fell in love from different balconies prepare for first date as lockdown eases

Paola Agnelli and Michele D’Alpaos tell Zoe Tidman about starting a love affair in a locked down city that has played host to one of the world’s best known tales of forbidden romance

Paola Agnelli and Michele D'Alpaos, two neighbours in Verona, have fallen in love during the coronavirus pandemic (Paola Agnelli / BBC)

In the city perhaps best known as the setting for Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, two star-crossed lovers have struck up a romance across their balconies – but it was not warring families that kept them apart.

Paola Agnelli and Michele D’Alpaos, who began their love affair from afar in Verona, northern Italy after lockdown measures were imposed, have never been closer than just a few metres.

Now after months in lockdown, they are among the millions in the region due to come out from quarantine this weekend.

“There are so many restrictions compared to what a relationship would normally have,” Paola, a 39-year-old lawyer, tells The Independent.

However, despite the obvious difficulties, the pair are looking forward to meeting for their first socially-distanced date.

“At the moment, we’re waiting because lockdown finishes in Veneto on Sunday evening,” Michele, who works in a bank, tells The Independent.

“I have said at midnight on the dot, I’ll be at the door ringing the bell to see you.”

They got talking after the 38-year-old spotted Paola from his balcony while listening to her sister playing the violin for the neighbourhood one night in March during the national lockdown.

When he told his family she had caught his eye, he got her name and added her on Instagram – and their relationship blossomed from there.

They started messaging over social media, exchanged numbers and starting texting and calling frequently until they fell in love.

However, their romance has been complicated by the coronavirus pandemic, with Italians ordered to stay at home to stop the virus from spreading.

“The only time we have ever seen each other at a close distance was when a journalist came to interview us and brought us down to the garden,” Michele says.

“We saw each other with around six metres between us wearing our masks.”

He said: “We are lucky we can see each other from the balcony. We go on the balcony on the phone and we can see each other around 30m away.”

Although the pandemic may have stopped the new couple from seeing each other, it has not put an end to romantic gestures.

Michele once hung a banner with “Paola” written on it from his balcony, and has sent flowers for Easter, Paola said.

However, the couple can start thinking about their first date as Italy lifts its first wave of lockdown measures on 4 May, allowing people to take socially-distanced walks and go to parks and gardens again.

“You’ve got to have a mask and stay 1m away from others when out and about,” Michele said.

Paola said the couple have talked about going on a bike ride together when restrictions are lifted while wearing their face masks.

Maybe they will go and visit Juliet’s balcony in their city in the future, she said.

“First, we want to meet each other in the garden right next to our house for our first ever hug.”