Romantic couples searching for the perfect wedding spot can now tie the knot on the Verona balcony immortalised by Shakespeare in "Romeo and Juliet".

浪漫佳偶如想找理想的結婚場所，現在可以考慮在維洛那的陽台共結連理，這個陽台是因莎士比亞名劇《羅密歐與茱麗葉》而名垂千古。

In fact a modern-day Romeo finally got his girl on June 1 when the northern Italian city of Verona opened up the balcony where Juliet pined for her lover as a venue for weddings.

事實上，當 6月1日義大利北部維洛那城那個讓茱麗葉思念愛人的陽台對外開放當結婚場所時，現代版羅密歐終於娶得美人歸。

The 13th century mansion of the Cappello family -- believed to be the Capulets of William Shakespeare's tragic play "Romeo and Juliet" -- has for years been a place of pilgrimage for lovers worldwide, who have scrawled love messages on its walls.

這座13世紀卡裴洛家族的古宅，據信就是屬於莎翁筆下四大悲劇之一《羅密歐與茱麗葉》中的卡普雷特家族，多年來一直是全世界情侶朝聖之地，牆上塗滿山盟海誓的留言。

Now, Verona's town council is offering couples the chance to follow in the footsteps of Shakespeare's "star-crossed lovers" and see for themselves "what light from yonder window breaks".

今天，維洛那市議會提供佳偶一個機會，跟隨莎士比亞「命運多舛的情侶」的腳步，親自體驗「窗口那邊透出的是什麼光亮？」

Verona officials hope the move will make the northwest of Italian city one of the world's wedding capitals. "We'll be offering tourist packages which include weddings, just like Las Vegas does," said Daniele Potalo, Verona 's councillor for tourism. "It's a way of using the city's artistic heritage to boost tourism".

維洛那官員希望，這項創舉能把義大利西北部這個城市打造成世界結婚之都。維洛那主管觀光的議員波塔洛說：「一如賭城拉斯維加斯，我們將提供遊客包括婚禮在內的套裝行程，藉由這種方式，我們希望利用維洛那的藝術遺產來提倡觀光。」

But the privilege of getting hitched in the courtyard where, legend has it, Romeo wooed his young lover, will not come cheap. Britons and other European Union nationals will be charged 800 euros (NT$37,000). Couples from outside the EU must pay 1,000 euros. Locals will have to pay a comparatively cheap 600 euros, although that is still expensive when compared with an ordinary marriage certificate in Italy, which costs just 50 euros.

但要在傳說中羅密歐向年輕愛侶求婚的庭院結婚，可是所費不貲。英國人和其他歐盟國家要價800歐元（約台幣3萬7千元）。歐盟以外國家的情侶則要付1,000歐元（約台幣4萬6千元）。當地人收費相對較低廉，約600歐元（台幣2萬7千元），但這和義大利通常結婚證書只收費50歐元（台幣2千元）相比仍然偏高。

The first Romeo to take advantage of the offer was soccer player star Luca Ceccarelli, who plays for local team Verona.

第一個捷足先登，得到「羅密歐體驗」的是義大利足球明星齊卡雷利，他目前效力當地的維洛那球隊。

"I feel very emotional. You know, marriage always gives strong emotions especially in a situation like this," said a beaming Ceccarelli, before exchanging rings with his Juliet, Irene Lamforti. "We hope that this bring us a lot of luck."

「我心情十分激動，各位都知道，結婚總是讓人心情激動，尤其在類似這種場合，」齊卡雷利在和他的茱麗葉愛琳‧藍佛提交換婚戒前說。「我們希望這會帶給我們幸福和好運。」

At that price, lovers will certainly hope for a happy ending.

付出這麼高昂的代價，佳偶當然希望能白首偕老。

The idea is part of a campaign by Verona, where William Shakespeare set his tale of star-crossed lovers, to foster its image as a romantic city. The campaign was known as “Sposami a Verona” Marry Me in Verona.

這項構想濫觴於維洛那有意發起一項運動，將莎翁筆下那對命運多舛的情侶的故事背景，塑造成一個浪漫的城市。這項運動通稱：「到維洛那嫁給我」。

The House of Juliet is one of the top tourist spots in a city that draws about 1.2 million visitors annually. Couples searching for the perfect place to say I do should look no further, for the House of Juliet where, legend has it, Romeo wooed the young maiden under her balcony.

在維洛那這個每年吸引120萬遊客的城市，茱麗葉故居是最熱門的觀光景點之一。刻意尋找理想地點來交心說「我願意」的情侶，今後可以不必再他求，因為傳說中，羅密歐就是在茱麗葉故居陽台下，向這位年輕的少女求婚。

The building is believed to have been the family home of the Cappellos who, according to legend, were Juliet’s family the Capulets in the play. However, historians claim there is scant evidence linking it to Shakespeare's tragic love story.

雖然這棟建築據信是卡裴洛家族故居，也就是傳說中莎翁悲劇中茱麗葉卡普雷特家族所有，但歷史學家聲稱，缺乏證據將它和莎翁悲慘的愛情故事聯想在一起。

Notwithstanding the lack of historical fact, the courtyard beneath the balcony contains a bronze statue of Juliet. Traditionally, the visitors first stroke the right breast of the languid bronze statue of Juliet in the courtyard, which believably brings good luck. They later leave passionate words on the house's walls and Gothic wooden doors.

儘管缺乏歷史實證，陽台下庭院中的確有一座茱麗葉銅像，依照傳統習俗，遊客如希望愛情順順利利，可以先到院子裡摸摸悲傷茱麗葉銅像右側的乳房，稍後再到她故居牆上和哥德式木門上留下熾熱的誓言。

The Juliet's House had to be closed a year ago so that it could be scrubbed clean of graffiti messages and blobs of bubble gum left on its walls by tourists. A radical clean-up has led to the removal of thousands of scribbled amorous words, hearts, arrows and intertwined initials from the walls. The restoration cost 150,000 euros (NT$6,900,000).

茱麗葉故居一年前暫停開放，以便清除遊客在牆上信筆塗寫的愛的誓言和留下的一坨坨口香糖渣。大掃除時清除了成千上萬則信筆拈來的愛情誓言、心形圖案、邱比特的箭和互相糾纏的姓名首字母。修復費用約15萬歐元（台幣690萬）。

The love note-writing tradition dates from 1937, when the first letter sent to Juliet was found by her tomb. "Each year we receive thousands of letters, simply addressed to 'Juliet, Verona.' We have a Juliet Club which collects the missives and replies to everybody. Each year, on Valentine's Day the best letters are awarded a prize," Verona's public works counsellor Vittorio Di Dio said.

寫愛情便條的傳統可以上溯到1937年，當時在茱麗葉墓旁發現第一封寄給茱麗葉的信。「我們每年收到成千上萬封信，署名寄給『維洛那的茱麗葉』。我們成立了茱麗葉俱樂部，負責收集每個人的信件和回音。每年情人節還頒獎給最優美的情書，」維洛那公共工程顧問狄迪歐說。

Photo shows Luca Ceccarelli (R) kisses his wife Irene Lanforti after getting married at Casa di Giulietta in Verona June 1, 2009.

圖（路透）為齊卡雷利（右）6月1日和妻子藍佛提結婚後在茱麗葉故居陽台上親吻。