Northern Italy’s Hidden Treasures

Start your fascinating route at 8:00 a.m. from Lugano.

Your first stop is the city of Como and, in particular, the Broletto of Como, a medieval building that was once the seat of the municipality and public meetings, usually called by the bell in the tower next door.
It’s no coincidence that it’s adjacent to the Duomo, indicating the union of civil and religious power.
This place, which is iconic for the people of Cremona, can only be visited inside during events and exhibitions, and its location in the heart of the city makes it an excellent starting point to immerse yourself in Italian history.

You can't say you've been to Como if you haven't strolled at least a little along the shores of its peculiar Y-shaped lake.
Enjoy a relaxing stroll along the Como branch, a romantic spot par excellence, admiring the surrounding natural beauty and the many traces left by the ancient Romans, as can also be seen in the town's urban layout.

Now head for your next stop, driving along a road through Lombardy until you reach the Royal Palace in Monza. The Villa Reale, built at the behest of Archduke Ferdinand of Habsburg, is imposing and magnificent and has the typical U-shaped plan of 18th-century Lombardy villas.
But even more remarkable than the palace itself are the huge park, one of the largest enclosed green spaces in Europe, and the Royal Gardens, which are interesting from a landscaping, historical, and architectural point of view.
Take a stroll through what was the first "English" garden in Italy, discovering its most beautiful corners, and also admire the blooming roses in the Rose Garden – if you’re there during the flowering period, of course, when guided tours are also organized.
The interior of the villa, where art exhibitions are often held, can only be visited at weekends and on public holidays for a fee, while the park and Royal Gardens are accessible free of charge every day of the year.
For more information and to check all opening hours, please visit the website.

Crespi d'Adda is a unique place. This village was born out of a dream, the dream of Cristoforo Benigno Crespi, an Italian entrepreneur who, in 1878, founded this workers’ village using a water derivation from the River Adda as the driving force for the most advanced spinning systems of the time. His intention was to create a true ideal working town, a small fiefdom on the border between the rural and industrial worlds.
Today, Crespi d'Adda is a UNESCO Heritage Site, whose peculiarity is that it’s still inhabited.
Many of the current citizens are descendants of the first workers and are proud to pass on their origins to visitors.
The village can be visited free of charge and independently every day of the year, with the option of purchasing a kit as an information tool. Otherwise, you can also decide to take part in one of the guided tours that are organized on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays.
You can find all the information on guided tours and the Visitor Centre opening hours on the official website.

Have lunch in this elegant restaurant, which blends perfectly with its surroundings and overlooks the banks of the Adda River.
The strength of this place, alongside its location in the midst of vegetation, is the chance to enjoy refined flavours thanks to the surprising tasting menus, such as the one focusing on the highly valued Osietra Volzhenka Caviar, specially selected for the Osteria.
In addition to the tasting menus, you can choose individual traditional dishes from the Bergamo area, revisited with an original touch by the chef.
The restaurant is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. and from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.; reservations are recommended.
Visit the restaurant’s official website for more information and to book your table; reservation is recommended.

Before continuing on your road trip, take a look at Crespi D'Adda from above and see the incredible uniqueness this place offers.

Your route to discover the roots of Italian culture continues in a city famous for one of the most important arts that distinguish the Italian people: music.
Cremona, in fact, is a UNESCO Heritage Site for the craftsmanship of lutes, which have remained intact in their perfection from antiquity to the present day.
Philippe De Vanneaux's lute-making workshop will take you back in time, letting your imagination fly as you watch the construction of an ancient lute and also giving you the chance to get to know its romantic sound.
To have this kind of experience in the luteria, booking in advance is compulsory (also because the opening hours are not fixed). In addition, you can book a 15-minute live music session of either ancient or modern violins or both, which you must also book in advance.
For more information consult the official website or send an email to this address: [email protected].

As well as being the home of music, Cremona also hosts incredible artistic beauties, a clear example of which is Cremona Cathedral.
It’s a beautiful piece of Romanesque architecture adapted and embellished over time with Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque elements to create a unique harmony.
The imposing and majestic exterior can evoke unique emotions, as can the beautiful paintings preserved inside the cathedral, above all "The Crucifixion" by Pordenone.
Opening Hours: Monday – Thursday: 7:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., 3:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Saturday: 7:45 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Sunday: 7:45 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Visit the website for more information.

Before leaving Cremona, you need to take a look at the majestic Loggia dei Militi, one of the oldest buildings in the city, dating back to 1292.
The beautiful Gothic-style building is a feast for the eyes. Outside, you can also see the symbol of the city of Cremona: an arm with a ball, protected and supported by two figures, both representing Hercules, who, according to the legend, was the founder of Cremona.

On the way to Modena, stop to admire the Rocca Sanvitale, a magnificent example of a medieval castle dating back to the 14th century.
The uniqueness of this fortress is undoubtedly the moat that surrounds it and that is still filled with water, capable of captivating spectators and taking them back in time.
The Rocca can be visited inside on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, when visits take place at 10:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. On Sundays and public holidays, the ticket office is open from 10:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. and from 2:00 p.m. to 5:15 p.m., with guided tours approximately every 30 minutes.
Reservations recommended on the dedicated website.

Before treating yourself to the joys of Modenese cuisine, take a stroll through its historic centre.
Stop to admire the Duomo di Modena, symbol of the Emilian city dedicated to its patron saint: San Geminiano.
The cathedral is important not only from a spiritual point of view but also architecturally speaking, being the guardian of Romance architecture and one of the most important in Europe; in fact, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Observing the many fine details that the exterior of the church offers will be infinitely exciting!
The interior of the cathedral can be visited daily with the following opening times: 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
For more information consult the official website.

You’ll have dinner at this restaurant in the historic centre of Modena.
The restaurant offers you the chance to experience traditional dishes from Campania mixed with those from Emilia-Romagna in a triumph of authentic and genuine flavours.
This restaurant’s special feature is the care and intimacy reserved for the customer, as the restaurant has only five seats, which is why reservations are necessary.
The restaurant is open Tuesday to Saturday from 7:30 p.m. to midnight. On Sundays it’s open from 12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
See the official website for more information and to make a reservation.

Sleep in a historic building in the centre of Modena.
Here you'll have the chance to take a little trip back in time as you admire the 19th-century frescoes that decorate the hotel, and you'll sleep in rooms refined in detail with the theme of art linking them.
The next morning, enjoy a rich buffet breakfast with traditional Emilian dishes.
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