The best traffic-free bike rides around Torre De' Picenardi

A visit to this unusual museum is definitely worthwhile. Current prices, opening hours, and restrictions can be found here: https://museoverticale.it/

The historic city of Cremona in Lombardy is dominated by a monumental bell tower, the Torrazzo. At 112 meters tall, it is the tallest brick bell tower in Europe and one of the most impressive medieval structures in Italy. The Torrazzo was built gradually between the 13th and 14th centuries as part of the cathedral complex. Its brick construction testifies to both the technical ingenuity of medieval builders and the city's ambition to express its power and importance. In 1583, a unique astronomical clock was added to the tower, which still fascinates with its accuracy. Climbing the Torrazzo is a spiritual journey from earth to heaven, and it is not difficult to ascend the 502 steps that lead to the final terrace to enjoy a breathtaking 360° panorama. The visit includes a stop in the rooms dedicated to the study of time and astronomy in the new Vertical Museum, which was inaugurated in November 2018. https://www.cattedraledicremona.it/torrazzo-interno/?lang=de

A splendid Renaissance square dominated by the three figures of the Cathedral, the Baptistery, and the Torrazzo, which offers a panoramic view of the entire Po Valley.

Isola Dovarese is a gem set along the course of the Oglio River, a village that proudly preserves its historical soul. Walking along its streets means immersing yourself in a past made of Renaissance architecture and atmospheres of times gone by, where every stone tells of ancient glories and community life. The beating heart of the village is the splendid Piazza Matteotti, a large quadrangular space surrounded by porticoes, designed by the architects of the Vignola school. Here, every year, the Palio di Isola Dovarese brings the seventeenth century back to life: an event that transforms the village into a large open-air theater, among period costumes, flags in the wind and historical reenactments. But Isola Dovarese is also nature and slowness: the Oglio River embraces the village and invites contemplation, the discovery of paths that wind through woods and countryside. A place where history meets quiet and where every journey becomes an experience. (Anna)

Crossing the Gravel trail that passes through Villarocca means immersing yourself in a landscape suspended between past and present, where history is harmoniously intertwined with rural life. The route winds through ruins full of memories, ancient buildings that tell of distant eras, and farmhouses still inhabited, witnesses of a territory that, although inhabited by few, retains its lush soul. Pedaling along the dirt paths, the rhythm of the wheels mixes with the sound of the wind that caresses the countryside and the echoes of a time that seems to have never vanished. Villarocca welcomes wayfarers with its authenticity: a succession of suggestive views, between cultivated fields, rows of centuries-old trees and stone walls that conceal stories of toil and beauty. The trail invites you to discover, to contemplate a territory that, although far from the crowds, pulsates with life in its most genuine forms. It is a journey that goes beyond a simple pedal, an experience that celebrates the resilience of a land that, silently, continues to thrive.

The tallest brick tower in Italy is also a vertical museum about time measurement and astronomy.

Tower of Cremona

Square where they hold the goose palio