The Ducal Palace (Palazzo Ducale) in Mantova, is a complex of buildings that once served as the residence of the mighty Gonzaga family. Rooms in the complex go on and on…over 500 rooms, courtyards, gardens, and galleries highlight centuries of art, history, and architecture.
Flowery frescoes all around the palace.
Nearby is an archeological museum with many artifacts from the region and well-presented exhibits with explanations in English and Italian. Sunday we spent a good portion of our day exploring these museums.
On Monday we learned that the poet Virgil was born near Mantua.
The staircase below leads to a quirky museum about the life and works of Virgil.
Leaving the museum we caught a glimpse of the sun setting over the city.
We had a good 4 night stay in Mantua. We learned a lot about the Gonzaga family, the poet Virgil, ate pumpkin-filled pastas, and caught up on laundry. On Tuesday, we took a short bus ride to Bozollo and then transferred to a train for the final leg of a 2-hour trip to Cremona. The train was sleek with three different levels. It was bound for the Milan Central station and Cremona was an interim stop. Tickets for the trip were €6.70 each…a deal!
We arrived in Cremona late in the afternoon. Our hotel, Albergo Duomo is in the city center.
The Duomo and nearby tower are impressive.
The tower next to the Duomo of Cremona is the Torrazzo di Cremona which is 112 meters (367 feet) tall, it is the highest medieval tower in Italy, and one of the tallest brick bell towers in Europe. The Torrazzo was completed in the early 14th century.
At its base, the tower houses an atronomical clock . The clock’s face is painted with zodiac signs and celestial imagery, displaying the movements of the sun and moon relative to the constellations.
Much to our surprise, Wednesday is market day in Cremona…they seem to get larger in each city we’ve visited.
Cremona is an elegant city with many sights. We have a few more days to explore before we leave for our next stop Torino.
