My Travels in Northeastern Italy

My first city was Udine in the Province of Friuli-Venezia Giulia located in northeastern Italy.  The City “Centro” or old city was very nice.  It was a nice combination of majestic old homes, ancient buildings and cobblestone streets lined with modern shopping.  The city center was a beehive of activity.  It was a great people-watching place.  At the center of the old city was a large hill, on top of which was an ancient monastery.  I walked up the steep steps to find an excellent promenade around the buildings that gave an outstanding view of the city below and the surrounding mountains.  This was a very nice city to visit.  I stayed at the Astoria Italia Hotel situated just on the periphery of the area of greatest activity.  The hotel was a nicely refurbished building of the ancient style of the rest of the “Centro”.  I have some very good food here and a very enjoyable time.

My next location was an excellent country Locanda (an Italian B&B) located in the very rustic village of San Pietro in Cerro.  It was a beautiful place managed by a beautiful group of people.  The name is Locanda del Re Guerriero (www.locandareguerriero.it) and it is a place I would highly recommend if you enjoy a very peaceful country setting.  I’ve written apiece describing my first morning there and that will, hopefully, give you a sense of the place.  A nearby osteria, Osteria L’Angolo Nascosto, run by a very nice couple, was a good dinner recommendation.  The restaurant was a part of a lovely country home and the local patrons were a pleasure to be around.  I spent three nights at the Locanda and was sorry to depart.

During my three days at the Locanda I visited Cremona, a medium sized city just 30 minutes away.  In Cremona the “Centro” was not so appealing.  There were many ancient buildings but the local activity was not so great and there were, therefore, not so many opportunities to see what their lives might be like.  The people I did see taking their walks were mostly older, with a few families sprinkled amongst them.  The city was not a place I would revisit.  However, this day presented me with what may well be the best luncheon I have ever had.  I departed Cremona in search of dal Pescatore Santini (www.dalpescatore.com) in the very small village of Runate.  This meal and place are another story.

I visited Mantova, a very nice city located two hours east of the Locanda.  I had an excellent day walking the “Centro” and followed that with a very nice dinner at Osteria Ochina Bianco.  The city was an excellent blend of the new and the ancient.  The city was very active and the people were dynamic, like in Udine and unlike those in Cremona.  This is not necessarily a city I would revisit but I did enjoy this visit very much.

On my way to my writing seminar in Tuscany I stopped for a visit to Piacenza, located just an hour west of the Locanda.  Piacenza was a bit larger city, much more multi-cultural and a very interesting place to visit.  I was fortunate to visit on the day of the local market.  The market was enormous.  There were hordes of people of every size and shape and ethnicity and economic group.  It was so much fun to walk amongst them and to sit and watch them.  This is a city I could definitely revisit.  It had a vibrant “Centro” and an excellent mix of new and ancient.  Regarding the market, despite the fact that it is late in their growing season, it was amazing.  I dallied there for a long time.