Cities Along the Po River

Italy - Cities Along the Po River
By Michael Russell

When considering touring Italy, most visitors probably want to see the major cities of Florence, Rome, Venice. Without a doubt, these are the highlights for a reason. But smaller towns can provide a better understanding of Italian history and offer their own fascination. These places were the backdrop for the struggle for power that comprised much of the drama of Italian history.

Cremona, founded by the Romans in 218 BC, is quite simply the violin capital of the world. The streets are lined with the shops of makers of all manner of stringed instruments. You can see a demonstration of violin-making and make a visit to the collezione di Palazzo Comunale where the town collection is on display. These beloved instruments - the oldest by Andrea Amati dates back to 1566 - are played regularly to keep them in good physical condition.

It's hard to miss the town's connection with Stradivarius, who is perhaps the most famous of the illustrious line of violin-makers of Cremona. The Stradivarian Museum contains objects from his workshop, there's a statue to him on the Piazza Stradivari and there's the Tomb of Stradivari in the Piazza Roma. The International Violinmakers School is also located in Cremona at the Palazzo Raimondi. If you aren't on a tour, your first stop should be the tourist information office in the Piazza del Comune, for a map and information.

Parma is the next stop and it is indeed the home of the famed Parma ham and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Although famous for its food, Parma was once the capital of a grand duchy ruled over by the Farnese family. It was, for a time, a possession of Austria. It is also known for a scent produced locally, Violetta di Parma.

The town associated with the famous composer Giuseppe Verdi is Roncole where he was born. It has since changed its name to Roncole-Verdi in his honor. His home is the main attraction of the tiny village. His professional career began when Antonio Barezzi, a wealthy merchant, asked him to move to Busseto and become a music teacher for his daughter, Margherita. Barezzi became not only Verdi's patron, but also his father-in-law when Verdi married Margherita in 1836. A monument to Verdi overlooks the town square, which is also the site of the annual Verdi Festival. There is, of course, a museum to the famous son and a tiny gem of a theatre built in his honor. It is said that Verdi never actually set foot in the theater which opened in 1868. Verdi was against building it, saying the theater was too expensive and would be useless in the future. But the town fathers went ahead regardless of his resistance. He was absent at its opening even though one of his most famous operas, Rigoletto, was performed. The elegant theater has been restored and reopened, but in a sense Verdi was right. It only holds 300 people.