Useful info

Fairs

Mondomusica – Cremona
Il Bontà – Cremona
Fiera Internazionale del bovino da latte – Cremona
Fiera dei Mangiari – Mantova
Sapori & Colori – Mantova
Vivere Vintage – Mantova
Salone del Camper – Parma
Mercanteinfiera autunno – Parma
Mercanteinfiera primavera – Parma
Cibus – Parma
Cibus Tec – Parma
Abitare il tempo – Verona
Vinitaly – Verona
Fieracavalli – Verona
Fieragricola – Verona

Where to eat

Trattoria Tratto Bene Closed on Sundays, opening hours: Monday to Wednesday 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Thursday to Saturday 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. – midnight Different menu every day, respecting the authenticity and ancient traditions of the “Bassa”. In the summer season you can enjoy fresh dishes with vegetables and natural products Vicobellignano di Casalmaggiore – CR Via Molossi, 29 – Tel 0375 42112 The Trattoria is 200 m from Luna Residence Hotel

Osteria della Bassa Closed on Tuesdays Casalmaggiore (Vicobellignano) – CR Via Dante Alighieri, 66, 2 – Tel. 0375 40987 The restaurant is 200 m from Luna Residence Hotel www.facebook.com/osteriadellabassa

Piccolo Paradiso Closed Mondays – Fixed menu – pizza at noon – fresh fish all week. Outdoor tables are under a wooden pergola and the indoor setting is comfortable and hospitable. Vicobellignano di Casalmaggiore – CR Via Molossi, 47 – Tel. and Fax 0375 201312. The restaurant is 250 m from Luna Residence Hotel

Piàsa Vècia Closed Tuesdays – hours from 10.30 am to 3 pm and from 5.30 pm to midnight At the salsamenteria Piàsa Vècia you can taste excellent wine, high quality cold cuts and cheeses also fresh homemade pasta Casalmaggiore Cr – Piazza Turati, 16 . Tel. 340 7104893 The restaurant is 2000 m from Luna Residence Hotel

Osteria La Dispensa In “Piazza delle Armi,” in Sabbioneta, where the castle once stood, the Osteria la dispensa, framed by the “Galleria degli Antichi,” offers refined and traditional Mantuan cuisine using only natural, selected and aged products. From pumpkin ravioli to pike in sauce and mule stew, the menu is enhanced by traditional desserts such as “Sbrisolona” cake with zabaglione and the intense aroma of Mantuan Lambrusco. Closed Mondays Sabbioneta – MN Via Galleria, 3 – Tel. 0375 221107 The restaurant is 8 km from Luna Residence Hotel

Ristorante Corte Bondeno Ancient farmhouse built in the 1700s remains unchanged in its masonry structure, and furnishings, located in the quiet and peace of the Lombard-Emilian Po Valley, typical local cuisine and traditional menus Sabbioneta – MN Via Mezzana Loria – Tel. 349 6520504 – 345 8012912 The restaurant is distant12 km from Luna Residence Hotel

Antica Trattoria Gianna Closed Monday evenings and Tuesdays- Typical local cuisine and different menus depending on the season.The restaurant is beautifully furnished and air-conditioned, the walls and ceiling are decorated with frescoes and paintings. Surrounded by greenery ideal in summer Recorfano di Voltido – CR Via Maggiore, 12 – Tel. 0375 98351 – 380371 The Trattoria is about 14 km from Luna Residence Hotel

What to eat

Il salame Peasant civilization rhymes with salami, with pig farming. The pig was a source of wealth for the people of the fields, from the meat of the famous animal was obtained enough to feed entire families. This farming tradition gave rise to the Cremonese salami industry, which boasts an international reputation, with brands of absolute quality. Traditional Cremonese salami, soft with a hint of garlic, is deservedly famous. Alongside the famous salami are all the other products generously bestowed by the pig: mortadella, cooked and raw hams. The presence of numerous producers, dedicated to pork and beef processing in the Po Valley, is due to the seamless integration of the dairy industry, cereal cultivation (especially corn) and pig farming: cereals and grasslands provide the feed for pigs and dairy cows, whey from a by-product becomes excellent feed for pigs, manure and slurry maintain and improve the fertility of the land, with corrections due to the nitrate problem, and artisans first and industries later process the milk and meat. In March 1995, the Cremona Salami Protection Consortium was founded with the aim of enhancing the production of the salami, the pride of the Cremona table. The Consortium has successfully begun the procedure to obtain Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status and is on the home stretch for European recognition.

Il culatello Culatello di Zibello is a protected designation of origin cured meat typical of the province of Parma. It is also listed among the Slow Food Presidia of Emilia Romagna. It is produced from the thigh of the pig. The Consorzio del Culatello di Zibello has established that processing can only take place in a specific and circumscribed area and exclusively in the period between October and February, when the Bassa is shrouded in fog and cold. It is in that period that the part of meat obtained from the thigh of adult pigs, raised according to traditional methods, is dehorned, defatted, boned, separated from the bow and trimmed by hand, so as to give it its characteristic “pear” shape. These operations will then be followed, after about ten days, by salting and the so-called investiture, that is, stuffing the sausage into the pig’s bladder and tying it with twine, which, after curing, should be large and irregularly meshed. Curing in the cellar accompanies Culatello from winter mists to summer sultriness, to arrive on our tables the following winter in the fullness of its most original flavor qualities. The aging period is from a minimum of 10 months for the smaller pieces (at least 3 kg) to an average of 14 months for all pieces. Annual production is about 50,000 pieces of Culatello di Zibello DOP. Zibello is about 30 km from Luna Residence

Il Parmigiano Reggiano e il Grana Padano Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano are very similar cheeses whose production technology is almost identical. Differences in aging and cow feeding denote a higher quality of Parmigiano Reggiano than Grana Padano. Parmigiano Reggiano is produced with one processing per day, Grana Padano can be produced with two processing. Since the milk comes from two daily milkings (evening and morning), Grana Padano can by law be produced with milk from only one milking even though this is not normally the case. Both cheeses are prized and very good, and typical of the cuisine of the lower Po Valley. Grana Padano is a PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) cheese that must be produced, according to the regulations, in a well-defined area, from raw milk from cows with controlled feed, and only from authorized dairies, in traditional double-bottomed copper boilers. The province of Cremona is one of the largest producers of Grana Padano: every dairy in the province makes the wheels, which are sold at its own store or organized distribution.

Il tortelli di zucca e il cotechino Tortelli di zucca: of Mantuan, Cremonese, and Ferrara tradition, the earliest historical references to tortelli or cappellacci di zucca date back to the year 1000, both in the Ferrara and Mantua areas, in the courts of the Este and Gonzaga families. The traditional dressing (melted butter and cheese) is sometimes flavored with a few leaves of sage. The traditional recipe has them seasoned with melted butter and Parmesan cheese. An excellent alternative is a cherry tomato sauce simmered a little and enriched with dried chilies. To avoid prolonged cooking, do not add water but only a little wine. Pumpkin tortelli are the traditional Christmas Eve dish with their special taste, in which the sweetness of pumpkin and the spiciness of mustard are combined. Pumpkin tortelli consist of egg pastry shells, usually rectangular in shape with a closed size of about 60 x 35 mm, filled with a mixture of boiled pumpkin, macaroons, mostarda, grana cheese and nutmeg. Rightly included among traditional Italian agri-food products, it is the signature dish of Mantuan cuisine, but it is also widespread, with a few variations, in the nearby provinces of Parma, Reggio nell’Emilia, Piacenza and Cremona. The salient feature of this dish is the combination of the sweet flavor of the pumpkin, with the salty of the grana cheese, the bittersweet of the amaretti and the spicy of the mostarda. In Casalmaggiore, the best of the Casalasca gastronomic tradition (as this area of the Cremona region is called) is on stage from November 1 to 6, with tastings of blisgon, the pumpkin tortello, and cotechino, the true stars of local cuisine. Both cotechino and blisgon from Casalmaggiore were granted DE.CO, or the “mark” of Denominazione Comunale, in 2010. Cotechino is the cornerstone dish of winter gastronomy in the Cremonese, Mantuan and Casalasco areas in particular. This sausage is prepared from the meat of freshly slaughtered pork. Pig breeding has always been practiced in these areas, and pork processing has achieved excellent results.

Il lesso e la mostarda No less frequent on Cremonese tables is boiled meat, accompanied by the ever-present mostarda. Sweet and savory come together as one, combining flavors that seem to recall ancient Roman cuisine. A leading cattle-breeding province and the land of great charcuterie, Cremona puts meat first, after soups. Cremonese lesso can be either beef, enriched in cooking with chicken feet, bones, and vegetables, or chicken stuffed with mortadella, meat bread, and cheese. The meat mixture is accompanied, unfailingly, by mostarda, a typical product of Cremona and its territory. Cremonese mostarda is the same age as nougat, or nearly so: made with whole fruits or in large chunks, it is different from Mantua’s sliced or minced. It consists of candied fruit dipped in glucose syrup flavored with mustard. The most commonly used fruits, whole or in pieces, are cherries, pears, mandaranges, figs, apricots, peaches, melons, plums, citrons, pumpkin and watermelon. The origin of Mostarda di Cremona is, as the name implies, in preparations made from grape must (mustum ardens), which, cooked and concentrated, was consumed in its natural state or with small amounts of mustard.

I marubini Marubini are a type of stuffed pasta recognized as a traditional food product for the Lombardy region. A typical dish of the Cremonese and Piacenza plains, with a filling made from braised beef, pistum (Cremonese salami mixture), grana padano cheese, and nutmeg that are cooked and served in the three broths obtained using beef, pork, and chicken. They are also usually eaten in the northeastern Piacenza plain. In the rest of the Piacentino and Parmense areas there is a closely related dish, however, which goes by the name of anolini and which the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies has recognized, at the proposal of the Emilia-Romagna Region, as one of the traditional Italian food products typical of the province of Piacenza. Marubino in brodo is undoubtedly the most classic of first courses. Its origin dates back to the mid-1500s: the recipe was handed down to us by Platina himself. The filling of marubino consists of: beef stew, salamella or fresh garlic salami, Grana Padano cheese, and, of course, brodo di terza. Caposaldo is the tortello cremasco, in ingredients close to the casalasco tortello, but more elaborate in filling. Other Cremasque specialties: puff pastry filled with cheese, grana, raisins, mostaccino, candied citron, mints, nutmeg, lemon, egg marsala, which has moment of glory in the famous “Tortellata cremasca” in Crema at the turn of Ferragosto.

I dolci cremonesi Among the typical sweets of the Cremonese land, one cannot fail to mention Torrone, a mixture of sugar, honey and almonds that owes its origin to the great celebrations in 1441 for the marriage of Bianca Maria Visconti and Francesco Sforza. But this is not the only delicacy from the land of Stradivari. The Cremona area has its rough and savory dessert in the Sbrizulusa, sister of the Mantuan cake. Also from the furrows comes out the Bertolina, a typical Cremasque dessert. Sbrizulusa is dry cake made of corn and wheat flour mixed with lard, lemon zest and a teaspoon of liqueur. Bertolina is a homemade cake, formerly made with bread dough, now with cake dough, but always made with strawberry grapes. l bambunèen de la nòona are very simple cookies that lard makes crumbly and are mellowed with zabaglione. Equally typical is Dolce Cremona, a soft cake made of almond flour and covered in chocolate. Bussolano di Soresina, a soft doughnut, is a sign of a family tradition.

Il torrone It owes its origin to the wedding between Bianca Maria Visconti and Francesco Sforza. For the occasion they organized a banquet for 6,000 guests and entertainment throughout the city. On this occasion Cremonese confectioners prepared a cake made of sugar and almonds, giving the curious mixture the shape of the Torrazzo, the symbol of the city. Hence the name Nougat would be born. Here the privilege of considering itself the home of the famous dessert that from October until all the Christmas holidays cannot be missed on the festive tables. Although nougat is the characteristic dessert of Cremona, the raw materials that make it have always not been acquired locally but imported from other places, with the exception of small supplies of honey and eggs. Although nougat is prepared according to recipes and with classic ingredients, it has, from time to time, been enriched with flavorings to meet the tastes of different eras: vanilla, mint, citron, orange, rose, carnation, nutmeg, cinnamon, chocolate coffee and millefiori.

Il melone Its origin is uncertain, perhaps from ancient Egypt. With its golden color and rich flesh, it has a home of choice: Casteldidone, in the Cremona area. The melon (Cucumis melo) is a climbing plant in the Cucurbitaceae family. The term melon denotes both the fruit and the plant itself, depending on the contexts in which it is used. The melon fruit is bulky, oval or roundish in shape, and “sliced” divisions are visible on the skin. The skin is nearly smooth or barely wrinkled, and the color can range from pale yellow to shades of green. The flesh varies from white to orange and is juicy and very fragrant when it reaches maturity. The central, fibrous cavity contains many seeds. The melon’s nutritional value comes from its richness in sugars, vitamins and minerals. It is endowed with refreshing properties and aids digestive processes. Famous is the pairing of melon with a good plate of cured meats, unfailing on the summer tables of the Cremonese.

Il lambrusco The ancient Romans (Virgil) referred to the wild vine by this name. The origin of the term goes back to Paleo-Ligurian peoples who settled in the Po Valley regions before the appearance of the Etruscans; it derives from the erimo lap/lab (stone, rock) and means rocky. Vines grew wild in forests. They had smaller berries than cultivated vines and were dioecious (male and female). The male flowers were harvested and used to enrich the wines of cultivated vines by correcting their aroma, taste and acidity. They were also used as medicinal plants. In Reggio’s cellars each farmhouse had a different lambrusco. Today, under the term lambrusco, as many as 10 grape varieties all with black berries are registered in the National Register of Vine Varieties. Of these, 8 are grown for the production of wines of controlled origin. Important are our Viadanese Lambrusco and Mantua Lambrusco. Lambrusco is a wine that goes well with the products of Emilian cuisine, sometimes characterized by products rich in fats and flavors. It also pairs well with robust foods such as pork sausages and lamb, and is excellent with the typical cheeses of the area: grana and parmigiano-reggiano. It is also used in cooking in the preparation of dishes, especially typical Emilian ones, such as zampone and cotecchino, or first courses such as risotto with Lambrusco and pasta with Lambrusco. This type of wine is also used in the preparation of cocktails, then mixed with other spirits and fruits and served as an aperitif. It is also used in vinotherapy for its skin-preserving properties.

Tourist relevances

Cremona
https://www.turismocremona.it/

Casalmaggiore (CR)
https://www.prolococasalmaggiore.com/

Torre de’ Picenardi (CR)
https://www.turismocremona.it/it/turismo-a-cremona/torre-de-picenardi

Torricella del Pizzo (CR)
https://www.turismocremona.it/it/il-museo-amarcord-torricella-del-pizzo

S. Daniele Po (CR)
http://www.comune.sandanielepo.cr.it/index.php/it/vivere-san-daniele-po

Motta Baluffi (CR)
https://www.unionemunicipia.it/motta-baluffi/

Castelponzone (CR)
http://www.borgodicastelponzone.it/

Isola Dovarese (CR)
https://www.ogliosud.it/com_dettaglio.php?id=19053

Mantova
https://www.turismo.mantova.it/

Sabbioneta (MN)
https://www.visitsabbioneta.it/it/

Pomponesco (MN)
https://www.ilturista.info/guide.php?cat1=4&cat2=8&cat3=16&cat4=90&lan=ita

Parma
https://www.parmawelcome.it/it/

Colorno (PR)
https://colornoturismo.it/

Busseto (PR)
https://emiliaromagnaturismo.it/it/localita/busseto

Zibello (PR)
https://emiliaromagnaturismo.it/it/localita/polesine-zibello

Fidenza Village (PR)
https://www.thebicestercollection.com/fidenza-village/it

Brescello (RE)
https://visitbrescello.it/

Piacenza
https://visitpiacenza.it/

Lago di Garda
https://www.visitgarda.com/it/lago_di_garda/

Verona
https://www.visitverona.it/it

Brescia
https://www.bresciatourism.it/

Bologna
https://www.bolognawelcome.com/it

Milano
https://www.in-lombardia.it/it/punti-informazione/infopoint-ufficio-turismo-del-comune-di-milano

Venezia
https://www.veneziaunica.it/it

Cycling tourism

Tourists seeking the breath of the Po Valley agricultural world on their journey will find the Province of Cremona the ideal place. The area is totally flat, everyone can indulge in the pleasure of a bicycle ride: with a view to wellness, sustainable tourism and environmental enhancement, for “slow and sustainable” tourism a network of bicycle paths runs throughout the Cremonese territory. The “un Po di bicicletta” project involves the City of Cremona and a system of services dedicated to bicycle tourists

The bicycle paths in the province of Cremona as far as Casalmaggiore are suitable for everyone, professionals and non-professionals, families and bicycle tourists. The routes travel along secondary roads, riverbanks, and country lanes, among patrician villas, farmsteads, and typical crops in a perfect harmony of landscapes and architecture. To appreciate the river environment of the Po, there are a number of very interesting trails: for example, the Golena del Po Cycle Path, a true greenway that, along the riverbanks, goes from Cremona to Casalmaggiore.

Open

PO02 – CREMONA – CASALMAGGIORE Path The itinerary travels along embankments, towpaths and neighborhood roads within the Golena del Po Supermunicipal Park. Very well marked, the route traverses the typical Po River environment characterized by extensive poplar plantations, wetlands and small agricultural villages.

PO03 – VERSO LA CONFLUENZA TRA OGLIO E PO Path The route runs along the left bank of the Po mainly on embankment roads closed to traffic. Crossing the predominantly agricultural landscape, it passes through the towns of Viadana, Pomponesco, Dosolo and Cizzolo to the Oglio Sud Regional Park. Departure: Casalmaggiore, railway station – Arrival: Borgoforte, railway station. Total length: 50.4 km. Signage: route “toward the Oglio – Po confluence”

MN01 – TRA MANTOVA ED IL PO Path The route offers an interesting connection between the Po and Mincio bicycle routes. Pay attention to traffic at Palazzo Scardova and Cesole; water supply only in the settlements. The long route winds through the agricultural area of the lower Mantua region, where rural elements predominate over the entire landscape.

EUROVELO 8 Path The term EuroVelo is used to identify a group of cycle routes that cross the whole of Europe. In recent years, as part of the ECF (European Cyclists’ Federation), a special working group of which several European members are members has developed a proposal for a network of cycle routes (European Cycle Route Network) covering all of Europe geographically understood west of the Moscow meridian. In Italy, FIAB joins the federation and collaborates in the project through the implementation of the BicItalia network. After several meetings and discussions in the summer of 1997, the first map comes out, setting out, in broad strokes, twelve routes. Eurovelo 8 includes the Mediterranean route, so it includes the lower Po Valley area, with in particular the following routes:

Isola Pescaroli – Gussola 16.4 km

From Isola Pescaroli Ponte Po
To Gussola end of bicycle embankment junction via Tavernelle
roadway road with no traffic ( < 50 motor vehicles/day)
paved surface: asphalt or concrete

Gussola – Casalmaggiore

From Gussola beginning of embankment Bivio bicycle path via Tavernelle
Casalmaggiore, Po bridge crossing roadway
greenway (bike path/road away from roads with motorized traffic)
paved surface: asphalt or concrete

Variante Sabbioneta 1 [Casalm Ponteterra conf CR/MN] 3.8 km

From Casalmaggiore,
To Ponteterra conf CR/MN
roadway low traffic roadway (< 50 motor vehicles/day)
paved surface: asphalt or concrete

Variante Sabbioneta 2 [Ponteterra San Matteo d ] 22.8 km

From Ponteterra confine CR/MN
to San Matteo delle Chiaviche
roadway low traffic roadway (< 50 motor vehicles/day)
paved surface: asphalt or concrete

Viadana – Cavallara 16.3 km

From Viadana, intersection via Santa/argine maestro.
at junction Cavallara descent master embankment
Roadway bicycle/bike path (roadside, in its own seat), as per C.d.S.
paved surface: asphalt or concrete

MN01 – TRA MANTOVA ED IL PO Map Ciclovia UNESCO Mantova-Sabbioneta Map Ciclovia Tirrenica completa Connecting Verona with the Tyrrhenian Sea, from Verona cross the Po Valley to Mantua and from there the UNESCO route to Sabbioneta, the Renaissance pearl founded by Vespasiano Gonzaga. On minor roads to Casalmaggiore typical village leaning against the main bank of the Po. Leaving Mantua behind, during the long but easy route (on low-traffic, flat roads) you meet several towns, each with its own excellences: Buscoldo with its late Baroque parish church; Torre d’Oglio and its pontoon bridge and Correggioli oratory; San Matteo delle Chiaviche (km. 28, in the municipality of Viadana) with the floodplain area, whose name refers to the water-scooping plant that takes water from the Oglio to irrigate the fertile surrounding countryside; Commessaggio with the Torrazzo erected by Vespasiano Gonzaga and the village where you can taste the sweet melons that are produced in quantity here. Finally, driving along the Vitelliana road, the ancient Roman military road built by proconsul Vitellius, one notices the hermitage of San Remigio, built in the 17th century for pilgrims on their way to Rome. Pedal after pedal, as the details fade and the houses look like a mixture of warm colors, you arrive, almost suddenly, in Sabbioneta (built between 1556 and 1591 at the behest of Vespasiano Gonzaga), the “little Athens” of the Renaissance, “the ideal city,” as it has been called. It leads directly into Piazza Ducale, which is revealed in all its beauty, with the Ducal Palace a symbol of its grandeur. On minor roads about 9 kilometers away you arrive in Casalmaggiore, a typical village leaning against the main bank of the Po, one of the few towns directly bathed by the waters of the great Po River.

Festivals & Events

CASALMAGGIORE Casalmaggiore International Festival Since 1997, the City of Casalmaggiore has been hosting a summer chamber music school for young musicians from all over the world and a classical music festival for the area. The organization was taken over, starting in 2010, by the Association “Friends of the Casalmaggiore International Festival” with the purpose of fostering the comparison of different educational and interpretative experiences in the field of music. Concert activity is an integral part of the courses, and every day students and teachers perform afternoon and evening concerts. The concerts are complemented by “master classes” open to the public. The size of Casalmaggiore and the guests’ stay for three weeks promote their inclusion within the social fabric of the city and make this experience an opportunity for cultural exchange in the broadest sense. The Municipal Administration, in support of the Festival, makes available its most prestigious facilities: the former Santa Chiara Monastery, the Municipal Theater and the Santa Croce Auditorium. As is tradition, the Festival offers the concerts free of charge, also in other locations in the territory and always in significant places. Cremona, Parma and Sabbioneta will be joined this year by the towns of Bozzolo and Medesano, the Reggia di Colorno and Villa Dati in Cella Dati. In thanking the people, government departments, institutions and associations that support the initiative, we wish the public pleasant listening and meeting opportunities. www.casalmaggiorefestival.com

Festa della Zucca Tradition, good food and solidarity in the event organized by the Friends of Casalmaggiore group under the patronage of the Municipal Administration and the Pro Loco of Casalmaggiore. A ristotenda with 700 indoor seats will be set up. Proceeds from the Pumpkin Festival will be donated to the Casalmaggiore City Council’s social project “The Network.” The project aims at concrete interventions to address “new” needs, frailties and hardships that the deep economic crisis is bringing to light day after day. Under the direction of Chef Arneo Nizzoli, “Emperor” of Pumpkin, the “Dish” highlight of the event will be the preparation and tasting of recipes based on Pumpkin. www.amicidicasalmaggiore.it

Fiera di Piazza Spagna The event has been held every year since the nineteenth century In the heart of the city numerous initiatives between re-enactments, dancing nights and fireworks. Like every summer, the fair in Piazza Spagna, the main event of Casalmaggiore’s summer season, organizes evenings with shows and fun for all ages. From ballroom dancing to Italian rock, from the charm of historical re-enactment to the magic of fireworks. It is one of the oldest events in the Casalmaggiore tradition: the fair in Piazza Spagna has its roots in the distant past.

Fiera di S. Carlo Originating as an essentially agricultural, livestock and trade fair , over time it has changed its outlook, focusing more on entertainment. Even as early as the 1900s it was a time of year that everyone looked forward to with anticipation, certainly for business, but not only. The fair takes place in the first decade of November, the name day of the town’s patron saint. Curated by the Pro Loco Casalmaggiore, it has always been considered the most important Casalmaggiore event of the year, the time of greatest tourist turnout. The rides used to take place in Piazza Garibaldi, while the Circus was located in Piazza Vecchia , now Piazza Turati. The streets radiating out from the center were occupied by market stalls or were literally invaded by tractors, farm vehicles, tools and various exhibits.The fair presents, today, the same ingredients with small but significant changes: the Circus in Turati Square has been replaced by a more modern host: a very large open-air gallery of the latest car models. A small-scale “motor show” offered by the leading dealerships in the area. In addition, for some years now the Pro Loco Casalmaggiore has launched the “Sagra del Cotechino,” an exceptional opportunity to taste traditional Casalasca and pre-Christmas dishes, cooked with the care of “our” women.

SABBIONETA Notte Bianca della Cultura Places open from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.; for one night Sabbioneta lights up with lights, glare, large images projected on buildings. And also of fires and music. As in a glittering Renaissance festival designed for the “ideal city” of Vespasiano Gonzaga. But realized with modern technologies. Sabbioneta’s “white night” – proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site last year – is not one of many “white nights.” It is a set of cultural and spectacular interventions that will transform the city’s appearance, restoring it to the role of a place of excellence desired by its founder. This festive night has a rich and varied program, starring architectural, entertainment and photographic light that can enhance the monumentality of the city.

CREMONA Festa del Torrone Like every year, the most eagerly awaited appointment for all gluttons and lovers of history returns on time: from November 16 to 18, the streets and squares of Cremona will be enlivened by events, shows and tastings during the Nougat Festival. The theme of the 2012 edition is sweetness, more than 60 initiatives including games, moments of entertainment, cultural and food and wine events designed to celebrate the nougat-sweet combination, in a magical atmosphere rich in history and traditions. We therefore invite you to discover the city during its sweetest festival: an appointment simply not to be missed. http://www.festadeltorronecremona.it/

MANTOVA Festival della Letteratura The 2012 edition of Festivaletteratura takes on a decisive significance for Mantua and its province: it is the most beautiful and truest testimony of a territory’s desire to leave behind the terrible experience of the earthquake and to think about tomorrow in order to return to being a leading player on the Italian and international tourism scene. Festivaletteratura di Mantova, which the Lombardy Region has supported since its inception, has been since 1997 a fixture for those who love reading and direct encounters with authors. The event involves Italian and international writers and poets, including those of the latest generations, and offers, in addition to literary events, which represent the heart of the program, poetry readings, meetings on the arts and culture and musical performances, reserving special attention to children, to whom a special section is dedicated with workshops and animations. Traditionally, with the Festival, the city of Mantua puts itself on display: it offers guided tours to discover its historical and cultural heritage, off re the squares and streets to events and opens the doors of its best-known museums and historical palaces, Palazzo Ducale, Palazzo Te, Palazzo S. Sebastiano and Palazzo della Ragione. http://www.festivaletteratura.it/

PARMA Fiera Nazionale del fungo porcino For seventeen consecutive years, the PGI-certified “King of the Mycetes” has been delighting palates and at offers many side events that enrich its flavor. The 2012 edition is the sixth since it has a national character, and is twinned with the International Fair of the White Truffle of Alba (Cuneo). It can count on a total of more than 5,000 square meters of covered facilities and the contribution of 220 volunteers. www.fieradialbareto.it

Festival del prosciutto The King of Hams is back in the spotlight of Parma weekends during the Parma Ham Festival. Lots of events under the banner of gastronomy, entertainment and culture: tastings, concerts, exhibitions that will be held in the 12 municipalities of the Parma hills belonging to the typical Parma Ham production area. www.festivaldelprosciuttodiparma.com

Palio di Parma The first news about the Palio is reported by the “Chronicon Parmense” regarding the year 1314, when the betrothal of Ghiberto da Correggio, lord of Parma, to Maddalena Rossi was celebrated. The new Palio of Parma, which has been held since 1978 and is now held annually, centers on the relay race between the five teams representing the ancient city gates: the greens of Porta Santa Croce, the whites of Porta San Francesco (today’s Piazzale Barbieri), the blues of Porta Nuova (Barriera Farini), the yellows of Porta San Michele (Barriera Repubblica) and the reds of Porta San Barnaba (Barriera Garibaldi).

November Porc Parma Pork Festival, Gastronomic event dedicated to the typical products of the Parma lowlands; it is dedicated to the processing of pork meat with the production of typical products including: cooked and raw ham, culatello,and milk for processing into Parmesan cheese. www.novemberporc.it

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