• Art & Culture
    • Villages
    • Unesco Sites

Insider Mantua

from IN-LOMBARDIA.IT
  1. Experiences in Lombardy
  2. Art and Culture
  3. Insider Mantua

Seven tips for Mantua and its surroundings to discover the wonders of a UNESCO World Heritage treasure

Mantua and its masterpieces, Sabbioneta and the villages in the north-west of the province. Discover them by following the sug-gestions of a special guide. In the midst of postcard landscapes, fascinating historic buildings and enchanted gardens.

A village not to be missed? “Castellaro Lagusello, one of the most beautiful villages in Italy. It looks as though it came out of a postcard”. Marco Chiarini is our Insider from Mantua. Twenty-nine years old, from Castiglione delle Stiviere, he works in communi-cation and digital marketing. But above all, since he was a child, he has been a great lover of photography.

To discover other destinations outside the usual routes follow #INSIDERinLombardia on the social networks. With us, apart from Marco, there is a large team of “photo ambassadors” invited to tell you about cities, mountains, lakes, villages, first-hand experi-ences.

PS: If you live in Lombardy, you love photography and also want to become an #INSIDERinLombardia, send us your application!

Here are Marco’s tips (on Instagram for those who are è @_chiaroweb_

Castellaro Lagusello, a postcard village
Castellaro Lagusello, a postcard village «Castellaro Lagusello seems to come straight out of a postcard; you will love it when you visit it. A village near Monzambano, it lies among the morainic hills in the Alto Mantovano in the north-west and is one of the most beautiful villages in Italy. A heart-shaped lake and a magnificent castle are the ingredients for a fabulous experience. Don’t forget to try the capunsei, gnocchi made of bread typical of the area!».
Castiglione delle Stiviere and the Red Cros
«The idea of the Red Cross came to Henry Dunant here, after seeing the generosity of the inhabitants in aiding the wounded of the battle of Solferino in 1859. The International Red Cross Museum bears witness to this. Here’s a special recommendation: go up to the castle, from which you can enjoy a great view. The colours of the countryside are magical».
Cycling in the hills of Cavriana
Cycling in the hills of Cavriana «One of the favourite residences of the Gonzagas in which to relax. Ideal for a walk or a bike ride through the vineyards and the moraine hills, Cavriana, a village in the north-west of the province, is dominated by the castle, once one the most important forti-fications in the area. Today, unfortunately, there are only ruins, but the view is breathtaking».
Mantua and its masterpieces
«The city with the most beautiful profile in the world, according to the film director Gianni Amelio. Entering Mantua, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is like taking a journey back in time. From Palazzo Te, a Renaissance masterpiece designed by Giulio Romano, to the church of San Barnaba, crowned by a beautiful square with a fountain. Or the San Lorenzo rotunda, the church of Sant’Andrea, Piazza Sordello and the beautiful castle of San Giorgio with Mantegna’s Camera degli Sposi. Mantua enters your heart, and it will stay there for ever!».
Sabbioneta, the Renaissance “ideal city”
«An open-air work of art. Unquestionably one of the most beautiful small towns in Italy, a Unesco World Heritage site and Bandi-era arancione of the Touring Club Italiano. High town walls and a moat encircle this “ideal city” in the heart of the Mantuan plain. The two immense gateways into town (Porta Vittoria and Porta Imperiale), the Galleria degli Antichi, the Piazza and the Palazzo Ducale, the Palazzo del Giardino, the Olympic Theatre and the church of Santa Maria Assunta are all definitely worth a visit. A true sixteenth-century architectural jewel».
Solferino, on the trail of history
«One of the most important battles of the Second War of Independence was fought here, on 24 June 1859. Piazza Castello is worth a visit, and is reach through an arch between the walls. From the top, on clear days, you can see all the way to Lake Garda! In the square there is the church of San Nicola and the Civic Tower built by the Gonzagas. Take a visit too to the medieval fortress, 23 metres high, which dominates the whole town and houses a museum with war memorabilia».
Volta Mantovana, the Italian castle and gardens
«Even today the medieval castle dominates the centre of this village in the Alto Mantovano, north-west of the city of Mantua. Built around the eleventh century, it preserves the original town walls, with the elegant “Porta Mantovana”. Not to be missed? A visit to the Palazzo Gonzaga-Guerrieri with its Renaissance decorations and the four enchanting Italian gardens that cover the whole hill right to the centre of the village».

On the same topic

Show all

Lombardy's highest steeples and bell towers

There are four bell towers from which to admire the region's beautiful landscapes and squares, all of them over 90 metres high
  • Art & Culture
Lombardy's highest steeples and bell towers

The Archaeological Museum

on Google Arts & Culture!
  • Art & Culture
The Archaeological Museum

Museums Como

Great museum offer in Como. From the first communities on the territory to the thematic museums
  • Art & Culture
Museums Como, ideas for visiting

Treasure Hunt in the Monza Area of Brianza

Splendid villas, ancient basilicas, noble palazzos. The Monza area of Brianza is full of treasures to discover
  • Art & Culture
Oratorio di San Vittore

The villages of the Lower Valtellina between adventure and relaxation

  • Art & Culture
The villages of the Lower Valtellina between adventure and relaxation

The Violin’s Museum

on Google Arts & Culture!
  • Art & Culture
The Violin’s Museum

Podcast: "Elsewhere in Lombardy"

Boundless beauty
  • Art & Culture
@inLombardia_Adobestock

School trips

Cremona is the ideal destination for your school trip
  • Art & Culture
School trips

Brescia, a Theatre City

From the Teatro Grande to the Brescia Opera Festival, to the Vittoriale degli Italiani in Gardone. Discover a stage city
  • Art & Culture
Brescia, a Theatre City

Museum Sondrio

Centuries of local traditions and alpine identity in its museums
  • Art & Culture
Museum Sondrio, what to see?

Theatre: what’s on stage in Lombardy 

In Lombardy, theatres are opening up safely: here are some of the must-see shows and festivals
  • Art & Culture
Teatro: chi è di scena in Lombardia

The Fourteen Chapels of the Sacro Monte di Varese

  • Art & Culture
The Fourteen Chapels of the Sacro Monte di Varese

In the footsteps of the Promessi Sposi

An unusual itinerary to relive the places, moods and atmospheres of Manzoni's novel, symbol of national identity
  • Art & Culture
Sulle tracce dei Promessi Sposi - Lecco

Castles Lodi

The history of a glorious past between the castles and fortresses of the Lodi area
  • Art & Culture
Castles Lodi, a guide to Lombardy

Milan and its bridges

  • Art & Culture
Milan and its bridges

The life in a farm

Come and discover the charm of an ancient farm!
  • Art & Culture
The life in a farm

6 Discovering Lombardy - virtual tour

Museums and castles to visit from your home
  • Art & Culture
Palazzo Te (Mantova)

Not to be missed: Top 12 tourist attractions in Milan

  • Art & Culture
Not to be missed: Top 12 tourist attractions in Milan

A day at the National Museum Leonardo da Vinci

One of the largest science and technology museums in Europe
  • Art & Culture
Museo della Scienza

Monuments Pavia

Ancient squares, historic houses, statues, religious buildings, museums ... in Pavia and its province
  • Art & Culture
Monument Pavia, what to see