• 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

Not to be missed: Top 12 tourist attractions in Milan

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

Festival of Ethical Photography

Responsible photojournalism: The Festival of Ethical Photography
  • Art & Culture
Festival della Fotografia Etica

Lombardy in Paintings by Great Italian Artists

The paintings that most beautifully capture Lombardy's scenery, an immersion in the region's landscapes and cityscapes
  • Art & Culture
La Lombardia nei quadri dei grandi pittori italiani

Milan, a novel city

Discovering the writers of the past, between the places and the atmospheres of Milan that have inspired great masterpieces of literature
  • Art & Culture
Milan, a novel city

Visiting Cremona is cheap!

Entry to all the town's museums with a combined cheap ticket
  • Art & Culture
Visiting Cremona is cheap!

A day at the National Museum Leonardo da Vinci

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

THE ISLAND OF THE MONASTERIES

  • Art & Culture
THE ISLAND OF THE MONASTERIES

On the trail of traditional trades

Six destinations to explore crafts and tradition, on the trail of traditional trades in the timeless landscapes of Lombardy.
  • Art & Culture
On the trail of traditional trades

Discovering the Churches of Pavia

A Journey through Art, History, and Spirituality
  • Art & Culture
Discovering the Churches of Pavia

School trips

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

The window on the river Po

A romantic corner on the Great River
  • Art & Culture
The window on the river Po

Bergamo Upper City

Medieval atmosphere on the top of a hill
  • Art & Culture
Bergamo Upper Town

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

Five Art Refuges in the City

We can reveal some of the finest, most beautiful spaces that perhaps you did not know about
  • Art & Culture
Five Art Refuges in the City - Lombardy

Visits to the violin-making workshops

An unique and unforgettable experience
  • Art & Culture
Visits to the violin-making workshops

Lombardy, land of science and engineering

A journey of discovery through the history of technology in Lombardy
  • Art & Culture
Lombardy, land of science and engineering - Diga del Panperduto

Three Days in Milan: A Cultural Journey Through Time, Art, and Innovation

Plan the perfect 3-day trip to Milan with the YesMilano City Pass. Visit top attractions like the Duomo, Sforza Castle, and Leonardo da Vinci Museum. Skip lines and enjoy free audioguides!
  • Art & Culture
discovering milano

Tempio dell’Incoronata

A visit to the Tempio dell’Incoronata and the Museo del Tesoro
  • Art & Culture
Tempio dell’Incoronata

Walking through time between Grosio and Grosotto

The most extensive historiated rock in Europe
  • Art & Culture
Walking through time between Grosio and Grosotto

Museum Varese

Mummies, archaeological finds, design, ancient and contemporary art: museums to suit all tastes!
  • Art & Culture
Museum Varese, what to see?