Cremona Travel Guide: Stradivarius, Nougat & the Po Valley

Cremona is a small Po Valley city known for two things: the finest violins ever made (Stradivari, Guarneri, and Amati all worked here), and torrone — the honey and almond nougat that is the city’s most famous food export. The historic centre has one of the finest Romanesque piazza complexes in Italy.

The Piazza del Comune

The central piazza contains an extraordinary ensemble of Romanesque and Gothic buildings. The Duomo (Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, begun 1107) has a façade that accumulated decorative layers over several centuries; the interior has cycle frescoes by Pordenone and Romanino. The Battistero opposite the cathedral is octagonal, 12th-century, and one of the finest baptisteries in Lombardy. The Torrazzo — the campanile attached to the cathedral — is the tallest pre-modern bell tower in Italy at 112m and a symbol of the city; it can be climbed for views over the flat Po plain.

The violin tradition

Cremona’s luthier tradition produced Antonio Stradivari (1644–1737), Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù, and the Amati family — makers whose instruments are played by soloists worldwide and valued at millions. The Museo del Violino in the Palazzo dell’Arte houses original instruments by Stradivari and Guarneri. The city still has around 150 active violin workshops.

Torrone

Cremona’s torrone (nougat made from honey, egg white, almonds, and hazelnuts) is considered the finest in Italy. The Nougat Festival (Festa del Torrone) takes place in November. Year-round, the shops along the pedestrian Via Solferino sell every variation.