Cremona is a city in northern Italy famous for its production of high quality violins. Cremona has a picturesque historic center with most of the sights clustered around the main square, Piazza del Comune. The city is worth a visit and can easily be seen as a day trip from Milan, but it is also a good place to spend a night or two.
Cremona Location
Cremona is a small town in the Lombardy region of northern Italy, on the Po River, 85 kilometers southeast of Milan. Nearby cities to visit in Lombardy include Brescia, Pavia, and Mantua. See Map of Lombardy.
How to get to Cremona
Cremona can be reached by train directly from Milan in about an hour. By car, it is right next to the A21 motorway. Follow the signs for Cremona and just before reaching the center there is ample parking (free at the time of writing). It is a short distance to downtown from the train station or from the parking area. The closest airports are Milan Linate, Parma and Bergamo (see map of airports in Italy).
Where to stay in Cremona
The Hotel Impero (comments and reservations) is a 4-star hotel about 50 meters from the cathedral. Hotel Astoria (comments and reservations) is a central 3-star hotel near Piazza del Comune. Outside the historical center, my friends recommend Albergo Visconti (comments and reservations), a 3-star hotel that offers bicycles to its guests so that they can cycle to the sights.
What to see in Cremona
Most of Cremona’s main sights are clustered around the Piazza del Comune. You will also find tourist information there.
- Torrazzo – The cathedral bell tower, or Torrazzo, is the second tallest brick tower in Europe and the oldest tower in Europe at over 100 meters high. It was completed in 1309 and is 112.7 meters, or 343.5, feet tall. El Torrazzo is home to the largest astronomical clock in the world. Start your tour of Cremona by climbing to the top of the tower (over 500 steps) to enjoy magnificent views of the city and the countryside. Note: currently closed for renovation in 2014
- Cathedral and Baptistery – The early 12th century cathedral or duomo is Romanesque in style with Gothic and Baroque elements added later. The façade contains many sculptures and inside the Cathedral there are frescoes from the 14th to 16th centuries and other important works of art. The octagonal Baptistery, a mixture of Romanesque and Lombard-Gothic architecture, has a 16th-century baptismal font and a 14th-century wooden crucifix.
- Palazzo Comunale: The Palazzo Comunale, or town hall, was built in the early 13th century. Frescoes from the 13th century can be seen under the portico, while other frescoes are from the Renaissance period. Inside you can see the decorated rooms of the palace and a display of stringed instruments.
- Loggia dei Militi: Also on the main square, the Loggia dei Militi dates from the 13th century and is a good example of Lombard-Gothic architecture. Under the portico, you will see Hercules holding the emblem of the city, according to legend, Hercules founded the city.
- Piazza S Antonio Maria Zaccaria: Behind the cathedral and the baptistery there is a large square that was the site of the fish market and the salt store. In this square is the Episcopal Palace, completed in 1817.
- Ala Ponzone-Stradivariano Civic Museum: The Civic Museum houses paintings from the Middle Ages to the 20th century, ceramics, terracotta, archaeological finds, cathedral artifacts, and a collection of 23,000 coins. The Stradivarius section is dedicated to the master violinist Stradivarius, from Cremona, and has artifacts from his workshop and a display of string instruments.
Cremona Music and Violins
Cremona has been a famous music center since the 16th century and is still known for its artisan workshops that produce high-quality stringed instruments. Antonio Stradivari was a famous luthier, producing over 1,100 violins and his violins are some of the best in the world. Today there is a luthier school and many small workshops that produce string instruments. Stradivarius violins
