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Living in Milan, I was always on the lookout for easy day trips from the city, and I just could not pass up the opportunity to check out Cremona. What started on a whim turned into one of the most rewarding day trips I took anywhere during my three years in Italy.

What makes a day in Cremona so incredible? Like Mainz (my favorite day trip from Frankfurt, Germany), Cremona has stunningly beautiful sights to see, all of which can be visited in a single, relaxing day. This makes it a perfect candidate for a day trip, when you can see quite a bit and feel like you’ve covered the main tourist attractions.

I arrived seeking out the world-famous Stradivarius violins, and found so much more to explore and appreciate when I arrived. Even this New York Times article notes, “There’s More to Cremona Than Violins.” Most of the top things to do are around the main square, or piazza, with other sights to see depending on your interests.

That is not to discount the beauty of the violins, though. I spent far longer in the Violin Museum than I typically would, both for the extensive, interactive exhibits and also the sheer beauty of the Stradivarius violins. As happens to me sometimes, I stood awestruck at the incredible beauty and craftsmanship of the violins. Truly mesmerizing, and this is not just blogger hyperbole here. You can read more about this top experience of 2016 for me here in my post about being thankful, and of course below.

Cremona, despite not having a university or nearby wine region, is one of the more impressive places you can spend a day in Italy. A few reasons why…

Things to Do

Cathedral & Baptistery

Cremona’s Cathedral is quite impressive, dating back to the 12^th century and decorated inside with beautiful artwork. The complex is quite large, and each facade has a different appearance to take in. The octagonal Baptistery nearby is formally a Cathedral annex, where children would be baptized before being allowed to enter the Cathedral. It is a fairly bare building possibly more impressive from the outside, but it’s worth popping in if you’ve purchased a combination ticket (see ‘(More) Practical Tips for Visiting‘ section below).

Piazza del Commune

This is the main piazza in town, where you’ll find the Cathedral, Baptistery, and Bell Tower. However, the piazza itself is quite striking, and there are a variety of open areas with sculptures and other art along its perimeter. Leave aside time just to wander around, especially along the many pedestrian side streets that connect to the square.

Torazzo Bell Tower & Astronomical Clock

The Bell Tower and its Astronomical Clock, adjacent to the Cathedral, were two unexpected superlatives of my time in Cremona. The Torazzo of Cremona is the 3^rd-tallest brick tower in the world! Not only can you gaze upon it from the Piazza del Commune, but it is also possible to climb its 502 steps to the top. I love being able to get a high viewpoint whenever I can as I travel, and it’s lovely to look over the surrounding countryside.

On the outside facade of the Torazzo is the largest astronomical clock in the world! It tracks the movements of the sun and moon, as well as eclipses. You can get a closer look at its inner mechanism and explore an exhibit about how it works when you climb the tower. Definitely one of the highlights of my day.

Violin Museum (Museo del Violino)

This is the main attraction for most visitors to Cremona, and one of the best museums I’ve ever visited. Unfortunately pictures are forbidden inside, however I’ve included a picture above from when some instruments were on loan to another museum.

Highlights of visiting included the detailed and interactive displays on crafting violins, from the most famous ones made by Antonio Stradivari to those crafted by other local artisans. Stradivari even made a pretty fabulously-decorated guitar! I was completely mesmerized by the beauty of his instruments, and just couldn’t take my eyes off of them. You can read more about the experience here in my post about being thankful.

Another of the most interesting parts for me were the instruments on display from the many years of the triennial violin-making competition. Not only could you see the various violins, violas, basses, and cellos on display, but there were snippets of music that had been played on each that you could listen to on the audio guide. And they really did all sound different!

TIP! There are a lot of concerts and special events at the museum, check the schedule online before you go.

TIP! If you’d like to visit during the triennial violin-making competition, the next one is in 2018!

Best Bites

Hosteria 700

I sought this restaurant out because it offers a lot of Cremonese specialties, like the stuffed marubini pasta, often filled with a mixture of beef, chicken, and veal. They also have some innovative ways to present Italian ingredients, like the shockingly sweet caramelized onion tatin, with a gelato made of grana cheese. A very elevated and satisfying dining experience for such a small Italian town.

(More) Practical Tips for Visiting

The easiest way to arrive in Cremona is by train, and most sights are in easy walking distance of the train station. There are many direct trains a day from Milan, as well as other northern Italian towns, like Brescia. Cremona is just over an hour by train from Milan.

When you arrive, a lot of the main sights to see are part of the Cathedral complex. Be sure to ask about combined entrance tickets for discounted admission.

Certainly this is not an exhaustive list of the sights to see in Cremona, and a lot of the beauty I took in was just from strolling around town. If you spend more time or have a more ambitious itinerary, you can seek out some of the other tourist attractions, like the Stradivarius house, the Archaeological Museum, the Po River, and other churches around town.

Have you ever visited a place for a single sight? Would *you* go to Cremona just to see the Stradivarius violins?

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