A fabulous island on the river just outside Milan: a weekend in Cassano d'Adda

Visiting this lovely town means immersing yourself in the gentle atmospheres of the Adda river landscape, travelling through centuries of art history in its many palaces and churches, and shaking off stress perhaps with a healthy bike ride along the Naviglio della Martesana. Things were very different in antiquity: those who came here before us arrived by prehistoric canoe, since a very large territory between the Adda and the Serio, including present-day Cassano, was covered by Lake Gerundo, a vast expanse of brackish water. In the lake lived a terrible dragon named Tarantasio which, when it got hungry, would come close to the shores and slaughter people while its suffocating breath fouled the surrounding air. The dragon, killed — it's not clear whether by the forefather of the Visconti or by Saint Christopher — is remembered by numerous streets in the area named after the monster.

Our walk starts from the beautiful hamlet of Groppello, where besides admiring the Oratory of Sant'Antonio, which preserves a cycle of frescoes by Flemish artists, and the 17th-century Palazzo degli Arcivescovi, we discover a scenic water wheel, called the Rudùn, built at the behest of Cardinal Carlo Borromeo to irrigate the vegetable gardens and gardens of the Villa Arcivescovile opposite. Today the Rudùn forms the southern gate of the Adda di Leonardo Ecomuseum. Indeed, had we had the chance to mingle among the many travellers who reached Cassano between the 15th and 16th centuries, we might even have crossed paths with Leonardo da Vinci, busy designing the Lombard Navigli. To breathe a little of the air of past centuries, we move to the town centre, where we visit the imposing Castle, built around 808.

The fortress dominates the Adda from a strategic position and preserves the memory of numerous atrocious battles that involved this territory. A few steps from the Castle we find ourselves instead in 18th-century Lombardy, imagining we are nobles on a journey whose carriage at some point draws up under the porticoes of the sumptuous Villa Borromeo, preceded by a monumental court of honour. Cassano d'Adda has boasted its religiosity since apostolic times, thanks to Saint Barnabas who converted its inhabitants to the Christian faith. Moreover, here lies the tomb of Saint Dionysius, who, according to legend, was brought back to life during the journey of his body towards Milan. The revived saint, seeing the beauty of Cassano d'Adda, announced that he wished to be buried in this lovely village, and so it happened.

After visiting several wonderful churches in the town, we head for our home for this weekend: the Hotel Ristorante Julia, on Isola Ponti, between the Adda river and the Muzza canal. The beautiful complex is made up of Villa Maggi Ponti, whose eclectic rooms, between Art Nouveau and Neo-Gothic, have recently been restored to their former splendour; the hotel, whose rooms are housed in the old customs buildings on the border between the Republic of Venice and the Duchy of Milan; a most fascinating 14th-century Tower; and a vast park where several wonderful peacocks stroll. We settle into our very elegant rooms, which open onto a fabulous view of the Muzza canal and the town. We also admire the decorations and objects created by Mrs Tiziana, the wife of Mr Cristian, the owner.

The family management is one of the many strengths of the complex, a sought-after location for weddings and other ceremonies too. Indeed, for couples celebrating the most important day of their lives at Villa Maggi Ponti, the first wedding night is offered in the evocative room inside the old Tower. Since we came here in autumn, for dinner we settle into the old greenhouse of the Villa, warmed by the large fireplace, but the owners explain that in the warm season you eat in the spacious veranda in the park. We start with red tuna carpaccio with oranges and toasted pine nuts, a raw fish selection and the excellent culatello di Zibello with pineapple and a buttered crouton. We follow these exquisite starters with fresh Emilian tagliolini with cuttlefish ink and baby octopus, and linguine with lobster.

Among the main courses we taste grilled red tuna, mixed fried fish with Sicilian pink prawns, sardines and baby squid, while some of us also try the excellent Chianina Fiorentina. Each course is accompanied by the most suitable wine, selected from a wide range of labels. We end this Lucullan dinner with fabulous desserts and a cheeseboard with truffle honey. Spending a weekend among these timeless atmospheres, even though we were very close to Milan, was a magical experience that we will certainly repeat in the near future.

Francesca Bertha

FOR INFORMATION:

Hotel Ristorante Julia Villa Maggi Ponti Isola Ponti, 1 Cassano d'Adda (MI) Tel.: 0363/360360 0363/361298