In the city of Stradivari and Mina, among music, art and good food: a day in Cremona

A walk in the historic centre where from the luthiers' workshops the voice of the instruments just built resounds from time to time: if we had arrived here towards the end of the 17th century or in the first decades of the 18th, we could have watched at work the most famous master luthier in the world, Antonio Stradivari, born in Cremona in 1644. The wonderful and unmistakable sound of Stradivari's violins is still the subject of scientific research: the secret of the sound quality they produce could lie in the density of the wood, as well as in the composition of the varnish, which appears to have contained volcanic ash, mineral crystals and even borax, a preservative already used in ancient Egypt. The city of the violin has also given the world of music and art several other great figures, including Mina, the Tiger of Cremona, and Ugo Tognazzi.

Cremona is also jokingly called the city of the three "t"s: torrone (nougat), Torrazzo, Tognazzi. Walking the characteristic streets of the centre, it is impossible to resist the call of the first "t": the pastry shop windows abound with typical local torrone, as well as with very colourful little jars of mostarda. So we reach the second "t", the Torrazzo, the bell tower that rises towards the sky next to the wonderful Duomo. It is the symbol of the city, and the tallest historic bell tower in Italy: it measures no less than 112.27 metres with 502 steps. Its first construction dates back to 754 and was completed in four phases, ending with the marble spire in 1309. On the fourth floor of the Torrazzo is set one of the largest astronomical clocks in the world, built between 1583 and 1588.

The people of Cremona can enjoy every day the concert of the seven bells, to which the hour bell is added. Dominating the square is the Duomo, or Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, a vast and stupendous Romanesque religious building, adapted at various times with Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque elements. Built from 1107, in a period of great prestige for the city, the Cathedral was erected at the highest point of the medieval city, not far from the centre of the original Roman castrum. Inside we admire remarkable masterpieces of sculpture and painting, including the "Arca dei martiri persiani", a 15th-century sculpture by Giovanni Antonio Amadeo. Next to the Duomo we visit the imposing Baptistery, whose octagonal plan symbolises eternity, as it is the sum of seven, which represents time, and one, God.

Begun in 1167 in brick masonry, it was during the Renaissance that it took on its current form. On the other side of the square we admire the Loggia dei Militi, built in 1292 to become a meeting place for the richest and most eminent citizens, as well as to keep flags and statutes. After this lovely tour between history and music, we decide to crown the day with a succulent dinner at the Trattoria Al Beccofino, in via Francesco Soldi. We easily find parking in the street, and settle into the large, bright room with warm colours. Welcoming us is the owner Massimo Ardigo, who has run the place since 2006 with his partners Daniele Oppici and Claudia Nicoletto and with the chef Salvatore. Starting to study the menu, we discover we can choose between excellent Cremonese specialities and exquisite fish dishes.

"We focus a lot on the quality of the ingredients and the seasonality of the products. Moreover, we make the pasta, gnocchi and desserts in house; we even peel the potatoes by hand. Our other secret is keeping prices accessible to everyone, both at lunch and at dinner," Mr Massimo tells us. We start with a rich antipasto of typical local cured meats, as well as bresaola with porcini mushrooms and shavings of Grana cheese and an Italian-style antipasto with omelette, artichokes and giardiniera. Many of us instead prefer to start with a nice dip in the sea, tasting the Positano-style octopus and a seafood antipasto with mussels, clams, prawns, octopus and cuttlefish. We continue with the spaghetti allo scoglio and the scallop risotto, while those who prefer land specialities choose the penne with speck and radicchio and the meat ravioli.

We wash down these delicacies with excellent local wines and continue with a rich grilled fish with scampi, king prawns, monkfish and squid. The king prawns with cognac or orange also win fans, while the black pepper fillet and the rare horse tagliata win over our "carnivore" friends. Our Cremonese dinner ends with the delicious homemade desserts, including tiramisu, tarts, chocolate cake, mousse and semifreddos. We will certainly return here for new "musical" walks, but also to taste the exquisite pizzas, also for takeaway and by the metre, which will soon come out of the trattoria's wood-fired oven.

Francesca Bertha

FOR INFORMATION:

Trattoria Al Beccofino Via Francesco Soldi, 3 Cremona Tel.: 0372/455212 Facebook: AL BECCOFINO