By motorbike in Ligabue's homeland (Correggio and around)

Correggio

We leave in the early afternoon, destination Correggio. It's very hot and, at 16, we're already there. We find without difficulty our Albergo Dei Medaglioni, a historic 4-star hotel, in a period building, right in the center of Correggio. The hotel is located right in the area of the famous porticoes, the location of the film Radio Freccia, shot right in Correggio. The hotel also has convenient covered parking for Max's precious Harley. As soon as we enter the hotel lobby we are welcomed by Liga's music in the background which will accompany us throughout the weekend. There couldn't be a better welcome! The hotel has beautiful common areas with period-style furnishings. The room isn't bad either. However the air conditioning works poorly and barely cools anything.

So, in the evening and at night we are forced to keep the windows wide open and the famous mosquitoes of the Emilian lowlands devour us. Correggio - Albergo dei Medaglioni It's not the first time we "go on pilgrimage" to Correggio. But last time we didn't see much. This time though, armed with all the useful addresses (practically all the addresses of Ligabue and all his relatives), we set off to scout the town. Among other things, it's a special weekend for all Liga fans: that day, in Correggio, the anniversary of the release of the film Radio Freccia is being celebrated, with an evening screening in the square on a giant screen and with the participation of the actors and the director of the film.

So Ligabue is there! We start our visit of Correggio right from the beautiful and lively square of the porticoes, piazza Mazzini, where at 16 people are already sitting to save seats for the evening.

The center of Correggio is very characteristic and lively. Very pleasant to visit, especially on a Saturday afternoon like this. We then visit the inner courtyard of the Palazzo dei Principi, where the Municipal Library is also located on the ground floor. For professional reasons, of course, I enter. The courtyard of the palace is a beautiful quadrangular cloister with arches and a central well. Next to the Palazzo dei Principi there is the Teatro Asioli, with a beautiful and attractive facade. Unfortunately you can't visit it; visits are only by reservation and for groups. Too bad! I had seen some images of the interior and it was truly worth entering. We then slowly head back to our hotel, pausing to listen to the street musicians (Liga buskers) playing Liga's songs. But they are truly pitiful and we don't waste too much time on them.

Arriving in front of our Hotel Medaglioni, we notice that the entrance is besieged by a lot of people, so much so that we, guests of the hotel, barely manage to get in. After making our way through the crowd, we enter and discover that Ligabue is right in our hotel to give an interview. I'm beside myself with excitement and wait patiently, outside the little room, for him to come out. But the wait drags on: Ligabue doesn't come out and the hotel staff say (incorrectly) that he will probably use the back exit. So we decide to eat, with our buffet dinner "Bar Mario", prepared for the occasion by the hotel. The buffet is fabulous: gnocco fritto but not only. In short: lots of good things. But after all, we're in Emilia! Our table is outside, right under the porticoes.

Just as I'm sitting, ready to tackle my plate of gnocco fritto and cured meats, Ligabue comes out of the hotel and passes right by my table (what an emotion!) to head to the Liga Channel headquarters located in the building right across from the hotel. So, while we have dinner, we watch Ligabue who, every now and then, leans out of the windows of Liga Channel to greet (like the Pope).

In the evening, we head to Piazza Mazzini for the presentation of the film. Initially, at the moment of the arrival of the actors (Stefano Accorsi is also there, also at our Hotel), there's a real crush of people. But then, the curious onlookers move away and I manage to see Ligabue and family well (partner, daughter and ever-present brother). We don't attend the screening because, after all, we've seen the film many times and so we go back to the hotel.

San Martino in Rio, Poviglio, Brescello

Good breakfast at our hotel and, right after, we leave the hotel. I have a series of addresses to "check". Via S. Maria 5: Ligabue's birthplace home. An old historic-center house in the very center of Correggio. The area is a limited traffic zone, so we can't reach the house with the motorbike. Then we head to the outskirts, in the S. Biagio area, between Correggio and S. Martino in Rio, to go to Via Botte 5. Here is the house where Ligabue lived until a few years ago. It's the house that was burglarized after the first Campovolo and it's the house where the famous pool is, the subject of the legal case between Liga and the neighbor. In the same area as this latter house, right in front of the church, there is the family home of his ex-wife Donatella.

All this information was given to us by the zealous passersby that, every now and then, we stopped to ask for information: "Excuse me, do you know where Via Botte 5 is?". And they: "are you looking for Ligabue?". Anyway, for the moment, Ligabue doesn't live in Correggio. He lives on a street in the center of nearby Reggio Emilia. In Correggio though, his mother Rina and his son Lenny live. It's getting late and it's time to go to the appointment with our friends, at the Modena highway exit. Of course I'm late and I still have something to visit. As soon as they arrive, we "drag" them to S. Martino in Rio, in search of the "Bar Mario" with the promise of an aperitif. The "Bar Mario" of course is no longer called that. The real "Mario" now runs, together with his daughter, the "Piccolo Bar", on Viale Resistenza. While the real "Bar Mario" is called "River Club", also in S. Martino in Rio.

It's run though by other people and, on Sundays, it's closed. So we arrive at the "Piccolo Bar" and we are welcomed by Mario in person, the real Mario complete with a statement from Liga, with all his cheerful family who kindly agree to take several photos with all of us (even the photo I requested, with a rag on the counter). Mario - Piccolo Bar - S. Martino in Rio After a cheerful aperitif, we head with our motorbikes to Poviglio, to the "Casa Motta" farm stay, where we have booked our lunch based on gnocco fritto, cured meats and cheeses. Here we meet the funny and likable "Franchino" who will so well guard our motorbikes. We eat in a cool place and spend pleasant hours. For coffee though we decide to move to Brescello, in the homeland of Peppone and Don Camillo and we sit right at the outdoor tables of the bar Peppone, overlooking the famous church square.

After this brief break it's time to say goodbye. We jump on our motorbikes and we all take our different directions home. First though we promise ourselves to repeat this positive experience, for the month of September, of course with another destination. DANI and MAX