From the Spring to the Ford: A day in Salice Terme

It doesn't often happen that you spend a day that begins in Roman times and ends in Futurism, after a long tour through the marquisate of the Malaspina, and on top of that in a spa town, immersed in the nature of one of the most beautiful valleys of northern Italy. To enjoy this pleasant and rich tourist experience, we didn't even travel that far: Salice Terme is in the province of Pavia, about an hour's drive from Milan. We arrived here on a mild autumn day, and as soon as we began our walk we realised that the place, which is a hamlet of the Municipality of Godiasco, does not take its name from the willows, but from salt. Indeed, the Romans called this place Locum Salis, because of the reddish saline efflorescences that formed on the ground around the very ancient Fonte Sales.

The Spring, originally from the 1st century BC, and rediscovered in 1849 by Doctor Ernesto Brugnatelli, is the oldest in Salice Terme, and its round structure covers a well about twenty metres deep. The bromine-iodine water of the Fonte Sales is today used at the Terme di Salice for inhalation and gynaecological treatments. Legend has it that the healing waters of Salice had soothed the pains of none other than Julius Caesar, who, returning from one of his Gallic expeditions, is said to have stopped right here. Besides the salt of the spa waters, we discovered that Salice Terme also has an important link with the salt of the Ligurian Sea: indeed, the ancient Via del Sale, the trading artery that connected Liguria with the Po Valley, also passed through this place, which already in pre-Latin times was populated by the Ligurians, like the whole Staffora Valley.

The name of Godiasco appears for the first time in a diploma of 1164 in which the emperor Frederick I invested the marquis Obizzo Malaspina with lands of the town. The Malaspina of Godiasco were over the centuries always one of the most flourishing branches of the house. After this first tour of the centre, we moved just outside Salice Terme; in the hamlet of Montalfeo there is a splendid medieval Rocca, recently restored. On the other side of the road you can glimpse the Staffora stream. Its unspoilt nature, the tranquillity of its little beaches and the charm of its banks attract many people here in search of relaxation. These places, whose beauty can be a natural source of inspiration for art, also won the heart of Tommaso Marinetti, the founder of the Futurist movement.

The poet and writer had his country house right here, in Godiasco, and in that house many important artists gathered for dinners and cultural debates, including Giacomo Balla. To crown this beautiful day with the pleasures of good food, for dinner we returned to the centre of Salice Terme, a stone's throw from the spa. Entering the Ristorante Guado, we were welcomed by a very elegant and warm setting, as well as a clearly visible sign that immediately gratified us: "We have the most beautiful customers in the world". Settling at our table, we exchanged a few words with Mr Fabio, the owner, who told us that this restaurant has been operating in Salice Terme since 1911, always offering typical specialities of Lombard regional cuisine, prepared with first-rate ingredients.

We began our dinner tasting excellent starters, including cured meats such as San Daniele ham, culatello di Zibello, and salame di Varzi and pancetta, with bread and focaccia both of ordinary and wholemeal dough, prepared fresh, as is the pasta, which is all homemade. We also had a grilled polenta crouton with creamed salt cod in extra-virgin oil, while our vegetarian friend opted for a potato and leek flan with a light bagna cauda. Moving on to the first courses, we enjoyed the agnolotti with braised beef and Barbera, a good baked rice ring with gorgonzola fondue, the exquisite ricotta and spinach malfatti with melted butter and the potato gnocchetti with fondue and white truffle. For the main courses, our group split between the Ligurian-style rabbit fillet with Taggiasca olives and pine nuts, the lamb chops with fine herbs and spinach, and the beef fillet with mushrooms and red wine.

Speaking of wine, we washed these delights down with Piedmontese and Oltrepo Pavese wines, chosen from the restaurant's ample selection of Italian wines. At the end, the fantastic house dessert trolley was waiting for us: the Monte Bianco, the biancomangiare with hot chocolate, the pears Martine cooked in red wine, and the chocolate salami. The next time we return to Salice Terme, perhaps we'll also treat ourselves to a bit of spa pampering, and if it happens in spring, we'll enjoy another exquisite dinner at Il Guado, in the sunny summer dehor overlooking Via Terme.

Francesca Bertha

FOR INFORMATION:

Ristorante Guado Via Terme, 59 Salice Terme (PV) 0383/91223