Cremona, Italy’s Violin Capital
Zagan the motorhome is in a kind-of-official sosta in Cremona (N45.13822 E10.03636). There is a service point here, and the car park is free to stay in, but it’s shared with cars. Or it would be, but for the fact the cars prefer to fight it out for a space a few meters closer to the town centre. A chap’s making money even, directing people into free spaces in return for a coin, which is either a con or an enterprise, depending on how you look at it. We’ve seen it done many times before, but normally when there aren’t great swathes (literally hundreds) of free spaces just a 2 min walk way.
Semi-official sosta at Cremona, There are a few other vans around us, including French and Austrian ones
The motorhome service point at Cremona. Free, working, but looking a bit worse for wear
Quick blog post today guys! We’re basically here in Cremona as it’s (a) on the way to Mantova and (b) we’ll be staying on a paid sosta there and want to avoid the bad weather forecast while we do. Sorry Cremona, you’re a stepping stone for us guys, but thanks very much for the parking.
Cremona, where they need two red lights to get drivers to stop
Cremona is famous for one thing: violins. They’ve been making them here for 500 years; if you’d heard of Stradivari, he’s from here. The tradition’s endured and there are workshops everywhere, part shop, part slow-motion factory. You can stand at the windows and watch guys using weird and wonderful tools to craft beautiful (no prices shown, so I assume high-end) instruments. In an attempt t avoid rain which never came, we legged it around the town while most of the places were closed, storming about the cavernous duomo in all of ten minutes.
Cremona violin workshop
Cremona violin workshop
The city is pleasant, and well worth popping into. I get the impression from the Rough Guide that Mantova is something else though, so we’re excited about getting there and soaking it up over a couple of days.Who knows, we may even manage some of the donkey meat it’s famous for?
Cremona Duomo
Astronomical clock, Cremona Duomo
Cremona Duomo and Town Hall
Some kind of flashmob thing was kicking off. It’s World Women’s Day, which might explain it?
Cheers, Jay
I have really enjoyed catching up with your travels. The scenery photos are beautiful.Im so glad email up and running again.Thank you for letting me be part of your journey.
Love your Blog, we are on the brink of buying a new style VW Campervan to get us started whilst still working… we are thinking of it as a bid for freedom !
Can’t beat freedom. Better than chocolate and beer combined. Good luck guys! Jay
Hi both
Just wondering if you could give some information/advice regarding satellite dish and uk coverage in Europe. I have been told reception only reaches part way down France. What is your experience?
Hi David. Just tried here in Mantua, Lombardy (North Italy) and no joy. Could be a tree in the way though. We use it once in a blue moon, never any further south than here, so can’t really help, sorry. Cheers, Jay