Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
AROUND MILAN
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Pavia
POP 68,350
Founded by the Romans as a military garrison, Pavia has long been a strategic city both
geographically and politically. It sits at the centre of an agricultural plain (hence its ugly
periphery), it is an important provincial political player with strong Lega Nord leanings,
and its university is considered one of the best in Italy, with previous alumni including ex-
plorer Christopher Columbus, physicist Alessandro Volta and poet and revolutionary Ugo
Foscolo.
Aside from its vibrant atmosphere (Instituto Universitario di Studi Superiori, IUSS, is a
partner in over 300 international exchange programs), Pavia's historic centre preserves a
clutch of worthwhile sights including, to the north of the city, the fabulous Carthusian mon-
astery Certosa di Pavia.
Sights
The best way to explore the cobble streets and piazze of the old town is on foot - the easy
grid layout is a legacy of the original Roman roads, with Corso Cavour and Corso Mazzini
running east-west and the Strada Nuova running north-south. In the centre,
Piazza della Vittor-
ia
is the city's outdoor drawing room surrounded by cafes and bars. A little further north
around
Piazza Leonardo da Vinci
, you'll find three of the city's original 100 medieval
watchtowers. The southern edge of town is bounded by the Ticino river, which is straddled
by a covered bridge, a 1940s replica of the medieval original which was bombed during
WWII. On the other side, the
Borgo Ticino
is the neighbourhood of the city's fishermen and
raniere
(frog catchers) and the location of some good restaurants.
Certosa di Pavia
MONASTERY
(Pavia Charterhouse; 0382 92 56 13;
www.certosadipavia.com
;
Viale Monumento; donations appreciated;
9-11.30am & 2.30-5.30pm Tue-Sun)
One of the Italian Renaissance's most notable buildings
is the splendid Certosa di Pavia. Giangaleazzo Visconti of Milan founded the monastery,
