Discover Piacenza: Art, History and Landscapes

Piacenza combines impressive works of art, historic buildings and a varied landscape. The city and its province lie between the Po and the Apennines. Valleys, rivers, vineyards, as well as numerous castles, towers and bell towers characterise the surrounding area. This makes Piacenza an exciting starting point for travellers who want to combine cultural discoveries with a variety of landscape impressions.

Historic Squares and Notable Buildings

Piazza Cavalli is home to two bronze equestrian statues of the Farnese dukes. The municipality of Piacenza commissioned them from Francesco Mochi of Montevarchi. Near the equestrian statues there are metal ramps with handrails and a gentle incline. This detail may be of interest during your visit if, when planning, you want to take the specific design of individual areas into account.

The Palazzo Gotico houses the Salone Monumentale. The hall can be reached by stairs or lift. For a stay with a cultural focus, this visit can be combined with further stops without committing yourself to a single museum theme. The Basilica di San Savino also offers an insight into Piacenza’s history: during restoration work at the beginning of the 20th century, two polychrome mosaics from the 12th century were uncovered there.

Museums from Antiquity to Modern Art

The Palazzo Farnese houses Piacenza’s Civic Museums. Among the notable objects is the Fegato Etrusco, considered a rare testimony to religious practices associated with divination. Those interested in ancient cultures and their religious beliefs will find a special point of reference here when planning their trip.

Another focus awaits you at the Ricci Oddi Modern Art Gallery. Its collection comprises more than 700 works by artists from the 18th century to the present day. The highlight of the collection is considered to be Botticelli’s tondo “Madonna adorante il Bambino con San Giovannino”, dating from 1483–1487. In Piacenza, you can thus combine different interests in art history: from ancient artefacts and Renaissance art to works of modern art.

Guided Tours at the Collegio Alberoni

Every Sunday at 4 p.m., the Collegio Alberoni offers a guided tour of the Collegio and the Galleria Alberoni. Individual visitors can also arrange a one-hour guided tour of the Galleria Alberoni by appointment. These two options are suitable for a deliberately planned cultural stop: you can either take the fixed Sunday appointment into account or, as an individual visitor, try to arrange a tour by appointment.

When choosing your holiday apartment or holiday home in Piacenza, it is therefore worth first deciding on your preferred travel rhythm. Would you like to plan fixed cultural appointments such as the Sunday tour, are museums and works of art the main focus, or should the city be just one part of a journey through the landscape between the Po and the Apennines?

Further Places to Consider for Your Trip

If you would like to compare other destinations in addition to Piacenza, you can also consider Pianello Val Tidone, Croce, Gazzola, Morfasso, Rodi, Rustigazzo, Agazzano and Ziano Piacentino as part of your considerations.

For the higher-level travel overview: Piacenza.